Years ago I bought a big, thick cookbook titled “Soup” with a perplexing subheading: “A way of life”.
I’ve pondered the logic of that title forever. How could a bowlful of tomato, bean or chicken noodle soup determine one’s lifestyle? Wasn’t this the domain of style or taste?
But it turns out soup is just that — especially at breakfast.
When I first witnessed Taipei office workers perched on stools at early morning street stalls slurping down hot steaming bowlfuls of doujiang, while dipping crispy, deep-fried bread sticks into a hot melange of soy bean soup, I knew it wasn’t for me. I could abide by doujiang as a late night snack, especially for its fabled anti-hangover abilities, but nope, not the morning after.
Ditto, say soup naysayers, when it comes to a dinner revolving around soup. A small appetizer, perhaps, but who in their right mind would make soup the star after six?
Hot summer temperatures also tend to drive many people as far from soup as possible. Yet not so in the Caribbean where scalding bowlfuls of callaloo or black-eyed pea soup not only assuage hunger but -get this- reduce body heat with cooling streams of sweat.
If anyone is guilty of a soup lifestyle, it’s me. It’s my go-to meal for lunch, dinner and snacks in between. I make it by the vat full, counting on numerous labeled leftovers to pile into the freezer, otherwise known as my kitchen’s Taste Archives.
Next time you ponder your lifestyle, consider pouring more soup into it.
“Potage
This lush green soup can be served hot or cold, preferably with a dollop of sour cream or cream-top yogurt and a flurry of fresh herbs.
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 cooking onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 broccoli heads and stalks, chopped and separated
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup frozen green peas
2 cups packed spinach leaves
1 bay leaf
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp white wine or white balsamic vinegar
1/2-1 cup sour cream
Green onions
Fresh mint
Heat a large pot, add oil and sauté onion, celery, carrot and broccoli stalks until tender and fragrant. Add stock and bring to a boil. Add broccoli florets, peas, spinach leaves, bay leaf, dijon mustard, cayenne, black pepper, salt and white wine or vinegar. Simmer covered until just tender, about 5-7 minutes. Remove bay leaf. Puree with an immersion blender. Whisk in sour cream or yogurt. Serve hot immediately or refrigerate and serve chilled. Garnish with fresh mint and green onions.
Mado Food 
This looks great, Mado. I don’t make soups often enough. But whenever I do, I always wonder why I don’t make them more often. Mint has taken over our yard so I can put it to good use when I make this. The previous potato bread recipe looks delicious too. Your reference to Taipei reminded me that a neighbour (when I was a kid) always served her daughters soup for breakfast. I remember thinking that was weird but it’s probably a pretty good way to start one’s day! Thanks for the great post, as always!
Thanks for your kind words. I hope you put that mint to good use and give this recipe a go! I didn’t mention that soup was always served at the end of a meal in Taipei and all my friends were shocked to learn that we Canadians usually ate soup at the front end of a meal. To each her own, right?