Saveur Soups and Stews

THE EDITORS OF SAVEUR

T here are, admittedly, a couple of things that can make us as happy as a great bowl of soup makes us. The love of a child? Sure. World peace? That sounds nice. But lets be honest: That stuff is tricky and time-consuming. And frankly, it is not nearly as dependable as the easy, economical alchemylets call it magicof transforming a pile of roasted bones and cut-up vegetables into a steaming stockpot of comfort that will nourish you for a week. Hot or cold, rigorously simple or riotously complex, soups and stews are the endlessly adaptable answers to the riddle of lifes bounty and the nagging question of what to cook on a Tuesday night with a can of beans and some kale wilting in the fridge.

SAVEUR celebrates the cuisines of the world, and as the sheer variety here attestsfrom Thai shrimp curry to an all-American chicken and white bean chilithings stewing in pots are a global concern. They might not bring peace in our time, but surely theres nothing as universal or as unifying as the desire for a bowl of something stabilizing, with a drizzle of olive oil or a dollop of yogurt on top and some bread on the side for dipping.

ADAM SACHS
SAVEUR EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

For this traditional Jewish-Iraqi dish, lamb meatballs, lightly sweetened with currants, are braised in a brilliantly hued, tangy beet stew, which is served atop pale gold basmati rice.

FOR THE MEATBALLS

1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

lb. ground lamb

2 tbsp. dried currants

1 tbsp. coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tbsp. pine nuts

tsp. paprika

1 egg, lightly beaten

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

FOR THE RICE

1 cups basmati rice, soaked in water for 20 minutes and drained

2 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. turmeric

FOR THE STEW

6 small red beets (about 1 lb.), peeled and cut into sixths

5 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp. curry powder

1 tsp. ground coriander

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. turmeric

tsp. paprika

tsp. ground ginger

tsp. cayenne pepper

3 cloves garlic, mashed into a paste

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

cup tomato paste

6 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

2 tbsp. sugar

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, to garnish

1 tbsp. pine nuts, to garnish

SERVES 46

Make the meatballs: Heat oil in a 10 skillet over medium-high. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly caramelized, about 7 minutes. Transfer onion to a bowl and let cool slightly. Add remaining meatball ingredients to the bowl and mix until combined. Using wet hands, roll mixture into twelve 1 balls and transfer to a parchment paperlined baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

Make the rice: Combine rice, salt, turmeric, and 2 cups water in a 2-qt. saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove rice from heat and fluff with a fork. Keep warm.

Make the stew: Combine beets and 6 cups water in a 4-qt. saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, covered, until beets are tender, about 30 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer beets to a bowl; reserve cooking liquid.

Mix 3 tbsp. oil, the curry powder, coriander, cumin, turmeric, paprika, ginger, cayenne, and garlic paste in a bowl and set aside. Heat remaining oil in a 6-qt. saucepan over medium-high. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 7 minutes. Add reserved spice paste and tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is slightly caramelized, about 3 minutes. Stir in reserved beet cooking liquid, the lemon juice, sugar, salt, and pepper and simmer for 5 minutes. Add meatballs and cook, stirring occasionally and gently, until meatballs are cooked through, about 8 minutes. If necessary, skim surface of stew. Add reserved beets and cook until warmed through, 12 minutes more. Spoon rice into bowls and top with stew. Garnish with parsley and pine nuts.

Many Texans dont like beans in their chili. So while they might not approve of this robust Kansas Citystyle variation, the tender pork shoulder, rich depth of flavor, and ample heat make it irresistible.

1 lb. boneless pork shoulder, trimmed

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

cup packed light brown sugar

2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

2 12-oz. bottles pale alestyle beer

6 oz. sliced bacon, finely chopped

10 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 jalapeo chile, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped

1 large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped

1 large sweet onion, such as Vidalia, finely chopped

cup tomato paste

3 tbsp. dark red chile powder

tbsp. Aleppo pepper

1 tsp. crushed red chile flakes

2 bay leaves

2 cups chicken stock

2 28-oz. cans whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand

2 15.5-oz. cans dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

2 tbsp. hot sauce

2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

Shredded cheddar, to garnish

Sliced scallions and finely chopped red onion, to garnish

Cornbread, for serving (optional)

SERVES 810

Heat oven to 500F. Place pork in a 9x 13 baking dish and season with salt and pepper. Mix brown sugar, garlic powder, and cumin in a bowl; rub sugar mixture all over pork. Roast until browned, 3035 minutes. Reduce heat to 300F. Add 1 bottle of beer and cover baking dish tightly with aluminum foil; roast until pork is very tender, about 2 hours. Let pork rest for 20 minutes, then shred into bite-size pieces.

Heat bacon in an 8-qt. saucepan over medium-high. Cook until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp, 57 minutes. Add garlic, jalapeo, bell pepper, and onion and cook until soft, 1012 minutes. Add tomato paste, chile powder, Aleppo pepper, chile flakes, and bay leaves and cook until lightly caramelized, about 2 minutes. Add remaining bottle of beer, the stock, tomatoes, and beans and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, partially covered, until chili is thickened, 12 hours. Stir in reserved shredded pork, the hot sauce, and Worcestershire. Ladle chili into bowls, garnish with cheddar, scallions, and red onion and crumble cornbread over the top.