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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, May 26, 2004

SEVEN OR LESS
Get over your edible complex by cozying up to those herbs

By Sarah Fritschner
Louisville (Ky.) Courier-Journal

Treat tomato soup as an opportunity for trying out new seasonings.

Gannett News Service

Nervous cooks sometimes aren't sure how to approach seasonings, particularly herbs and spices.

For good reason: tall skinny bottles that no self-respecting measuring spoon can fit into. That's why Thai cookbook author Nancie McDermott designed her line of curry mixes to have wide openings.

"I love the tins; they are so cook-friendly, with the big opening that is actually big enough that you can scoop out spices by the tablespoon," says McDermott, author of "Quick and Easy Thai" (Chronicle, $18.95).

"I think the standard tall spice bottle gives a subliminal message that one should not really go playing fast and loose with this stuff; you should hoard it and use sparingly; one-fourth teaspoon by one-fourth teaspoon."

While McDermott's Thai curry mixtures (www.nanciemcdermott.com) might not be to everyone's taste at a weeknight dinner, her advice is good: Don't let design flaws limit your cooking.

If you're uncertain how to proceed in adding more flavors to your food, use your next dinner to inform yourself. Here, we give you tomato soup: a virtual blank canvas for herbs.

In this recipe, we suggest you add dill, and we start with a confident but not bold one teaspoon of dried dill. But you wouldn't be remiss to add more, if you like. If you add the one teaspoon in the recipe, taste it and think it could use a little more, then add some.

Next week, you can make the same soup and add thyme or rosemary or oregano. You can learn how seasonings taste, and how strong you prefer them.

Chicken broth comes in cans of various sizes. If the ones you have are smaller than 16 ounces, just make up the difference in water. To make the soup with less work, use frozen chopped onions and cook them a little longer.

Tomato Dill Soup

  • 1 medium onion, minced
  • 1 rib celery, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon dried dill, or more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
  • 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 2 (16-ounce) cans reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 16 ounces (2 cups) V-8 juice (hot or regular)

Sauté onion and celery in a little olive oil until tender, about 10 minutes.

Add dill, worcestershire sauce, crushed tomatoes, chicken broth and V-8 juice. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 to 30 minutes (longer simmering softens vegetables).

Taste, then season to your liking with salt and pepper.

If you like, stir in a swirl of low-fat sour cream or yogurt as garnish.

Serves four.

Nutritional analysis per serving: 194 calories, 9 grams protein, 9 grams fat, 23 grams carbohydrate, 5 grams fiber.