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Dowina (Kurdish yogurt soup)

Dowina, called ash-e doogh in Persian, is warming spring food in Kurdish homes around Newroz, when yogurt is plentiful and the first herbs are cut from the garden. Rice and chickpeas simmer in a tangy, lightly thickened yogurt broth, finished with fresh dill, coriander and a sizzle of dried mint in oil. It is eaten warm, never boiling hot, with flatbread. The common mistake is to heat the yogurt too fast without stirring, which makes it split into grainy curds. Chef's tip: whisk an egg yolk and a spoonful of rice flour into the yogurt before it goes on the heat; it holds the soup smooth all the way to the simmer.

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Sopa teólogaTurkey broth with bread and cheese

Sopa teóloga ('the theologian's soup') goes back to colonial convents in Lima and Arequipa, where it was cooked for feast days, and it is still served at Holy Week and family celebrations. A rich turkey (or chicken) broth is thickened with soaked bread, milk and fresh cheese, with yellow potatoes and shreds of turkey, and finished with a little ají amarillo and chopped huacatay or parsley. It is thick, comforting and filling. Chef's tip: blend part of the soaked bread with broth before adding it, which gives the soup its creamy body without lumps.

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Chilcano de pescadoClear fish broth

In the fishermen's terminals of Chorrillos and Callao, chilcano is what you drink on a Sunday morning after a long night: a clear, gingery broth made from the heads and bones left over from cleaning fish for ceviche, with chunks of fish, red onion, chilli and a squeeze of lime in the bowl. It is light and warming, around 160 kcal a bowl, and still gives about 24 g of protein from the fish fillet and the broth. The common mistake is squeezing the lime into the pot while it boils, which turns it bitter; add it to each bowl at the table. Don't boil the bones for more than 30 minutes either, or the broth turns cloudy and harsh. Chef's tip: ask the fishmonger for heads and frames from mild white fish like sea bass or cod, and leave out oily fish such as mackerel, which makes the broth strong and fishy.

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Aguadito de polloCoriander chicken rice soup

Aguadito is the soup Lima serves in the small hours: at the end of a wedding, after New Year's Eve and at weekend family lunches, it is ladled out thick and steaming to revive everyone. Rice simmers in chicken broth coloured deep green with blended coriander and warmed with yellow ají amarillo, along with peas, carrot, pepper, sweetcorn and potato. A portion gives about 24 g of protein, from the chicken with a little from the rice and peas, for around 480 kcal. The common mistake is adding the coriander purée too early: cooked for long it turns khaki and loses its fresh taste, so stir it in for the last 10 minutes. The chicken must reach 74 °C at the bone. Chef's tip: blend a handful of spinach with the coriander; it keeps the colour vivid green without changing the flavour.

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Bruine bonensoepBrown bean soup

Bruine bonensoep is a Dutch winter staple, simmered in homes from Groningen to Zeeland on dark evenings between November and March and eaten with thick slices of rye bread. Brown beans are cooked with onion, leek, celery and carrot, then about half of the pot is blended, so the soup is velvety but still full of whole beans. Many families add bacon or smoked sausage; this version is vegetarian and vegan, with smoked paprika and a little soy sauce standing in for the smoky, savoury depth. A bowl gives about 22 g of protein from the beans. Brown beans are a type of kidney bean, so after soaking for 12 hours (not counted in the times) they must boil hard for 10 minutes. The most common mistake is blending the whole pot, which turns it into a heavy purée with no texture. Chef's tip: a pinch of ground cloves with the bay leaf gives the old-fashioned Dutch flavour.

100 minDutchSoupsVegan
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Potage cultivateurFarmer's vegetable soup

Potage cultivateur is the farmhouse soup of France, made in kitchens from Normandy to the Auvergne on cold evenings and eaten as a light supper with bread. The vegetables are cut into small, thin squares (the 'paysanne' cut), sweated slowly in butter, then simmered in water, so the broth stays clear and every spoonful has carrot, turnip, leek and potato. The old versions add bacon; this one is vegetarian. It is light, with about 4 g of protein per bowl; add a handful of white beans or serve with cheese on toast for more (choose a vegetarian cheese if you avoid animal rennet). The most common mistake is browning the vegetables: they should sweat gently until soft and shiny, never coloured. Chef's tip: cut every vegetable the same size, about 1 cm square and 3 mm thick, so they all cook in the same time.

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Velouté de courgettesSmooth courgette soup

French families make velouté de courgettes on summer and early-autumn evenings, when courgettes are cheap and plentiful, often blending in a few wedges of soft triangle cheese or a spoon of cream so children drink it happily. It is pale green, silky and mild, and ready in under half an hour; serve it with crusty bread and a piece of cheese. Some soft cheeses are made with animal rennet, so check the label or use a vegetarian cream cheese. The most common mistake is boiling the courgettes too long, which turns the soup a dull khaki; simmer only until just tender. Chef's tip: leave some of the green skin on but peel in stripes, so the colour stays bright without any bitterness.

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Velouté de topinamboursJerusalem artichoke soup

Velouté de topinambours is a winter soup French cooks rediscovered in the last twenty years; the knobbly Jerusalem artichoke was wartime food for older generations and is now a favourite at markets and bistros from November to March. Simmered with leek and potato and blended smooth, it has a sweet, nutty flavour close to artichoke and hazelnut. The common mistake is leaving the peeled roots in the air, where they turn grey; drop them straight into lemon water. Chef's tip: finish each bowl with a few drops of hazelnut or walnut oil to bring out the nutty taste.

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Soupe à l'oseilleSorrel and potato soup

Soupe à l'oseille is an old country soup made in French homes in spring and early summer, when sorrel grows back in the vegetable garden, and served at supper with bread. The lemony leaves melt in butter into a khaki purée, then simmer with potatoes and are finished with an egg yolk and cream, which softens the sharpness into a silky, tangy soup. The common mistake is letting the soup boil after adding the yolk, which scrambles it. Chef's tip: cut the sorrel into ribbons and melt it in butter first; it collapses in a minute and releases all its flavour.

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Aigo boulidoGarlic and sage broth

Aigo boulido, "boiled water" in Provençal, is the old cure-all of Provence, a simple broth of garlic and sage served after the indulgent Christmas Eve gros souper and whenever someone feels run-down; the saying goes that it saves your life. The garlic simmers until mellow and sweet, then the broth is poured over slices of bread drizzled with olive oil and often thickened with an egg yolk. The common mistake is boiling the sage for too long, which makes the broth bitter. Chef's tip: add the sage only for the last 5 minutes and lift it out before serving.

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Velouté de champignonsCreamy mushroom soup

Velouté de champignons is the cosy autumn soup of French homes and village restaurants, made when the woods are full of mushrooms in October and November, although ordinary button mushrooms make a very good version all year. The mushrooms are browned well with shallots and thyme, simmered in stock and blended with cream into a smooth, earthy soup. The common mistake is stewing the mushrooms instead of browning them, which gives a grey, flat-tasting soup. Chef's tip: keep back a few sliced mushrooms, fry them crisp in butter and scatter them on top.

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Velouté de châtaignesChestnut soup

Velouté de châtaignes is the autumn and Christmas soup of the Ardèche, the hilly region where chestnut trees cover the slopes and chestnuts were once the main winter food. Cooked chestnuts simmer with onion, celery and a little potato until soft, then are blended into a thick, nutty, faintly sweet soup finished with cream. It makes a festive starter for a December dinner. The common mistake is making it too thick; chestnuts absorb a lot of liquid, so thin it with stock until it pours. Chef's tip: use vacuum-packed cooked chestnuts; they save an hour of peeling and taste excellent.

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Potage CrécyCarrot soup

Potage Crécy is named after Crécy-la-Chapelle, east of Paris, once famous for its sweet carrots, and any French dish "à la Crécy" contains carrots. It is a gentle family soup served at supper all year round, loved by children for its colour and sweetness. The carrots are sweated in butter, then simmered with a spoonful of rice, which gives the soup a velvety body once blended. The common mistake is browning the carrots, which makes the soup taste bitter rather than sweet. Chef's tip: a pinch of sugar and a few croutons fried in butter turn it into a proper Parisian potage.

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Potage cressonnièreWatercress and potato soup

Potage cressonnière comes from the Île-de-France, where watercress has been grown in the clear spring-fed beds of the Essonne valley for centuries and sold in Paris markets. It is a light, peppery soup of watercress and potato, eaten at supper through autumn and spring, often with a little cream stirred in. The common mistake is boiling the watercress leaves, which drains their colour and bite; add them only at the end. Chef's tip: cook the stalks with the potatoes for flavour and keep the tender leaves for the last 2 minutes.

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Bisque de homardLobster bisque

Bisque de homard is the luxurious soup of Brittany and Normandy seafood restaurants and French festive dinners, made by roasting lobster shells hard and simmering them with vegetables, tomato and a splash of cognac until the stock tastes intensely of the sea, then finishing it with cream. This home version uses two cooked lobsters, so there is no need to handle live shellfish; the meat goes back in at the end. The cognac is flamed and simmered, which drives off most of the alcohol but not all; leave it out and add 1 tsp lemon juice for an alcohol-free version. The common mistake is not crushing the shells, which leaves the flavour locked inside. Chef's tip: smash the roasted shells with a rolling pin before simmering; the bisque will be twice as rich.

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Velouté d'aspergesAsparagus soup

Velouté d'asperges is a spring soup from the Loire valley and Alsace, the two great asparagus regions of France, made in April and May when white and green asparagus are sold in bundles at every market. The woody ends and peelings are simmered into a quick stock, the stalks are cooked in it and blended with cream, and the tender tips are kept whole to float on top. The common mistake is throwing the peelings away, when they carry most of the flavour. Chef's tip: strain the soup through a fine sieve after blending; asparagus fibres can make it stringy.

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Crème Du BarryCream of cauliflower soup

Crème Du Barry is a Parisian cauliflower soup named after Madame du Barry, the last favourite of King Louis XV, and any dish "Du Barry" in French cookery contains cauliflower. It is a soft, pale, comforting winter soup served as a starter at family dinners and in classic restaurants, made from cauliflower simmered with potato and leek and blended with cream. The common mistake is overcooking the cauliflower until it smells cabbagey; it needs only 20 minutes. Chef's tip: keep a few tiny florets back, roast them until golden and use them as a garnish.

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Velouté de potironCreamy pumpkin soup

Velouté de potiron is the soup French families make all autumn, from the October markets piled with orange pumpkins right through to Christmas, often served as a starter for Sunday lunch or a simple supper with bread and cheese. The pumpkin is simmered with onion and potato in vegetable stock, then blended until velvety and finished with a spoonful of crème fraîche. The common mistake is too much stock, which makes it thin and bland; you can always add more after blending. Chef's tip: a small potato gives body without masking the sweet pumpkin flavour.

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Potage Saint-GermainFresh pea soup

Potage Saint-Germain is a Parisian classic named after the Saint-Germain district, a bright green spring soup served at the start of family dinners in May and June when fresh peas arrive, though frozen peas make an excellent version all year. Peas are simmered briefly with lettuce, spring onions and mint, then blended smooth so the soup tastes fresh and sweet. The common mistake is cooking the peas too long, which turns the soup khaki and dull. Chef's tip: cool the blended soup quickly in a bowl set over iced water if you are not serving it at once; it keeps its vivid colour.

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Caldo de gallinaHen broth with noodles

In Lima's markets and the all-night caldo stalls of districts like La Victoria, a bowl of caldo de gallina is the dawn breakfast for market porters, taxi drivers and anyone coming home late: a deep, golden broth from a slow-simmered hen (a boiling fowl) with ginger and spring onion, ladled over thick noodles and yellow potato, with a boiled egg, lime and ají chilli on the side. The common mistake is boiling the broth hard, which clouds it and toughens the meat; keep it to a lazy simmer. The chicken must reach 74 °C, though after this long simmer it will be well past that. Chef's tip: cook the noodles separately, then put them in the bowls; cooked in the pot they drink the broth and turn it starchy.

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Pira caldoCreamy fish soup with cheese

Along the Paraguay River from Asunción to Concepción, pira caldo is the fishermen's soup, said to restore strength after a long night: chunks of firm river fish poached in a broth of onion, peppers and tomato fried in fat, then made creamy with milk and melted fresh cheese. Surubí or other catfish is traditional; any firm white fish such as hake or pollock works. The mistake most people make is boiling the soup after the milk and cheese go in, which splits it. Chef's tip: fry the vegetables until they are very soft and sweet before adding the water; that is where the flavour comes from.

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Groninger mosterdsoepMustard and leek soup

Groningen in the far north of the Netherlands has been making mustard since the Middle Ages, and its creamy mustard soup is served in every café in the city: a velvety roux soup with leek, stock and cream, sharpened with a generous amount of coarse Groninger mustard. Most cafés top it with crisp bacon bits; this vegetarian version uses toasted croutons and chives. A common mistake is boiling the soup after the mustard goes in, which makes it bitter and grainy. Chef's tip: whisk the mustard in off the heat at the end, so it keeps its tang.

30 minDutchSoups
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Chairo puneñoLamb, chuño and wheat soup

High on the Altiplano, where nights freeze even in summer, chairo is the soup that gets Puno's market workers and farmers through the day. It is thick and brothy at once: lamb on the bone and a little charqui (dried meat) simmered with crushed chuño, peeled wheat, broad beans, potatoes and squash, scented with cumin, oregano and huacatay or mint. Expect a deep, meaty, slightly smoky bowl with lots of chew. Soak the chuño and the wheat overnight. A common error is adding the potatoes with the meat, so they dissolve before the lamb is tender; they go in for the last 25 minutes. Chef's tip: crush the soaked chuño into small pieces by hand; they thicken the broth as it cooks.

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Chupe de camaronesPrawn chowder

Arequipa's picanterías serve one chupe on each day of the week, and the prawn one, made with crayfish-like camarones from the Majes and Ocoña rivers, is the grandest, especially on Fridays in Lent. It is a big orange chowder: a broth made from the prawn shells and heads, coloured with ají panca, filled with potatoes, corn, broad beans and a little rice, then softened with evaporated milk and fresh cheese, with an egg poached in each bowl. Rich, sweet and gently spicy, it needs nothing but bread. Large shell-on prawns stand in well for river prawns. Many cooks boil the prawns from the start and they turn to rubber; add them at the end and cook only until pink and opaque. Chef's tip: fry the heads and shells in the oil first and press them hard; the orange fat that comes out is what gives chupe its colour and depth.

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