Vidalia onion soup

Vidalia onion soup

I know what you’re likely thinking: the only purpose for French onion soup is to have something to drown a piece of baguette with melted Gruyere into. Reinvent your tastes just a bit here, and enjoy the soup for the taste it delivers sans bread and cheese. There are...
Melon gazpacho

Melon gazpacho

For me, being the non-tomato kid growing up, I pretty much thought V-8 was a punishment much like soap in your mouth. Which is why sweet, fruity dishes like a melon gazpacho hit a homerun with me. This is absolutely delightful on those dog days of summer when it is...
Shrimp (or crab) bisque

Shrimp (or crab) bisque

Yes, there are a lot of ingredients here. I promise you . . . they are worth it! This is a rich, velvety soup that people will swear is thickened with flour and must have heavy cream in it. The thing that really stands out to me in this recipe: tomato paste. Tomato...
Chili—ashili—as it should be

Chili—ashili—as it should be

You can start a pretty heated argument with certain people about whether chili should or shouldn’t have beans in it. Our vote is pretty obvious. Sitting down to a bowl of this on a cold winter day just seems right. Double or triple the batch for big parties. Perhaps...
Tom kha gai

Tom kha gai

As I mentioned in the beginning of this book, I was fortunate enough while living in Los Angeles to befriend some chefs who are way more talented/knowledgeable than me. Chef Jet Tila is one such person. Jet is the executive chef at the Wynn Encore’s Wazuzu restaurant,...