Leek

This recipe was created by chef Traci Des Jardins of San Francisco's Jardinière.

Although this soup is full of earthy flavor, it's also relatively light, which makes it a perfect first course for the big holiday meal. As a bonus, it can be prepared several days ahead and quickly reheated at the last minute.

This soup was inspired by a meal at the Copenhagen microbrewery Nørrebro Bryghus. (Who knew breweries could be fine-dining destinations?) Lager lends a malty richness to the velvety broth, thick with mussels; cold chopped avocado and tomato mingle with the heat, bringing the whole spectrum of flavors into sharper focus.

Put a spin on creamed onions this holiday by using an ingredient from the same family instead. Not only do these leeks bake into something extraordinary, they get you out of the time-consuming task of peeling all those tiny pearl onions.

You can serve this soup hot or cold, says Carl Schroeder, chef at Arterra in San Diego. It's loaded with beta-carotene and is wonderfully rich.

Earthy mushrooms are the base for a soup that also benefits from the saltwater essence of plump oysters.

Pitas, or savory pies, are ubiquitous in mountainous Epirus, in no small part because their portability suited itinerant sheepherding families. Even when you are staying put, this one is well worth making. Its homemade phyllo is rolled out much thicker than the commercial kind, making something more akin to a tender piecrust, and it's imbued with rich flavor from yogurt.

The flaky dill biscuit crusts that top these creamy pies look impressive, but they're surprisingly easy to make.

The trick: Just add a slurry.
To thicken soups, Terry Conlan of Lake Austin Spa Resort in Austin, Texas, adds slurries, cocktails of flour stirred with a low- or nonfat liquid, such as broth or skim milk. The texture of his Bay Scallop and Corn Chowder comes from a mix of flour and fat-free cream. Use slurries for any soup that calls for full-fat cream by substituting a slurry of flour and nonfat half-and-half.

A bowl of soup is the winter equivalent of a summer salad — an easy, all-in-one way to get your veggies and protein. This filling dish, adapted from The Weekend Chef by Barbara Witt (Simon &Schuster), calls for flavorful leeks and potassium-rich mushrooms. Whip some up and freeze leftovers for future quickie dinners.

Marsha and John Antonelli of Whittier, California, write: "We recently had lunch at Bistro Jeanty, in Yountville, California, where the ham, leek, and three-cheese quiche was so outstanding we went back twice. Could you persuade the chef to share this excellent recipe?" Extremely creamy and rich, this quiche could be served for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. You can make your own crust, but the premade kind will save some time.

Most chestnut soups are fairly substantial. We've made our version lighter and brothier to serve as a first course for a big meal. Chopped chestnuts mixed with tangy croutons add texture and extra layers of complexity.

Stout and brown sugar give these tender ribs a hint of sweetness.

We made our potpie in an oval baking dish, but you could also use a square or rectangular one.

As this soup cooks, the kitchen will quickly fill with the tantalizing aroma of leeks stewing in butter with pumpkin, curry, and spices.

In this rich, sweet salad, we've included not just onions but their relatives in the Allium family — shallots, leeks, garlic, and chives. For meltingly tender results, be sure to peel off the papery outer layer, the leathery second layer, and any paper-thin membranes from the onions, shallots, and leeks.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

(TORTA DI TRE CIPOLLE CON TALEGGIO)