Cooking & eating in meteorologically confusing times

what the helly 🌧️

This month has been meteorologically confusing. On the one hand, trees and flowers are in bloom left and right - a feast for the eyes (and allergy-prone noses). On the other hand, I’ve been wearing my winter coat nearly every day. I thought it might just be Munich, but I checked the weather in the cities most of you wonderful readers live in (thanks Substack analytics!) and it seems I’m not alone in experiencing chillier (and wetter) May weather than usual.

On that note, fun fact! Did you know that 1816 was known as the Year Without a Summer? Due to a number of volcanic eruptions, many parts of the world experienced severe frost, darkness, and snowfall across the spring and summer months, resulting in food shortages, economic distress… and a handful of prolific Gothic novels, including Frankenstein and The Vampyre. That was the year Mary Shelley, her future husband Percy Shelley, John Polidori, and Lord Byron had a friendly horror-story writing competition while stuck indoors for days on end due to the volcanic gloominess outside.

Getting back on track… today we have three soups, with varying levels of cosiness. All-weather soups to keep in your toolbox no matter what the sky has in store. We’ll go in order of most optimistic to least optimistic: apple gazpacho, avgolemono, chicken noodle soup.

In anticipation of truly hot days ahead: I made this in partnership with Citizens of Soil - purveyors of the best olive oil you can get your hands on. I am lucky to count myself as a member of their Olive Oil Club which sends me top-ups every month - and I even have a code for 10% off (which makes me feel very important): SOUPS10.

Gazpacho Ingredients

• 1 large cucumber, peeled and de-seeded

• 4 large yellow or green tomatoes (red is fine but will affect the colour)

• 1 yellow bell pepper

• 1 small green apple, peeled and cored1 shallot, peeled

• 4 tablespoons @citizensofsoil

• Half a lemon, squeezed

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar

• 1 garlic clove

• 1 tiny* piece of ginger, grated

• 1 small avocado, flesh only

• *tread carefully with the ginger, you just want to add a whisper - if you add to much this will venture into green juice territory

“Salsa” Ingredients

• 1/2 a green apple, peeled and finely diced

• 2 spring onions, sliced very thinly

• 3 tablespoons @citizensofsoil

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives

• Juice of half a lemon

• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Extra toppings:

• Sourdough croutons

• An extra drizzle of @citizensofsoil
  

Instructions

1. Add all of the gazpacho ingredients into a blender and blend on high for a few minutes. Place in the fridge and let the flavours get to know each other for at least a few hours.

2. Mix all of the salsa ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

3. Serve with a spoonful of the salsa, some croutons, and another drizzle of olive oil.

The substance of this soup makes it warming and nourishing, while the generous amounts of lemon keep it fresh and zesty. Works for all kinds of weather, if you ask me.

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 leek, sliced (then carefully washed to remove dirt)

• 2 celery stalks, sliced

• 1 chicken breast

• Salt & pepper

• 750ml (3 cups) chicken broth

• 2 cups cooked grains of your choice (rice or orzo are typical, I used barley)

• 2 lemons, zested then juiced

• 1 egg, whisked

Toppings: lemon zest, dill, and a drizzle of olive oil

Instructions

1. In a medium pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced leek and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5–7 minutes.

2. Add the chicken breast to the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on medium heat until the chicken is cooked through, 12-15 minutes.

3. Remove the chicken breast and shred it using two forks. Add the broth and the cooked grains, let everything heat through for a few minutes, then return the shredded chicken.

4. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and the egg. Slowly pour a ladle of hot soup into the egg mixture while whisking constantly (this is called tempering and it ensures you don’t end up with scrambled eggs in your soup).

5. Remove the pot from the stove, then slowly stir the tempered egg mixture back into the soup pot, stirring gently until the soup thickens slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

6. Ladle into bowls, top with herbs, and enjoy warm

For those cold, gloomy evenings. Nothing hits quite like a chicken noodle soup, and while mine isn’t reinventing the wheel, I like to think that my choice of XL noodle and toppings add a certain… je ne sais quoi.

I received SO many DMs asking about this noodle’s provenance: the company is called LA FABBRICA DELLA PASTA. The comment section had a lot to say about it!

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 leek, light green and white parts sliced on the diagonal, then washed

• 2 celery stalks, sliced on the diagonal

• 1 large carrot, sliced on the diagonal

• 1 chicken breast

• Salt & pepper

• 750 ml (3 cups) chicken broth

• Noodles of your choice (I won’t dictate shape or quantity, that’s between you, your pantry, and your appetite)

Optional toppings: crème fraîche, lemon zest and juice, chili flakes, fresh herbs, salt and pepper, a drizzle of olive oil

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the leek, celery, and carrot. Sauté for about 5–7 minutes, until the vegetables are slightly softened but not browned.

2. Cut the chicken breast into bite-sized pieces, season with salt and pepper, then fry in a small pan for a few minutes on each side until cooked through, then set aside.

3. Add the broth to the pot with the veggies, bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add your desired noodles directly to the pot. Cook until the noodles are tender, following package instructions if needed. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Add the chicken back to the pot during the last minute to warm it all up together.

4. Ladle the soup into bowls and add your preferred toppings. A dollop of crème fraîche, a squeeze of lemon, a pinch of chili flakes, and fresh herbs add everything you need: creaminess, brightness, spice, and freshness. Serve warm and enjoy!