You can make soup. Yes, you. Here's how:

"They" say that the French believe that the true mark of a chef is whether they can make a good soup. I think I heard that on top chef, actually... Well, friends, I am here to say that anyone can make a good soup.

Soup is extremely easy to make. It involves 4 basic ingredients. Vegetables, stock, spices, and salt. Yes, you can add meats, creams, and millions of other things, but a basic puréed vegetable soup is one of the healthiest things you can eat, and one of the easiest to make. You can use any vegetables, add any spices, and there are millions of possible combinations. This week I made a Savoy cabbage and carrot soup with curry and turmeric, and a cucumber leek potato soup with thyme and sage.

So soup lovers, here is my basic guide to creating your next great masterpiece.


1. Start by sautéing some veggies in a large pot with a bit of olive oil or butter (you can use butter substitute if you're really watching your calories, but nothing beats a high quality olive oil). Usually onions and garlic (optional) go first. Onions make any soup better. Then after a minute or two, in go your most hearty veggies - the ones that take a long time to cook.

2. After about 5 minutes of sautéing, add your stock (enough to cover the veggies in the pot). I generally like to use low-sodium organic chicken stock, but you can use any meat or veggie stock. You can even just use water and salt (but not too much salt!). The point is to infuse the broth with the cooking vegetables and vice-versa. Adding your spices at this point also helps build a depth of flavor, but be careful not to overdo it! Your soup will cook down and your spices won't! (You can always add more later) You can add meats here if you want to make a chunky soup. And, at this point, covering the pot is usually a good idea so you don't cook off all of the liquid. You want to cook the veggies down over medium heat until they're fully cooked and very tender. Depending on the type of veggies you use this can take 20 minutes or even 40. But keep it covered, so you retain that liquid!

3. OK, now turn off the stove. Here you make a decision. Do you want a puréed soup or a chunky soup? If you want a puréed soup, it's time to use a blender. Immersion blenders that you can stick right in the pot are the fastest and easiest (this is my favorite appliance and I recommend everyone get one). If you don't have an immersion blender, transfer your soup in batches to a traditional blender, and combine the purée back in the original pot. If you want a chunky soup you have two options - either don't blend fully with your blender, or blend fully and add chopped cooked vegetables into the final product after you're done puréeing the soup. Depending on the type of soup, chunky veggies can be really nice, and sometimes even raw ones give a soup that nice crispy, juicy crunch (think cucumbers!).

4. Now you check your spicing. Does it need salt? More spices? Some pepper? Maybe a dash of milk or cream? This is the time when you let your creative genius take hold. But remember, take it slow! You can always add more, but you can't subtract. Stir and taste after every little bit you add. Smelling is very helpful in this process. Smelling what you're about to add and then smelling the soup will help you decide if adding jager to beet soup will actually taste good.

5. It's time to garnish. Top your soup with a dollop of sour cream (fat free is delish), some chopped veggies (cooked or fresh), some crunchy chopped toast, or fresh herbs! You now have a delicious, healthy dish that will impress all your friends, and help keep you trim in those summer months. Ta da!

Real Brooklyn pizza: Totonno's

According to the Zagat, "only God makes better pizza" than Totonno's. I haven't tried God's pies yet, but I imagine that statement just might be true. Totonno's began on Coney Island, so after hearing years of talk about it's wonders, I finally trekked out on the Q train and waited in line with all the devotees for a slice of heaven.

The server was a no nonsense kind of gal, and I knew right away I had to be quick and decisive with my order, so I got a large pie, half with red peppers and onions. The pizza was out pretty fast, and it was clear that I ought to be too, so I chowed down.

True to Brooklyn form, the crust was simultaneously crispy and chewy, with just enough real oven smokiness for the top of your tongue. The sauce had a hint of sweetness, but thankfully not overwhelmingly so. I know some people are in love with sweet tomato sauce, but I'm a savory girl all the way. The cheese was clearly very fresh, even a little wet like a true fresh mozzarella. Since the slices are large, and the cheese is a little wet, I ate my pie with a fork and knife, but it still felt like Brooklyn to me. The peppers and onions were crunchy and nice, but didn't elevate the pie. I've always been a fan of the simple, majestic cheese slice anyway.

It was a long way (and a long wait) for a great slice of pizza, but thankfully Totonno's has several branches in manhattan, and I'll definitely be visiting one soon. Man, do I love Brooklyn pizza.

Crunchy Bok Choy Salad

Recently I have been blessed with a cornucopia of fresh vegetables that I don't normally cook with thanks to my neighborhood CSA, and one of my favorites is bok choy! I've eaten this leafy green vegetable, also referred to as "chinese cabbage," on several occasions, but had never previously tackled cooking it on my own. We'll refrain from discussing my first attempt, but the second was fantastic thanks to this recipe found on CookingLight.com (a great source for healthy, delicious recipes with helpful user comments). I'm not normally a real salad lover, but this crunchy, spicy, asian salad is so incredible I've been scarfing down my greens like a rabid bunny rabbit. I highly recommend it for something refreshing with a kick on a hot, summer day (especially if you're trying to fit into that new swimsuit).



Crunchy Bok Choy Salad


Dressing:
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Salad:
1 (3-ounce) package ramen noodles
1/4 cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts
3 cups thinly sliced bok choy
1 cup very thin red bell pepper strips
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup diagonally cut green onions


To prepare dressing, combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk.

To prepare the salad, crumble noodles; discard seasoning packet. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add peanuts; saute for 4 minutes or until browned. Remove from heat. Combine crumbled noodles, peanuts, bok choy, and the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle dressing over salad; toss gently to coat. Serve immediately.

Yields 10 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup)