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Soup's On!

Nothing soothes the soul like a steaming bowl of chicken soup, dashes winter's chill like a spicy beef stew, or takes us back to childhood like a creamy tomato bisque. Soup is the most versatile of dishes. It can be prepared year-round with all kinds of ingredients, from supermarket beans to farmers' market greens. SOUP'S ON! includes tempting and delicious recipes from some of world's most respected chefs and cooking teachers, including Jacques Pépin, Alice Waters, and Michael Chiarello.

Plus, a portion of the proceeds from the book will go to Nextcourse, a San Francisco-based nonprofit food and nutrition educational organization. Started by chefs and restaurateurs in an effort to combat the acute food crisis in low-income neighborhoods, Nextcourse offers instruction in sound nutrition to individuals and community child-care providers.

Veteran cookbook author Leslie Jonath compiled 75 soul-satisfying recipes into this wonderful collection, and the list of contributors reads like a cookbook author hall of fame (Georgeanne Brennan! Janet Fletcher! Martin Yan!). We've picked one of our favorite recipes to include here; it's sure to whet your appetite and warm your heart.

See more recipes from Soup's On! online, and don't forget to check our Blog, where Chronicle Books authors, editors, and staff post new recipes, tips, and advice each week.

GRNADMA SALAZAR'S ALBÓNDIGAS SOUP
(serves 6 to 8)

Albóndigas is the Spanish word for meatballs. Traci des Jardins, chef/owner of Jardiniere and Mijita restaurants in San Francisco, learned to make this soup with her Mexican-born grandmother. Traci now serves this soup at Mijita, where she re-creates the authentic Mexican food of her childhood.

1/2 cup short-grain white rice
4 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
2 white onions, diced
8 oz ground pork
8 oz ground beef
2 eggs
1 bunch fresh cilantro, picked and chopped
3 sprigs fresh mint, chopped
1 tbsp dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 garlic clove, minced
8 oz tomatoes, blanched, peeled, and diced or 1 can (12 oz) peeled and crushed tomatoes
1 to 1-1/2 quarts chicken stock or broth
1 zucchini, diced

In a small pot over high heat, bring to a boil 1 cup water and pour it over the rice. Let it soak for 20 minutes and drain. In a sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat and sauté half of the onions until soft. Remove from the heat and let cool.

In a large bowl, combine the cooked onion with the pork and beef. Add the soaked rice, eggs, half of the cilantro, half of the mint, the oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper. Blend together well and form into 1-inch meatballs.

In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and brown the meatballs lightly. Remove them from the pan and add the remaining onions, the celery, carrot, and garlic; bring to a simmer, then add the meatballs and the remaining mint. Simmer until the flavors have melded and the meatballs are firm (but not so long that they fall apart), about 1 hour. Season to taste with salt and pepper, add the zucchini, and cook for another 10 minutes. Garnish servings with the remaining cilantro.

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