Souped Up

"[Soup] can be an entire meal, a starter, a dessert. It can be served for dinner, lunch, or even breakfast. It is the original comfort food." -- from the Introduction

Who doesn't like a bowl of homemade soup? Cold or hot, vegetable or chicken, smooth or chunky, there is a recipe in this book to suit even the most finicky eater.

Nobody knows soup like chef and author Sally Sampson. In Souped Up!, she tempts you with more than 100 delicious and easy-to-prepare recipes for soups, stews, chilis, and more. Sampson includes every imaginable type of soup in this delightful volume, including bean soups, fish soups, cream soups, chicken soups, and chilis and stews. No matter what the season (fall, winter, summer, or spring) or the purpose (appetizer, main course, or dessert), Sampson has a recipe for you.

Mouthwatering recipes like Triple Tomato; Broccoli Rabe, Butternut Squash, and Caramelized Onion; White Bean and Fennel; Split Pea with Lemon; Helen Geller's Matzoh Ball; and six variations of Gazpacho will please even the seasoned soup maker. For heartier fare, try recipes like Black Bean Chili; Beef Chili with Beer; Spicy Sausage Chili; Moroccan Vegetable Stew with Raisins, Herbs, and Rice; and Curried Chicken Stew. Sampson's recipes elevate soup making to the realm of the sublime.

She also offers helpful tips on making stocks, freezing soups, and essential ingredients and equipment. And for those who can't imagine dining on soup alone, Sampson offers recipes that complete a meal, from salad dressings (such as Sarah Conover's Pesto Dressing and Creamy Blue Cheese) and breads (Irish Soda Bread) to perfect sweets (including Cocoa Cookies and Oatmeal Lace Cookies).