BOOK LOOK

FROM SOUP TO ...s

W

A Kosher Collection

hat could be better on a cold winter
night than a hot bowl of soup? Simple
and rustic or elegant and extravagant,
soup can be a light first course or a hearty meal all
on its own.
Just in time for the coldest months of the year
comes a new cookbook, Soup: A Kosher Collection
(M. Evans and Company; $19.95; Feb. 1 publica-
tion date).
Written by Pam Reiss of Winnipeg, Canada, who
works in her family's kosher restaurant and catering
business, Dessert Plus, the compilation consists of
soup recipes from around the world and runs the
gamut of ingredients from fish, fruit, vegetables and
grains to dairy and meat.
Familiar dishes like French Onion Soup and
Cabbage Soup join more unusual fare like Pumpkin
and Black Bean Soup and Smoked Salmon and Dill
Soup. Reiss' Chocolate Soup is a treat included in
the chapter on Fruit and Dessert Soups.
"My theory of cooking is simple and straightfor-
ward," says Reiss, whose next book will focus on
kosher salads. "I have two rules: keep it simple
and use the best ingredients. I'm not saying that a

ou p!

complicated, time-consuming recipe can't be
wonderful, but it's not a requirement for putting
outstanding food on your dinner table. Simple,
good, fresh ingredients and easy preparation —
that's what it takes."
Reiss provides both American and metric meas-
urements and says either chicken or vegetable stock
is fine in most recipes. She often uses a powdered,
vegetarian chicken-flavored soup base. Most of her
recipes can be frozen and later defrosted.
Try Reiss' Tortilla Soup. The lime juice and
cilantro give the soup "an amazing fresh flavor," says
the author. "For a vegetarian alternative, leave out
the chicken breast and add some shredded cheddar
cheese and sour cream."
— Gail Zimmerman
Platinum creative editor

❑

Soup: A Kosher Collection, available in February, can be
purchased online through www.jewish.com

TORTILLA SOUP

SERVES

6

—

(FREEZE WITHOUT TORTILLAS)

• 2 7-inch flour tortillas
• vegetable spray
• 1 small red onion, peeled and finely
chopped
• 1 large jalapeno pepper, seeded, cored
and finely diced
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1-2 gloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. slat
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 5 cups stock
• 1 cup canned diced tomatoes
• 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken
breasts,
cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 can (16 oz. or 19 oz.) black beans,
rinsed and drained
• 3/4 cup frozen corn kernels
• 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 1 tsp. hot sauce
• 2 Tbsp. cilantro (firmly
packed), chopped
• parchment paper

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.
Spray both sides of the tortillas lightly with
vegetable spray, then cut into 1/4-inch by 1
1/2-inch strips. Spread the strips in a sin-
gle layer on a parchment-lined baking
sheet and bake for 4-6 minutes until crisp
and lightly browned.

Add the garlic and cumin, salt and
pepper and cook another 30 seconds,
stirring constantly.

Over medium-low heat, saute the onion
and jalapeno in olive oil for 5-8 minutes,
until soft.

Add the chicken and beans, cook two
minutes and add the corn. Cook another
3-5 minutes, until the corn is warmed
through and the chicken is fully cooked.

Add stock and tomatoes and bring to
a boil, covered, over high heat. Reduce
heat and simmer for 15 minutes on
medium-low.

Add lime juice and hot sauce just before
serving. Top each bowl with cilantro and
tortilla strips.

— from "Soup: A Kosher
Collection,"
by Pam Reiss

JNPLATINUM • JANUARY 2005 •

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