SOUPS

CHRISTOPHER CHUNG

Watermelon and Cucumber Gazpacho

In a blender, puree 4 cups watermelon, reserving the rest, until smooth. Transfer puree to a large bowl. Add the rest of the watermelon and all remaining ingredients except crème fraîche.

Cover and refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours. Divide among serving bowls and top with a dollop of the crème fraîche. — Claudia Sutton

PAIRING SUGGESTION: The bright but not-too-sweet fruit flavors here suggest a beverage with similar qualities, such as an off-dry white or, to be adventurous, a fruity sangria.

Makes 6 to 8 servings 1 seedless watermelon, about 3 pounds, pink flesh diced 1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced, about 1 cup 1 red pepper, seeded and diced 1 yellow pepper, seeded and diced 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced (wear gloves) 3 pale green inner celery stalks, diced ½ small red onion, diced ¼ cup mint, finely chopped 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar ¼ teaspoon salt ½ cup crème fraîche

Chilled Asparagus Soup with Tarragon Crème Fraîche

For soup: Cook the asparagus butts in 1¼ quarts water for 20 to 30 minutes. Allow to cool.

Blanch the three bunches of asparagus (not the tips) in salted water until very tender, then shock in salted ice bath.

Blanch spinach in salted water, then shock in a salted ice bath. In a blender, add blanched asparagus, 1 cup of cold stock and a pinch of spinach. Blend and continue until all asparagus, spinach and stock are used.

Pass asparagus mixture through a chinois. Stir in the cream and season with salt and pepper. Place in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

For garnish: Blanch asparagus tips in salted water, then shock in a salted ice bath.

Clean and quarter morels and discard ends. In a medium-size saute pan, cook morels in a little olive oil. Add the shallots, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes over medium heat.

Whip crème fraîche until soft peaks form, then mix in the tarragon. Garnish with fresh herbs such as chives and parsley.

Divide soup into bowls and top with morel mushrooms, asparagus tips and tarragon crème fraîche. Garnish with fresh herbs of your choosing. Drizzle a little extra-virgin olive oil over the top.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

For soup

3 bunches asparagus (reserve butts for stock and tips for garnish) ½ cup spinach 1¼ quarts asparagus stock ½ cup heavy cream — Kosher salt, to taste — White pepper, to taste

For garnish

1 bunch asparagus tips 1 cup morels or other mushrooms 1 tablespoon garlic, minced 1 tablespoon shallots, minced — Kosher salt, to taste — White pepper, to taste 1 cup crème fraîche 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon — Extra-virgin olive oil, to taste — Fresh garden herbs, as needed for garnish

— Perry Hoffman

PAIRING SUGGESTION: Asparagus is problematic with wine because it contains mercaptan, which can produce a skunky-smelling compound that is considered a fault in wine. You could choose a crisp, non-oaked white wine or a dry hard cider here.

Beef Barley Mushroom Soup

In a heavy-bottom pan, warm ¼ cup olive oil over medium-high heat. Season beef with a generous amount of salt and pepper and when the pan is very hot, sear well on all sides until brown and crispy. Set aside. In the same pan, add ¼ cup olive oil and the mushrooms and saute until golden brown.

Add the other diced vegetables and garlic and let everything cook together until soft and fragrant. Add the chopped rosemary. Add the red wine, making sure to scrape the dark bits from the bottom of the pan.

Once the mixture is reduced by half, add the beef back in, cover with the bone broth and bring to a simmer. Turn heat to low.

Once the beef is tender (about 2 hours later), add the barley and cook for about 45 minutes or until the grains are tender. Adjust seasoning, to taste.

About bone broth: Bone broth can be made in a large batch and frozen for later. Use it to cook with or to drink for replenishment.

You can make the broth in a large stockpot or, better yet, a slow cooker on low. Total cooking time is 9 to 24 hours.

The bones should be a mix of marrow bones and bones with a little meat on them, such as oxtail, short ribs or knuckle bones (cut in half by a butcher).

— Johnny and Julia Gnall

PAIRING SUGGESTION: A tip-off for a pairing is that red wine is part of the recipe, so head in that direction. A brown ale or porter would satisfy beer drinkers.

Makes 5 servings ½ cup olive oil 2 pounds English-cut beef short ribs 4 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced 1 medium yellow onion, diced 2 carrots, peeled and diced 3 celery stalks, diced 1 leek, small, diced 4 cloves garlic, chopped 2 sprigs fresh rosemary and/ or thyme ½ cup good red wine 2 quarts beef bone broth (see recipe adjacent for homemade) 1 cup barley — Salt and pepper, to taste

Beef Bone Broth

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place beef bones, carrots, leek, onion and garlic on a roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes or until deep brown.

Fill a large (at least 6-quart) stockpot with 12 cups of water. Add celery, bay leaves, peppercorns and vinegar. Scrape the roasted bones and vegetables into the pot along with any juices. Add more water if necessary to cover bones and vegetables.

Cover the pot and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to a very low simmer and cook with lid slightly ajar, skimming foam and excess fat occasionally, for at least 8 but up to 24 hours on the stovetop. The longer you simmer it, the better your stock will be.

Add more water if necessary to ensure bone and vegetables are fully submerged. (Alternately, you can cook the broth in a slow cooker on low for the same amount of time.)

Remove the pot from the heat and let cool slightly. Strain broth using a fine-mesh sieve and discard bones and vegetables. Allow to cool further until barely warm, then refrigerate in smaller containers overnight. Remove solidified fat from the top of the chilled broth before using.

CHRISTOPHER CHUNG

Makes about 2 quarts 4 pounds beef bones 2 unpeeled carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces 1 whole leek, cut into 2-inch pieces 1 medium onion, quartered 1 garlic head, halved crosswise 2 celery stalks, cut into 2-inch pieces 2 bay leaves 2 tablespoons black peppercorns 1 tablespoon cider vinegar

Chili Colorado

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Sprinkle short ribs with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.

In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring the California, guajillo and chipotle chiles and 1½ cups of water to a simmer. Cover and reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the chiles are just tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a blender and process until smooth.

Heat a large, heavy-bottom pot over medium-high heat, add ¼ cup olive oil, then sear the short ribs on all sides and remove from pot.

Add the garlic, onion and bell peppers to the drippings in the pot and saute until onions are translucent. Deglaze pot with California red wine, letting the wine evaporate as you scrape up the brown bits at the bottom. Mix in the cumin and oregano. Add the chile puree from the blender and the broth. Stir to blend, return the short ribs to the pot and pour in any juice from the bowl as well. Stir to coat, bring to a simmer, then cover and place the pot in the oven and braise until ribs are tender, about 2½ to 3 hours.

Spoon off any fat that rises to the surface. Transfer the ribs to a cutting board and cut the meat into small cubes. Add meat to the chili.

Bring to a simmer and add salt and pepper to taste and cayenne for spice.

— Chad Holmes

PAIRING SUGGESTION: Chile spice, like in this recipe, has capsaicin, which can make wines high in alcohol unpleasantly hot. Choose a light-bodied red like gamay or rosé, or a rich porter.

Makes 5 servings 3 pounds boneless beef short ribs 1 teaspoon sea salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 2-ounce package dried

California chiles, stemmed, seeded and cut or torn into pieces 1 2-ounce package dried guajillo chiles, stemmed, seeded and cut into pieces — Two dried chipotle peppers, stemmed and seeded ¼ cup olive oil 6 large cloves garlic, chopped 1 large yellow onion, chopped 1 green bell pepper, chopped 1 red bell pepper, chopped 1 cup California red wine 1 tablespoon freshly ground cumin 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano 1 cup beef broth (make with femur bones for a rich, deep flavor) — Salt and pepper, to taste — Cayenne, to taste

JOHN BURGESS

Shrimp and Noodle

Soup with Laksa

For Laksa Paste: Add all ingredients except coconut milk to a blender and process for a minute or 2 or until very smooth. Add mixture to a small saucepan and cook over moderate heat for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly. It should be very fragrant. Stir in coconut milk and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 3 months.

For soup: Heat the stock to boiling, add the reserved shrimp shells and simmer for 5 minutes, covered. Strain, discard shells and set stock aside. Halve the shrimp lengthwise. Stir soy sauce and rice wine together and toss with shrimp to lightly coat. Set aside to marinate for a few minutes.

Heat the stock and coconut milk in a deep saucepan and whisk in the Laksa Paste. Add oil to a wok or large skillet and heat over high heat. Add shrimp and stir-fry, in batches if necessary, until barely cooked through, about 2 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Add zucchini and noodles to warm bowls. Top with shrimp. Taste stock mixture and adjust with lime juice, salt and pepper, to taste. Ladle hot stock over noodles and serve immediately, garnished with cilantro leaves and green onions.

Note: Chile garlic sauce is available in Asian markets and the Asian food section of some grocery stores.

— John Ash

PAIRING SUGGESTION: This richly flavored dish could pair well with a rich, full-bodied white wine or a fragrant beer. Light-color beers such as IPAs and hefeweizens work well with coconut, especially when complemented with citrus or melon flavors.

Makes about 1 cup or more

For Laksa Paste

2 tablespoons chile garlic sauce, or to taste (see Note) 1/3 cup onion, chopped 1/3 cup macadamia nuts, chopped and toasted, or blanched almonds ¼ cup ginger, peeled and finely chopped 2 tablespoons coriander seeds, crushed 1 teaspoon shrimp paste or 2 tablespoons fish sauce, or to taste — Juice and zest from 2 limes 2 teaspoons sugar 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil ½ cup or so coconut milk

Makes 4 to 6 servings

For soup

3 cups low-salt, defatted chicken stock 1 pound large (16-20 size) shrimp, peeled and deveined, shells reserved 1 tablespoon soy sauce 3 tablespoons rice wine or sake 3½ cups coconut milk, stirred well 1 cup Laksa Paste, or to taste 2 tablespoons peanut or other vegetable oil 1 small zucchini, cut into long julienne 4 ounces thin rice vermicelli noodles, soaked in warm water for 20 minutes — Fresh lime juice, to taste — Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

For garnish

— Cilantro leaves — Green onions sliced on the bias

JOHN BURGESS

Sopa de Lima (Mexican Chicken Soup with Lime)

Line a plate with paper towel. Add an inch of oil to a deep saucepan and over moderately high heat, fry the tortilla strips until crisp and golden brown, about 2 minutes. Using a spider or slotted spoon, transfer the tortilla strips to the towel-lined plate and let them cool.

Nestle the chicken in a large stock pot and pour enough water into the pot to cover the chicken by 2 inches. Bring the water to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then immediately reduce the heat to mediumlow, partially cover and very gently simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the meat shreds easily with a fork, about 1½ hours.

Remove the chicken from the pot and place on a plate to rest until it’s cool enough to handle. Remove and discard the skin. Pull the meat from the bone, shred it with a fork and set aside.

Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding the solids, and set aside. Wipe out the pot and add 2 tablespoons of oil. Over moderate heat, saute the onions, garlic, poblano, cumin, oregano, fennel seed and chile until vegetables are softened, about 6 minutes. Add 6 cups or so of the stock, tomatillos and reserved chicken and simmer for 10 minutes more. Taste for seasoning and add salt, pepper, more chile powder and lime juice (at least 3 tablespoons), as needed.

Add a scoop of rice, if using, to warm bowls and ladle soup over. Pass garnishes, including fried tortilla strips, separately and allow each guest to add to their bowl as desired.

— John Ash

Makes 8 servings — Coconut or other vegetable oil, for frying 3 6-inch yellow or white corn tortillas, cut into thin strips 1 whole chicken (about 3 pounds) 2 medium white onions, peeled, halved and sliced lengthwise 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 1 large poblano pepper, stemmed, seeded and diced 1 teaspoon ground cumin 2 teaspoons oregano, preferably Mexican 1 teaspoon fennel seed 2 teaspoons pure chile powder, such as ancho, or ½ teaspoon chile flakes 3 cups or so quartered tomatillos 2 cups cooked long-grain white rice, optional — Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 5 large limes, 4 juiced and 1 cut into wedges, for garnish — Additional garnishes: sliced jalapeños, cilantro sprigs, avocado slices, crumbled cotija cheese, reserved tortilla strips

PAIRING SUGGESTION: The bright lime of this dish calls for a similar flavor profile in wine — which screams sauvignon blanc. A Mexican beer with a lime wedge is also a natural fit.

JOHN BURGESS

Winter Kabocha Squash Soup

This recipe calls for kabocha squash, but you can use any sweet variety in the market, such as butternut, sugar pie or Hubbard.

In a deep saucepan, melt the butter over moderate heat. Add the onions and garlic and saute until soft but not brown. Add the curry and saute for a minute or 2 or until fragrant. Add the stock and squash and transfer to a blender. Puree, in batches if necessary. Strain through a medium mesh strainer, if desired.

Return mixture to the saucepan and add the nutmeg, honey and coconut milk. Whisk to combine and bring to a simmer. Stir in sherry and correct the seasoning with salt and pepper.

To serve, ladle soup into warm soup bowls and top with chives and fragrant oil.

Note: To roast the squash, cut a 2-pound squash in half, scoop out seeds, season with salt and pepper and roast cut side up in a preheated 375-degree oven for 30 minutes or until flesh is soft. Scoop flesh out of shell and discard shell.

— John Ash

Makes 8 servings 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 3 cups yellow onion, chopped 1 tablespoon garlic, chopped 2 tablespoons high-quality curry powder, such as

Madras 5 cups rich chicken or vegetable stock 3 cups roasted kabocha squash (see Note) ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 1 tablespoon honey, or to taste 2 cups well-stirred coconut milk 2 tablespoons dry sherry, optional — Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper, to taste — Chopped chives and a fruity olive or toasted nut oil, for garnish

PAIRING SUGGESTION: Squash gives this rich soup some sweetness. Choose a wine with just a touch of sweetness and good acidity, such as a riesling.