Soup/Stew

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Apples and apple cider lend a pleasant sweetness to this beautiful soup.

The broth can be served on its own as a light starter with or without the vegetables in it. It can also be used in recipes calling for canned vegetable broth.

A second vegetarian wheat soup, this is well worth trying. The recipe calls for winter wheat berries, but it could just as easily be made with spelt. The cooking time difference is minimal. If cooked wheat berries or spelt are on hand, simply add 9 cups (2.25 liters) water to 2 3/4 cups (360 g) cooked berries and continue from there.

For cool contrast to the spicy soup, serve an orange, red onion and avocado salad sprinkled with ground cumin, fresh lime juice and olive oil. Complete the main course with corn bread, and end with vanilla pudding topped with cocoa powder and chopped pecans.

Root vegetables are a staple of Irish cooking. They often show up in soups, such as this one from The Courtyard in Schull, Ireland.

A version of the popular Cuban soup comes from Miami's Casa Larios.

Cream of tomato soup should be gentle and soothing. This is a perfect example. Adding baking soda to the tomatoes keeps the milk from curdling.

The following chunky potato soup was inspired by a smooth version that one of our food editors enjoyed at The Bernerhof Inn in Glen, New Hampshire.

For bigger matzo balls in this soup form mixture into 12 rounds and cook them for one hour ten minutes.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Not so many years ago dried "exotic" or wild mushrooms could be found only in fancy specialty shops, but no longer. Many good urban and suburban supermarkets now carry little packages of various varieties. And Asian markets are a great source for dried shiitake, also known as Chinese black mushrooms. The dried mushrooms are an optional addition to this soup, but they do add a deeper, woodsier flavor.

Called pho in Vietnam, this unusual soup is a wonderful party centerpiece dish for an informal gathering. Start out by supplying everyone with a large soup bowl and a ladle. Place the soup tureen in the middle of the table. Have each guest take a generous helping of noodles first, then some meat and broth. Each serving is topped off with shredded lettuce, sliced green onion and a squeeze of lemon juice.

A mixed vegetable stew, seasoned with spices characteristic of Morocco. Serve it with rice or couscous.