In Praise Of The Humble Soup

With temperatures at an arctic 20F, memory calls up the many tasty soups enjoyed over the past half century: a bowl of broth filled with silky wonton at an open stall opposite the bus station in a former mining town north of Cambodia's capital, Phnum Phen; a hearty New England clam chowder with a lemony aftertaste in a pub in Old Saybrook; and not to forget, a Grazer Gerstensuppe with saucisson, a dish of pearl barley soup and tasty sausage best eaten after a day of hiking or skiing in the western part of Austria.

One perennial favorite in the D. Soars household is the spicy Thai soup with porkballs - courtesy of the outstanding British food writer and cook, Nigel Slater. It takes a bit of work (about an hour or so), but the outcome is always worth the effort, particularly when the wind rattles against the window panes and ice floes float down the Connectictut river.

Take about a pound of minced pork and a quarter pound of panchetta (or plain bacon) and whizz them together in a blender with two stalks of lemongrass, two red chillies (seeded), an inch of fresh ginger, two handfuls of coriander, a couple of spoonfuls of Nam Pla (Thai fish sauce), the juice of a lime and salt and pepper until finely mixed.

Use a teaspoon to form little balls, then fry them for a couple of minutes, as long as it takes for them to get a nice crunchy crust.

While the porkballs are frying, separate the leaves of a cabbage (can be Savoy or any other type you fancy, red or white) and wash them well (the crunchy core can be eaten separately to keep the cook going.)

In a large pot, bring about two liters of water to boil, add two cubes of vegetable bouillion, two-three tea spoons of Nam Pla, ten quarter-sized pieces of ginger, kaffir lime leaves (can be dried, you can find these in Indian specialty shops), a handful of coriander includ the stalks, one stalk of lemongrass, chopped into small rounds, and the juice of one lime. Let the concoction simmer for 15 minutes, then remove the fragrant herbs and toss in the cabbage leaves. These don't take long to cook, so only throw them in when you're done with frying the porkballs and ready to eat.

Serve witih a fresh baguette, fresh mint and coriander, and lime juice which can be added according to taste. An Oyster Bay or Babbich Sauvignon Blanc goes well with the dish, as does a fruity Chardonnay from Mondavi or Simi.