Soup

Julia Shure of Albany, California, writes: "This comforting soup has both cream cheese and cheddar, which give it a rich, smooth texture. While it makes an elegant first course, the soup can also be a satisfying meal partnered with a simple salad and some crusty bread."

This soup is from Italy.

This soup is from Russia and Poland.

In this luscious soup, the restaurant uses a squash that is relatively new to the American market: the kabocha, a beautiful jade-green winter squash with deep orange flesh. Chipotle chilies canned in a spicy tomato sauce, sometimes called adobo, are available at Latin American markets, specialty foods stores, and some supermarkets.

Gulyássuppe Hotel Bristol The liver in this recipe enriches the stew without adding any distinct flavor that might be objectionable to those who don't care for liver.

Buttery, slightly sweet pumpkin is the perfect mate for the briny flavor of oysters, scallops, or other crustaceans. This soup is made with shrimp, whose shells are turned into an aromatic stock that serves as the soup's liquid. Classic shellfish bisques are thickened with rice, but here pumpkin provides body for the soup. Sage's earthy flavor complements both pumpkin and shrimp and steers the focus of flavor from sweet to savory. This is a satisfying soup to prepare throughout the fall. If you serve it as a first course for Thanksgiving dinner, you might start a tradition in your family.

Yellow tomatoes — which are typically sweeter than red ones — flavor a sunny Golden State version of the chilled summer soup. Begin preparing this recipe one day before you plan to serve it.

When returning the chopped clams to the pot, try not to heat them for too long, or they will toughen up.

This rich red nectar may be eaten hot or cold. I serve it in a demitasse or other small cup. Scrub the beets well before cooking. Taste as you prepare the soup, because getting the right balance of sweet and sour is important.

Hot or cold, this soup is a great starter and can be a meal in itself. It's thickened with potatoes — not cream — but tastes self-indulgent just the same. [NB: This recipe requires a slow cooker.]

There's no need to trim the watercress; you can use every bit of it in this recipe. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 2 3/4 hr(includes chilling)

Treat yourself to fresh clams for this recipe — they make all the difference. This dish originated in Rhode Island during the late 19th century, when, as story has it, Portuguese immigrants added tomatoes to their chowder. British New Englanders believed their creamy chowder to be superior and named the Portuguese version after Manhattan, presuming that New Yorkers were the only people crazy enough to add tomatoes.

Garbure Don't be misled by the plain-looking appearance of this classic Basque soup; it is thoroughly satisfying and delicious. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 10 1/2 hr (includes soaking beans)

When a dark chilly afternoon in October portends a killing frost, gather the last of the garden's bounty and make a steaming pot of soup for dinner. This recipe makes a generous amount that will feed a family for more than one satisfying meal.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

Instead of white cubes of tofu bobbing in this African-style soup, where they look decidedly odd, I purée the tofu with a portion of the finished soup until everything is smooth. The tofu is there, but it doesn't intrude. And this is a method you can use with virtually any puréed soup. If you wish, you can purée the entire soup or leave it textured, with bits of sweet potatoes and peppers.

Onion soup is known internationally as a French classic, but the Tuscans claim that they were actually the first to use the tear-provoking vegetable in soup.