March 2021

At Restoran August in Varazdin, Croatia, chef Goran Jelusic taught us this simple soup. It gets its richness from toasted pumpkin seeds that are simmered then pureed with zucchini; together they yield a silky, velvety texture. Fresh dill and lemon zest lift and brighten the flavors.

Our inspiration recipe uses pumpkin seed oil; if you can find it, use it in place of the olive oil — it will heighten the nuttiness of the toasted seeds. Vegetable broth and chicken broth work equally well here, so use whichever you prefer.

The unusual combination of rosemary and ginger is delicious with the sweetness of carrots. We shred both the carrots and the onion so the vegetables soften quickly and puree easily. Use the large holes on a box grater or, for speed, the shredding disk of a food processor. If you own an immersion blender, use it to puree the soup directly in the pan.

Almonds toasted in olive oil with harissa (use the spice blend, not the paste) serve double duty here, first as a base for the flavor-packed vegetarian soup and then as a garnish that adds contrasting texture. Simmered and pureed with tender cauliflower, the nuts add a unique richness and body. If you own an immersion blender, the soup can be pureed directly in the pot.

When traditional French fries are fried, water is rapidly driven out of the starch cells at the surface of the potato, leaving behind tiny cavities. It's these cavities that create a delicate, crispy crust. Since oven fries don't heat fast enough for air pockets to form, we instead coat the potatoes in a cornstarch slurry that crisps up like a deep-fried fry would.