Soup

Pumpkin seeds are available at many supermarkets and at natural foods stores and Latin markets. The pumpkin seed oil can be found at specialty foods stores and at surfasonline.com.

Paul Bocuse believes a great chef will invent only two dishes in his entire career; his own truffle soup with pastry "hats" will forever be known as his signature creation. Our version retains all the theater of the billowy dome of puff pastry and the richness of the flavors but substitutes mushroom consommé laced with morels and snips of fresh chives for the opulence of truffles and foie gras.

Nuggets of sausage give a little meatball action to this hearty, no-fuss soup chock-full of healthy escarole and lentils.

This is the Culinary Institute of America's version of the American classic, rich and creamy. Paired with a salad and bread, it becomes a hearty meal.

Although tomatoes and aromatic herbs always complement each other, tender sprigs of fresh mint seem to have a special affinity for tomatoes. In this soup the mint is a sprightly highlight that serves as a refreshing foil to the richness of the cream. Other fresh herbs, such as thyme or basil, can be substituted and the soup will still be very tasty, but you really owe it to yourself to make this recipe with mint at least once. As for the tomatoes, if it's summertime choose the ripest, freshest ones you can find (a pinch of sugar will bring out their natural sweetness); at other times of the year canned will do just fine. Serve with a basket of hot garlic bread and a tossed vegetable salad.

Gremolata is traditionally made with chopped garlic, parsley, and lemon peel; this one incorporates chopped hazelnuts and uses orange peel instead of lemon.

This smooth puréed soup manages the near—impossible feat of being velvety and creamy without any cream. Ribbons of zucchini add a final soupçon of elegance.

We love the games this soup plays with our senses: First, its fiery color tricks your brain into thinking it is hot, but when you take a sip, your tongue realizes the soup is cold. Then the spice of the habaneros sweeps in and deliciously complicates matters. Don't be alarmed by the number of chiles called for—habaneros' heat is complex and floral and partners perfectly with the sweetness of the red bell peppers.

This Mexican take on gazpacho has a little bit of crunch, thanks to pepitas (pumpkin seeds).

This refreshing soup makes a great first course for a summer dinner party.

Chop the shallots and the garlic in the processor to make this recipe even easier.

This soup from Tien Dinh at Pho, in Las Vegas, delivers vitamin A.

This recipe originally accompanied Lemongrass Consommé with Matzoh Balls, Leeks, and Shiitake Mushrooms

This is a soup that really benefits from homemade stock.

Ramps, or wild leeks, are celebrated as a sign of spring in Appalachia. This creamy soup captures the briefly flourishing vegetable's essence: Cooking the oniony bupounds brings out their sweetness, and bright green stems lend a cheerful color.

Traditionally, this bouillabaisse-like stew is rich with tomatoes and chunks of wild-caught freshwater fish such as perch, tench, eel, trout, and pike. While wild-caught is best, fillets of farmed freshwater fish—including tilapia, catfish, trout, and arctic char—also work well.

This exotically spiced soup has an incredibly velvety texture.