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taste. Transfer the cream to a plastic squeeze bottle, if available.
    When the potatoes are done, purée the soup in several batches in a blender until smooth.
    Return the soup to the pan.
to complete the recipe
Add the milk and stir occasionally over medium heat until heated through. Season to taste.
    Top each serving with a scoop of salsa. Surround with swirls of the cream mixture.
advance preparation
Refrigerate the soup and cream mixture in separate covered containers for up to 3 days. When reheating, stir in vegetable stock or milk to thin as desired. Prepare the salsa just before serving.
variation
Substitute Cilantro-Pistachio Cream for the roasted red pepper cream.
    TIP
    The best dried chilies are sun dried, as stated on the package label; oven drying may make the skins bitter. Dried chilies will keep indefinitely in a tightly closed container in a cool, dry place, out of direct sunlight.

pear and gouda soup with toasted walnut–cranberry salsa
    Baby Gouda has a mild, nutlike flavor, and it melts into a buttery-textured soup that’s perfect for an elegant first course. For a traditional Dutch accent, accompany the sumptuous soup with dark bread.
    Makes 4 cups (4 to 6 servings)
soup
    2 ripe pears, cored, peeled, and coarsely chopped
    1½ cups vegetable stock
    1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger (see Tip)
    ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
salsa
    ½ unpeeled red-skinned pear, cored and julienned
    2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
    2 tablespoons minced toasted walnuts
    2 tablespoons coarsely chopped dried cranberries (optional)
    ˜ dash of freshly grated nutmeg
    to complete the recipe
    2 tablespoons unsalted butter
    2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    1 cup milk
    4 ounces baby Gouda cheese, cut into small pieces (about ¾ cup)
    ½ cup pure apple juice or sweet white wine such as Sauternes
    ˜ salt and ground white pepper to taste
    ˜ freshly grated nutmeg for garnish
to make the soup
Combine the pears, vegetable stock, ginger, and nutmeg in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat; cover and simmer until the pears are very tender, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
to make the salsa
Stir together all the ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.
to complete the recipe
In a separate small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the flour and stir until smooth, about 1 minute. (Do not let it brown.) Remove from the heat. Gradually whisk in the milk. Place the pan back on medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to simmer. Reduce the heat to low and stir constantly until thickened, about 4 minutes. Add the cheese and stir until melted, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
    Purée the pear mixture in a blender until smooth. Add to the cheese sauce and stir constantly over low heat until heated through. Gradually stir in the apple juice and continue to heat, but do not let the soup come to a boil. Season to taste.
    Top each serving with a sprinkling of nutmeg and a mound of salsa.
advance preparation
    This soup and the salsa are both best when made just before serving.
variation
    Substitute aged or smoked Gouda for the baby Gouda.
TIP
    Fresh mature ginger should be firm, with a smooth brown skin and no soft spots. To test for freshness, break off one of the knobs; if the ginger is fresh, it will break with a clean snap. Refrigerate in a plastic bag for up to 2 weeks. Peel before using and mince ginger well so the flavor will be distributed evenly in the dish. Ground dried ginger does not have the same distinctive flavor and should not be substituted for fresh in cooked recipes; it can be used in baked goods.
    Great food is like great sex—the more you have, the more you want.
    —Gael Green

polynesian peanut soup with toasted coconut
    This distinctive rich and creamy soup was inspired by a favorite peanut sauce. A friend shared the recipe with me over lunch on a South Pacific cruise. Just making it conjures up fond memories of a sunny deck, sensuous breezes, and the bright