Black Bean Soup with Meyer Lemon Crème Fraîche

This hearty soup is perfectly topped off by a zesty dollop of crème fraîche flavored with sweet-tart Meyer lemon. To make the topping, in a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup (4 oz./125 g.) room-temperature crème fraîche or sour cream; the grated zest of 1 Meyer lemon; 1 Tbs. fresh Meyer lemon juice; and a pinch of salt.

Black Bean Soup with Meyer Lemon Crème Fraîche

1/2 lb. (250 g.) dried black beans, picked over and rinsed

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 small white onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small jalapeno chile, seeded and minced

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml.) dry sherry

4 cups (32 fl. oz./1 l.) chicken or vegetable broth

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Meyer lemon crème fraîche (left)

2 green onions, dark and light green parts only, sliced (optional)

Place the dried beans in a bowl with cold water to cover and soak for at least 4 hours or up to overnight. Drain.

In a large, heavy pot, warm the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the jalapeno and cumin and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the beans, sherry and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until the beans are tender, about 1 1/4 hours.

For a smooth soup, remove the pot from the heat and let cool slightly. Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender. Return to the pot and warm over low heat. Season with salt and pepper.

Top the soup with the crème fraîche and green onions, if using, and serve. Serves 4-6.

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Carrot & Coconut Puree with Curried Almonds

Bright coriander harmonizes with two kinds of sweetness in this soup — a familiar, earthy sweetness from the carrots and a more exotic, tropical sweetness from the coconut. Serve as a first course or add a green salad for a light dinner.

Carrot & Coconut Puree with Curried Almonds

1 1/2 tsp. sugar

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/4 tsp. ground coriander, plus 1 Tbs.

1/2 tsp. curry powder

1 1/2 tsp. unsalted butter, plus 3 Tbs.

1/2 cup (2 oz./60 g.) sliced almonds, toasted

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 lb. (1 kg.) carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

1/4 cup (1 oz./30 g.) unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

4 cups (32 fl. oz./1 l.) chicken or vegetable broth

2 cans (14 oz./440 g. each) coconut milk

2 tsp. rice vinegar

Stir together 1/2 teaspoon of the sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, the 1/4 teaspoon coriander, and the curry powder.

In a nonstick frying pan, melt the 1 1/2 teaspoon butter with 1 tablespoon water and the remaining 1 teaspoon sugar over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, swirling the pan to blend. Add the almonds, stir to coat, and cook until the liquid is almost evaporated, about 45 seconds. Transfer to the bowl with the spice mixture and toss to coat the almonds evenly. Pour onto a piece of parchment paper, spread in a single layer, and let cool.

In a large, heavy pot, melt the 3 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, coconut, ginger, and the 1 tablespoon coriander and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the vegetables give off some of their liquid, about 10 minutes. Add the broth, raise the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the carrots are tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender. Pour into a clean pot. Add the coconut milk (reserve some for serving), the vinegar, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook gently over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 10 minutes. Serve, sprinkled with the spiced almonds and swirled with coconut milk. Serves 6-8.

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Spring Pea Soup with Grilled Ham and Cheese

Fresh soup and a quick sandwich create a simple weeknight dinner for spring. Here, garden-fresh peas are pureed into a smooth soup and accompanied by a grilled ham and cheese sandwich for a family-friendly meal.

Spring Pea Soup with Grilled Ham and Cheese

4 Tbs. olive oil

2 shallots, thinly sliced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 lb. fresh or frozen peas, blanched

2 cups vegetable stock

20 large fresh mint leaves, plus slivered mint for garnish

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

8 slices country-style bread, each 1/2 inch thick

2 Tbs. Dijon mustard

8 oz. thinly sliced Black Forest ham

5 oz. grated Gruyère cheese

Crème fraîche for serving

In a sauté pan over medium heat, warm 2 Tbs. of the olive oil. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Transfer the shallot mixture to a Vitamix blender and add the peas, stock and mint leaves. Slowly bring the Vitamix up to full speed and blend until the soup is hot, about 6 minutes. Season the soup with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, preheat an electric panini press on the “panini” setting according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Place the bread on a work surface and brush with the remaining 2 Tbs. olive oil. Turn 4 of the slices over and spread each with 1/2 Tbs. mustard. Top with the ham and cheese, dividing evenly. Cover with the remaining bread slices, oiled side up.

Place 2 of the sandwiches on the preheated panini press, close the lid, and cook until the bread is crisp and the cheese is melted, about 4 minutes. Transfer the sandwiches to a cutting board and cut in half. Repeat with the remaining sandwiches.

Pour the soup into bowls and garnish with crème fraîche and slivered mint. Serve the sandwiches alongside. Serves 4.

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Gazpacho

This chilled soup comes together in a flash and makes a lovely light dinner on a hot summer evening. Use the best-quality ingredients you can find, including vine-ripened heirloom tomatoes. The soup needs to be refrigerated for at least 1 hour before serving to allow the flavors to develop, so plan accordingly.

Gazpacho

1/2 red onion, chopped

3 lb. heirloom tomatoes, cored and chopped

1 1/2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and chopped

1/2 tsp. plus 1 Tbs. kosher salt, plus more, to taste

5 tsp. fresh lemon juice

4 Tbs. olive oil

2 tsp. minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

2 garlic cloves

1/2 tsp. minced fresh thyme

2 Tbs. sherry vinegar

2 cups cubed French bread

1 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

Crème fraîche for garnish (optional)

In a small bowl, stir together 1/2 cup of the onion, 1 cup of the tomatoes, 3/4 cup of the cucumbers, the 1/2 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. of the lemon juice, 1 Tbs. of the olive oil, the parsley and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

In a Vitamix blender, combine the remaining onion with the remaining 4 tsp. lemon juice, the 1 Tbs. salt, the garlic, thyme, vinegar and bread. Turn the blender on, slowly increase the speed to the highest setting and blend until smooth, stopping the blender to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add half of the remaining tomatoes, cucumbers and bell pepper and blend until completely smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer to a large bowl. Blend the remaining tomatoes, cucumbers and bell pepper until smooth. Transfer to the bowl and season with pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 1 day.

Just before serving, transfer the soup to the blender. With the blender set on the lowest setting, slowly stream in the remaining 3 Tbs. olive oil and blend for 1 minute. Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper.

Ladle the gazpacho into bowls. Garnish each portion with a heaping spoonful of the diced vegetables and a dollop of crème fraîche. Serves 4 to 6.

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