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½-inch) red bell pepper
    Â¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
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    1 tablespoon thinly slivered garlic
1. Heat the broth to a boil in a large saucepan; add the carrot and rice. Cook, covered, over low heat for 10 minutes. Add the broccoli; cook, uncovered, until the broccoli is tender and the soup has thickened, about 8 minutes more. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Meanwhile, for the red pepper oil: Heat the oil in a small skillet. Add the red bell pepper slivers and red pepper flakes; cook for 3 minutes, or until the bell pepper begins to brown. Remove from the heat and, with a slotted spoon, transfer the pepper to the soup.
3. Add the garlic to the hot oil and cook over very low heat just until the garlic is golden, about 1 minute; immediately stir the hot oil and garlic mixture into the simmering soup.
4. Ladle into bowls and serve.
    Shiitake, Beef, and Red Rice Soup with Spinach
    Soy sauce, mushrooms, and red rice, especially the variety imported from Bhutan, all have a meaty taste. In this hearty soup, they are complemented by the richness of the beef broth and the herbal quality of the spinach.
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    Makes 6 cups; about 4 servings
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    2 tablespoons peanut oil
    8 ounces shiitakes, stems discarded, caps wiped clean and cut into 1 / 8 -inch slices
    Â½ cup chopped white part of scallions, plus ¼ cup thinly sliced scallion greens for garnish
    1 teaspoon minced garlic
    4 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
    1 cup cooked red rice or short-grain brown rice
    8 ounces spinach, washed and trimmed (about 2 cups lightly packed)
    1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
    1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
    2 ½ teaspoons grated fresh ginger
    Kosher salt, optional
    2 teaspoons brown sesame seeds (see Note)
1. Heat the oil in a large heavy saucepan. Add the mushrooms; cook over medium heat, stirring, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the scallion whites; cook, stirring, over low heat for 5 minutes. Add the garlic; cook for 1 minute.
2. Add the broth and the rice. Bring to a simmer; simmer, covered, over medium heat for 15 minutes. Stir in the spinach. Add the soy sauce, sesame oil, and ginger. Taste and add salt if needed.
3. Ladle into four bowls. Sprinkle each with ½ teaspoon sesame seeds and 1 tablespoon scallion greens.
    NOTE: Sesame seeds come in white, brown, black, and red; the white are the most common. If they are the only ones you can find, toast them in a small heavy skillet over low heat, shaking the pan constantly, until they begin to turn golden, then remove from the heat and the pan. They will color very quickly, within 2 or 3 minutes; do not leave them unattended. I prefer the nutty taste of brown sesame seeds. They are often sold in jars (labeled as roasted sesame seeds) wherever Asian products are sold. To preserve freshness, store sesame seeds in the refrigerator or freezer.
    Roasted Tomato, Mushroom, and Rice Soup
    A rather elegant rendition of a basic tomato soup; serve it as a first course or as a light supper with Italian whole wheat bread that has been drizzled with extra virgin olive oil. Almost any mushroom can be used in this soup: white, cremini, or shiitake. I prefer cremini for their deep, earthy flavor. Roast plum tomatoes, no matter what time of the year, to concentrate their flavor.
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    Makes 8 cups; 6 servings
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    2 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
    6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
    2 garlic cloves, minced
    Â½ cup finely chopped onion
    1 pound cremini mushrooms, trimmed and chopped (about 4 cups)
    2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
    2 tablespoons thyme leaves
    4 cups reduced-sodium vegetable, beef, or chicken broth
    1 ½ cups cooked medium-or long-grain white or Arborio rice
    2 tablespoons heavy cream, sour cream, or low-fat or whole milk yogurt
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Arrange the tomatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle with ¼ cup of the olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 30