An elegant broth bowl, with duck breast and
foie gras. Photo courtesy Duet Brasserie.

Homo sapiens (us modern humans) emerged about 200,000 years ago, and for the majority of our existence, we have had no soup. The earliest humans had nothing to boil liquids in. Boiling was not easy to do until the invention of waterproof containers, probably pouches made of clay or animal skin, about 9,000 years ago. Here’s the history of soup.

But back to broth bowls: For a hot yet lighter summer dinner, serve your protein and veggies in a bowl of broth (photo at left).

Inspired by this dish from Duet Brasserie in New York City’s Greenwich Village, we’ve been making our own. It’s easy, and you can get away with more vegetables and less meat, which is both healthier and less expensive.

Duet’s chef created a gourmet broth bowl: duck consommé, smoked duck breast, duck foie gras, scallions, Chinese broccoli and a hard-boiled quail egg.

You can do just as well at home with chicken, beef, seafood or vegetable broth.

While there’s nothing better than homemade broth, we took the quick and easy route and purchased ours from the Pacific Soup Starters line. Our favorite is their Organic Soup Starters Phö, in beef, chicken and vegetarian varieties.

Food 101 Quickie: Phö, pronounced FUH (like duh but with a drawn-out “uh” and often spelled without the umlaut in the U.S.), is the beloved beef and rice-noodle soup of Vietnam. It may be the world’s greatest broth bowl, worth seeking out at the nearest Vietnamese restaurant. Phö means noodles, and the broth can be made with up to 30 ingredients—beef, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, fish sauce, ginger, onions and star anise, for starters—exclusive of what you choose to add on top of the broth. Here’s more about phö.
 
*The writing of language was invented independently in at least two places: Sumer (Mesopotamia) around 3200 BCE and Mesoamerica around 600 BCE. The writing numbers for the purpose of record keeping began long before the writing of language.
 
WHAT TO PUT IN YOUR BROTH BOWL

The combination are unlimited! Just a sampling:

 
Cook each ingredient as appropriate. Add the hot broth into bowls, then the other ingredients in an artistic arrangement, and top with fresh herbs.

THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BROTH, BONE BROTH, STOCK & MORE

Aspic. Aspic is jellied broth made from meat or fish stock. It is refrigerated, where it becomes solid, like gelatin; then is cubed and used as a relish for meat, fish or vegetable dishes. Or, it is used as a filler in a molded dish that includes meat, fish or vegetables.

Bone broth. Like stock (see below), bone broth is typically is made with bones and the small amount of meat adhering to them. As with stock, the bones are typically roasted first to improve the flavor of the broth. The key difference is that bone broth is simmered for a much longer time, 24 hours or more. This long cooking time helps to extract the maximum amount of minerals and other nutrients from the bones.

Bouillon. Bouillon is a clear, thin broth made typically by simmering chicken or beef in water with seasonings (bouillon is the French word for broth). It is stock (see below) that is strained, and then served as a clear soup or used as a base for other dishes and sauces. Bouillon can be made from mixed sources, e.g. chicken and vegetables. It can be enhanced with other flavors—for example, sherry, herbs and spices. The key difference between bouillon and plain broth is that bouillon is always served plain (with an optional garnish), whereas broth can be made more substantive with the addition of a grain (corn, barley, rice) and vegetables.

Broth. Broth is typically made with meat and sometimes a small amount of bones. It is typically simmered for a far shorter period of time than bouillon—45 minutes to 2 hours. The result is very light in flavor and thin in texture, although rich in protein. Plain broth can be thickened with starch or the addition of rice, barley, vegetables or eggs. Examples with eggs include Chinese chicken egg drop soup, Greek avgolemono soup and Italian stracciatella soup. The terms bouillon and broth are often used interchangeably, but as you can see, there are differences.

Consommé. Consommé is a refined broth, a clear liquid made by clarifying stock for a more elegant presentation. Typically, egg whites are added to the stock. The cloudy particles in the stock attach themselves to the egg whites and rise to the surface, where they are skimmed off. The word consommé means consumed or finished in French, indicating a more finished soup than a stock or a broth. In classic French cuisine, a bowl of consommé was often served at the beginning of a meal.

Stock. Stock is typically made with bones and can contain a small amount of meat that adheres to the bones. The bones are often roasted before simmering, which improves the flavor. Stock is typically simmered for a longer time than broth, 3 to 4 hours. The result is rich in minerals and gelatin and more flavor than broth, extracted from the longer cooking time.

Velouté. Velouté is broth thickened with eggs, butter and cream.
 
DISCOVER MORE TYPES OF SOUP IN OUR SOUP GLOSSARY.

While cherry tomatoes are grown in greenhouses year-round, like all tomatoes, they taste so much better in the summer.

In addition to broiling/grilling/roasting/sautéeing cherry tomatoes and adding them to pasta and salads, you can make a simple appetizer, hors d’oeuvre or snack: Cherry Tomato Bruschetta (broo-SKET-uh). Why buy “bruschetta topping” when it’s so easy to make this classic?

Bruschetta, which originated in Italy, is at its simplest grilled bread rubbed with garlic and drizzled with olive oil. You can also add a variety of toppings (here’s the difference between bruschetta and crostini).

However you prepare it, use the best-quality ingredients: crusty coarse bread; ripe tomatoes harvested at the height of the season; fresh basil; and the best extra-virgin olive oil your budget will allow.
 
RECIPE: TOMATO BRUSCHETTA

Ingredients For 4 Servings

1. PREHEAT the broiler.

2. CUT the cherry tomatoes. If using large tomatoes, core and seed them and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Combine the tomatoes in a bowl with the basil and a pinch of salt.

3. PLACE the bread slices on a baking sheet and broil, turning once, until crisp and golden on both sides (about 3 minutes). Immediately rub one side of each slice vigorously with a garlic clove, using 1 clove per 4 slices.

4. ARRANGE the bread slices, garlic side up, on a platter. Spoon the tomato mixture on the slices. Drizzle with the oil and serve.
 
OTHER BRUSCHETTA TOPPINGS

Here are some toppings to consider, all classic Italian:

 
Here are recipes.
 
Be as creative as you like, with ingredients from other cuisines. We start by thinking by country: French-style, Greek-Style, spanish-style, Russian-style, etc.

Beets, pickled onions and sour cream (or goat cheese) topped with dill on crunchy toasted bread? Why not!

Smoky flavor from a gas grillPhoto courtesy Tony Roma’s.

We’ve previously reviewed Savu Smoker Bags, an excellent way to add smoke Smoking Salmon on a Gas Grill

Who says you need a gigantic smoker to get that great smoked flavor? Chef Bob of Tony Roma’s tells us how to use wood chips to smoke fish on a gas grill.

Any fish can be smoked, but those that are high in fat are best because they absorb smoke faster and have better texture (note that the fat is heart-healthy, with omega-3 fatty acids).

Lean fish tend to be dry and tough after smoking, although you can brine them to retain some moisture. Here’s how to brine fish.

 
What wood should you select? It depends on the delicacy of the fish and your preference for light versus heavy smoke flavor. Here’s a chart of the flavors imparted by different types of wood.

In the recipe below, Chef Bob pairs salmon with hickory chips. Alder, apple, cherry and oak all work well for smoking fish.

Ingredients For 4 Servings

Preparation

1. PREHEAT the grill to 300°F (only preheat one side of the grill). Mix the seasonings in a medium bowl and season both sides of the salmon fillets.

2. ADD 4-5 cups of wood chips to the pan, fill the pan with water and let the chips soak for 30 minutes. Drain and cover the pan with aluminum foil.

3. CUT 6-9 holes in the top of the aluminum foil (while the foil covers the pan) to let the smoke escape. Place the pan on the preheated grill.

4. WAIT 30 minutes; then check to see if the pan is smoking. If not, check your heat setting and wait until smoke appears before adding the fish. Don’t worry if the smoke isn’t billowing: Too much smoke can produce bitterness.

5. PLACE the fish on the opposite side of the grill and close the lid. Cook the salmon until it is fully smoked and flaky, about 30-35 minutes. The smoke will envelop the fish and give it that delicious smoked flavor.

Enjoy the flavor…and the aroma while the fish cooks.

[1] Celebrate Bastille Day with a French 75 cocktail (photo © Tanqueray).

[2] Invented in Dijon, France, Kir and its variations have a base of crème de cassis, blackcurrant liqueur (photo © Chandon USA).

[3] Cheers (photo © Champagne Bureau).

Today’s tip will help you make a perfect champagne cocktail, with advice from the experts at Cabo Flats.

Along with the cocktail best practices, we’re rolling in today’s food holiday. Well, it’s sort of a food holiday, since it concerns one of the great culinary countries of the world.

It’s Bastille Day in France, commemorating the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789 that launched the French Revolution. Just as the holiday we call July 4th is formally named Independence day, the official French name for Bastille Day is La Fête Nationale (The National Celebration), and commonly Le Quatorze Juillet (the fourteenth of July).

Today, make your cocktail something French. First and foremost, we love the Kir and Kir Royale, invented by a mayor of Dijon, France. The Kir Royale recipe, made with sparkling wine, is below.
 
 
RECIPE #1: FRENCH 75 COCKTAIL

Made from gin, Champagne, lemon juice, and sugar, the French 75 is attributed to bartender Harry MacElhone, created in 1915 at the New York Bar in Paris (later called Harry’s New York Bar). Some say it was actually the idea of American officers who frequented the bar.
 
The drink was said to have such a kick that it felt like being shelled with the powerful French 75mm field gun. The gun was also called a Soixante Quinze (the number 75 in French) and a 75 Cocktail.

Ingredients Per Cocktail

 
Preparation

1. SHAKE the ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker.

2. STRAIN into a rocks glass or Champagne coupe and top with Champagne. Garnish with lemon peel.
 
 
RECIPE #2: KIR ROYALE

There are many variations of the original Kir cocktail. There is also a “cousin” made with Chambord, raspberry liqueur.

If you have Chambord but not crème de cassis you can substitute it. This creates a Kir Impériale.

Ingredients For 4 Cocktails

 
Preparation

1. PLACE 4 Champagne flutes in the freezer for 15 minutes. Remove and add 1 tablespoon of the liqueur to each flute.

2. FILL each flute to the top with Champagne and serve immediately. If you want a more fruity flavor, use more liqueur.

According to the expert mixologists at Cabo Flats, whatever you’re mixing up, you need:

1. Balance. Balancing the amount of alcohol with bitter taste to sweet taste. Some believe that more alcohol is better, but the taste has to be considered. Correctly measure the alcohol, mixer, and sweetener.

2. Fresh Juice. Whether it’s fresh-squeezed orange juice, pink grapefruit juice, lemon juice, or lime juice – it is extremely important to use fresh-squeezed juice and nothing packaged or pasteurized.

3. Sweetener. Agave needs to be used with tequila, simple syrup needs to be used for vodka or gin. For brown spirits, according to Cabo Flats, you should use pure cane sugar.

4. Quality of Alcohol. Some people think you can get away with cheap (low-quality) spirits, but they will ruin your drink every time.

5. Final Touch. The last component of a perfect cocktail is the garnish: foam, fruit, oil, rim, and savory garnish (celery, olives, shrimp, etc.). This will have a huge effect on the taste and look of the cocktail.
 

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*CONSIDER OTHER SPARKLERS. Sparkling wines from other regions are more affordable than Champagne and make more sense in this recipe, given that the strong currant flavors will cover the delicate toastiness of Champagne. Consider Asti and Prosecco from Italy, Cava from Spain, Crémant from France (eight different regions produce it), Espumate from Portugal and Sekt from Germany. Also consider sparklers from Australia, Austria, New Zealand, South Africa, the U.S. and other countries We often use the inexpensive but delightful [yellow tail] from Australia, and especially the rosé [yellow tail] (yes, that’s how the winery spells it!).
 

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

Bright red tomato gazpacho shows off the BLT topping. Photo courtesy Munchery.com.

There are as many recipes for gazpacho as there are people who make them. Each region of Spain has its own preferred style, dating back hundreds of years. And then, there are modern approaches, from mango gazpacho to gazpacho with beer (the recipe iinks are below).

Here’s the history of gazpacho.

The recipe below is a thin tomato purée. No chunky vegetables are used, in order that the BLT topping can stand out.

But you certainly can place the garnish atop a chunky soup recipe (we have more of those at the bottom of this article).

You can also use the BLT topping on hot tomato soup.

Ingredients

 
For The BLT Garnish

 
If you want a BLTA, add some diced avocado. Munchery also added croutons, pickled onions and cubes of boiled potato.
 
*If the tomatoes aren’t ripe enough or are too pricy, you can substitute 3 cups of tomato juice.

1. SOAK the bread for a half hour in a small bowl, covered in water. Squeeze out the moisture with your hands.

2. PURÉE the bread, cucumbers, tomatoes, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, and 1 cup of water in a food processor until very smooth.

3. USE a coarse sieve to strain, pushing the purée through with the back of a wooden spoon. Season to taste with salt.

4. CHILL the gazpacho in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Adjust the seasoning as needed. Serve in individual bowls or glasses, topped with the BLT garnish.
 
MORE GAZPACHO RECIPES