Soups for a warm, cozy January

So I thought today I would share some of my favorite soup recipes. While they couldn’t be more different from one another, they are all plentiful in soul-satisfying richness to counter a cold winter’s evening. And best of all, they are easy to make.

When I lived in North Carolina many years ago, I became quite enamored with the dish known as Hoppin’ John. Some of the original versions of this dish called for red peas or field peas, but over time, black-eyed peas became the standard. No matter which type of bean is preferred, the dish has come to symbolize a fruitful beginning for the new year in the South. It's also something you can have any time you’re looking for a gratifying one-dish meal.

My version of this thick, stew-like dish calls for meaty smoked bacon rendered and cooked with onions, garlic, celery, carrot, and parboiled, dried black-eyed peas. When the peas are done simmering, some of the flavorful liquid is strained and used in place of water to make the rice. Then the rice and beans are combined and garnished with grated cheddar cheese and a sprinkling of sliced scallions. It's a beautiful way to warm up inside.

Another favorite is ham and split pea soup. This classic seems to please everybody with its rich, thick broth, smoky slivers of ham, and root vegetables like carrots and onions.

The one thing I would caution about is the age of your split peas (in fact, this goes for most dried beans.) If they are old, they won’t soften up as you might like. I recommend soaking overnight with a pinch of baking soda to avoid any trouble on that front. Drain and rinse well in the morning before continuing with the recipe. And simmer the soup for a lot longer than most recipes advise — at least two hours.

By the way, you could easily vary the ingredients, too. Cut up some potatoes, turnips or parsnips and toss them in. Butternut squash would be a delicious addition. Leftover gravy? Throw it in. But the basic recipe is terrific, too. Serve with a bottle of vinegar-y hot sauce at the table for those who like their soup more piquant. And crusty bread is always a fine addition to the meal.

My final recipe is for Greek chicken and spinach soup, a true crossroads of flavor. Imagine spanakopita (a crispy phyllo pie with spinach and onions) and avgolemono (the classic Greek egg-lemon sauce) as a light and vibrant soup. Unlike those tried and true Greek favorites, which require a bit of work, this soup has all the flavor but is relatively easy to make. It relies on only a few kitchen staples and comes together quickly. You can have dinner on the table in less than an hour, most of it hands-off.

One of the things that makes it so easy is basic chicken broth. When my homemade broth in the freezer runs out, I am happy to use store-bought. In fact, I’ve come to like the broth concentrate in a jar called “Better Than Bouillon.” It doesn’t take up much space in my fridge, lasts a long time, and works great in a pinch. Using boxed broth is fine, too (but avoid bullion cubes — they are mostly just salt). You can also use a combination of broth and water. Same goes with herbs. If you have fresh herbs, great. Use them. But don’t worry if you must rely on dried. They will still give the soup its distinctive Greek essence.

I like to keep frozen spinach in my freezer to use in scrambled eggs or stews. And in this case, frozen spinach is actually preferable to fresh because its sweeter notes give this soup a bright finish. Rather than fuss with making a thick egg-lemon sauce — which might or might not curdle — the potatoes soften and provide a silky quality. And you just add lemon juice to complete this dish. It’s lovely to serve with a simple arugula salad topped with feta, olives, a drizzle of olive oil and more lemon juice.

All of these soups will do fine in the refrigerator for a few days as leftovers — that's if they haven’t been eaten up at once. If you do have leftover soup remaining, you could easily divide it into quart-size containers for your freezer. Nothing makes me happier on a busy day than opening my freezer and rediscovering an excellent candidate for dinner: a delectable soup made a few weeks earlier.

So keep warm this winter and eat some soup!

Lucy Herrman is a writer, artist and a gourmet cook. She has been writing her cooking column, “In the Kitchen,” for the Taos News for over 10 years. Her love affair with food began at age 11 when as a latchkey kid in Chicago she started preparing dinners for her hard-working parents and younger sister. She has written about food for more than 30 years, including as a restaurant reviewer for Chicago Magazine and as a freelance food columnist for numerous other publications. Her memoir, “Take Another Piece of My Heart” is available from Nighthawk Press.