ASPARAGUS SOUP -- Process or blend asparagus that have been cooked (in chicken broth) with creme fraiche and/or sour cream. Add cilantro, season, and whizz it up to make it foamy. Serve hot or cold. Use cooking liquid to thin if need be, -- Kate Holmes, Sag Harbor, NY.

ACORN SQUASH SOUP- Add cooked squash flesh to sautéed onions, along with beef broth, butter, ground clove, nutmeg, pepper, ginger and cinnamon. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Cool, add heavy cream and then process until smooth. Reheat, but do not boil, to serve. Can garnish with Parmigan cheese.

ALMOND SPINACH SOUP-- Sauté chopped green onions in butter. Add drained frozen spinach and sauté a few minutes. Grind some almonds in a blender. Add the spinach and some chicken broth. Blend until smooth. Add heavy cream, salt and pepper. Depending on quantities this may want to be done in batches. Serve cold or hot but don't boil.

CREAMY AVOCADO SOUP -- Make a roux then add chicken or vegetable broth (potato peel broth is very good) and simmer until thick and smooth. Stir in avocados that have been pureed with light cream, plain yogurt and lemon juice. Add a bit of sugar and season. Serve hot with tortilla chips and sauce. (Soup does not keep well; serve fresh.)

CURRIED AVOCADO SOUP -- Blend avocado with some chicken or vegetable stock, stir in more stock, heavy cream, curry powder and seasonings. Served chilled garnished with avocado slices that have been sprinkled with lemon juice.

AVOCADO AND TOMATO SOUP -- Combine cooked corn kernels, cubed and seeded cucumber, cubed avocado, minced garlic, cumin, dried red pepper, fresh lime or lemon juice and lots of tomato juice. Serve chilled garnished with cilantro.

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BANANA SOUP -- Cook green banana pulp, chicken stock, celery, onion, carrot, small bay leaf, peppercorns and salt together for about one-half hour until the mixture thickens. Strain over flour and butter which have been combined as for a white sauce. Cook until thickened. Just before serving add milk or cream. Heat. Serve with a slice of lemon on each plate as a garnish.

BARLEY BEEF SOUP -- Bring a pot of water or broth to a boil and add barley . Then add browned hamburger and manageable sized pieces of onion, broccoli, tomato, celery, zucchini, mushrooms. Season with garlic and chili powder. Simmer until the barley is tender (about an hour,) adding more liquid as needed to keep it soupy. Grate cheddar on top to serve.

BARLEY VEGETABLE SOUP -- Combine water or broth, barley, green chilies, kernel corn, chopped onion, canned stewed tomatoes, drained chick peas and kidney beans, garlic and Tabasco. Simmer about an hour, adding more water or broth as needed, to make a thick soup.

Blueberry Tofu Soup -- Blend fresh or frozen blueberries, cup of frozen grape juice concentrate, cake of silken tofu, cup of milk and nutmeg until smooth. Serve topped with strawberry for electric color presentation.

BREADFRUIT CHOWDER -- Sauté onions in bacon fat (if bacon, leave crisp bacon pieces in pot) or oil, add diced carrots, peeled, chopped breadfruit and chicken stock. Bring to boil then simmer until vegetables are soft. Puree and add heavy cream and seasonings. Garnish with parsley.

BROCCOLI AND CHEESE SOUP -- Sauté chopped onions and diced potatoes in oil until onions are soft. Add water or stock and broccoli florets and fast simmer until potatoes are done. Add more broccoli and cook until just crisp. Stir in grated cheddar, season as you will and serve when the cheese has melted. Adjust liquidity with more stock if need be.

BROCCOLI RABE SOUP -- Combine garlic mashed potatoes and sliced broccoli rabe and cook in potato broth until broccoli is tender. Season and serve with Parmesan.

BRUSSELS SPROUTS SOUP -- Cook together sautéed onions and Brussels sprouts, potatoes and chicken or vegetable stock and water until potatoes are done. Puree, then season with dill and black pepper. Stir in buttermilk/sour cream mixture or yogurt.

CABBAGE AND ROOT VEGETABLE SOUP -- Sliced onions, diced carrots, celery, parsnip, potatoes, turnip and coarsely shredded cabbage in beef, chicken or vegetable stock. Add bouquet garni and, when root vegetables are almost done, diced tomato, cooked sausage and/or white beans, if desired.

CARROT AND ORANGE SOUP -- Sauté onion, carrots, garlic and a few tablespoons of uncooked rice in butter. Add chicken stock, orange rind, parsley and scant amount of sugar if desired. Boil then simmer until vegetables are tender then puree and stir in juice from one orange and heavy cream.

Cauliflower and Roquefort Soup -- Cook chopped onion, minced garlic and celery seeds in butter; add more butter and thicken with flour. Stir in water, boil and add broken up cauliflower florets and simmer 'til tender. Puree in blender and whisk in milk crumbled Roquefort and lemon juice. Heat until hot and cheese is melted; season to taste.

Cauliflower Soup, Curried -- Simmer cauliflower in chicken stock until tender, puree, then reheat and season with curry powder. Whisk together egg yolk and heavy cream, whisk in a spoonful of simmering puree, then return mixture to saucepan and cook until thickened to creamy consistency (don't boil). Thin with water or milk, if desired.

Celery Puree ----- Combine cooked celery, cooked potato, a few celery leaves with heavy cream, salt and pepper and process until smooth. Thin with chicken broth if you wish to make a soup.

Cheese Beer Soup -- Sauté a bit of minced onion and grated carrots in butter. Add chicken broth, dry mustard and paprika and cook for 15 minutes. Mix some milk with cornstarch and add to the soup. Cook to thicken. Add beer and a bunch of grated cheese and heat until the cheese melts. Don't boil.

CHERRY SOUP -- In saucepan, combine and simmer half a cup of seedless raisins, six thin orange and lemon slices, quarter cup of lemon juice, stick of cinnamon, two cups water and two cups sliced fresh peaches. Remove cinnamon stick and add one and a half cups pitted sour cherries and about a cup of sugar. Bring to a boil; thicken with cornstarch with a little water. Cook, stirring about one minute or until clear. Adjust sugar for tartness of sour cherries. Serve chilled. If desired, garnish with sour cream.

CHICKEN BARLEY SOUP -- Cook a fryer, chicken parts or broiler in water until done. Remove and bone the chicken. Return to the pot along with diced carrots, barley, chopped onion, celery, bay leaf, sage, poultry seasoning. Cook until barley and vegetables are tender.

CLAM (CANNED) CHOWDER -- Sauté chopped onions and celery in butter, add bottled clam juice and can drainings, diced potatoes, dill and simmer until potatoes are done. Add flour and cream or half and half, canned clams and pepper and cook gently until hot and thickened.

COD STEW -- Simmer together onions, celery, tomatoes, potatoes, pieces of soaked and drained salt cod, green olives, capers, pine nuts, raisins and chili powder until potatoes are tender.

Cold Avocado Soup -- Blend peeled and pitted avocado with chicken broth, curry powder, Tabasco, Worcestershire, and white pepper. Add more chicken broth and bring to a boil. When chilled, add light cream and garnish with chives.

Cold Vegetable Soup I-- Chopped green onion, celery, cucumber and green pepper in V-8 juice seasoned with sherry, lemon juice and black pepper. Garnished with yogurt or creme fraiche.

Cold Vegetable Soup II -- Sauté sliced leeks and chopped celery in butter until leeks are tender. Add some fresh peas or frozen baby peas, shredded spinach or Swiss chard and some shredded romaine lettuce. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Puree and strain. Stir in half and half or cream. Chill, and stir in parsley and chives at serving time. Garnish with sour cream, yogurt or creme fraiche.

Collard Greens Soup -- Add chopped collard greens, diced potatoes, sautéed onions and peppers to white bean soup seasoned with blood sausage , bay leaf and salt. Simmer until the potatoes and green are done.

Crab Meat Bisque -- Combine and heat slowly, canned tomato bisque with light cream and milk, Tabasco and nutmeg. Add drained, canned crab and sherry. Heat and garnish with creme fraiche. Never allow to boil.

Creamed Onion Soup -- (Sort of a Vichyssoise) Slowly fry a little cut up bacon and then add sliced leeks and scallions (white parts) sliced onions and minced shallots. Cook until tender, add chicken broth and beef broth and cubed potatoes. Simmer 30 minutes. Puree or leave chunky. Combine sour cream, heavy cream and egg yolks and mixc with a bit of the soup liquid, then add all to the pot. Reheat, but do not boil. Garnish with chives.

CUCUMBER SOUP I -- Briefly sauté peeled, seeded and sliced cucumber in butter, add chopped scallions, chicken stock and nutmeg. Simmer for a few minutes and serve topped with yogurt and chopped mint.

CUCUMBER SOUP II -- Cook leeks and celery until soft, then add peeled, seeded chopped cucumbers, lemon juice and chicken stock and simmer until cukes are tender. Puree in blender and top with mixture of chopped tomato, Parmesan, basil, garlic and bit of oil. Or add yogurt or buttermilk, diced cucumbers, parsley, chives and seasonings to chilled cucumber puree and serve cold.

DRIED FRUIT AND MEATBALL SOUP -- Mix ground beef with grated onions, cinnamon, pepper and salt and roll into small meatballs. Cook rice for 15 minutes, add dried prunes and cook for another 15 minutes. Add meat balls, dried apricots, chopped walnuts, chopped parsley, and sautéed onions and let cook for another about 20 minutes. Add vinegar and sugar and continue to cook for about 15 more minutes. Just before removing from heat, add dried mint, cinnamon and pepper.

Eggplant Soup -- Puree cooked eggplant pulp (3 lbs. eggplant) with salt in blender. Sauté garlic, add paprika, cumin and salt. Add 2 1/2 cups hot water and simmer broth. Sauté chopped celery and onion and add to eggplant puree; stir into broth. Add cream and milk; simmer and adjust seasonings. Serve with croutons and grated Parmesan.

ENDLESS CHILI -- Combine almost any combination of meats, vegetables, beans, and peppers with any combination of chili powder , cumin, garlic, paprika, coriander, whiskey, wine, nuts, adding ingredients to the pot in a sequence that allows for different cooking times. Imagination tempered with common sense as a culinary credo was never more appropriate than with this dish. (Except maybe for soups which chili almost is or can be.) Muse invites your version.

FISH AND PASTA SOUP -- Sauté onion, garlic and leek; add chopped tomatoes, herbs, saffron and small pasta and cook for about 15 minutes before adding pieces of white fish fillets and mussels, if desired.

FISH CHILI -- Make your favorite chili recipe, instead of beef stir in chunks of fish fillets and cook another 15 minutes or until fish is done.

FISH STEAKS IN HOT-SOUR BROTH -- Heat vegetable stock, onions, Daikon radishes, lemon juice and chiles, then add fish steaks (cod, swordfish, scrod, haddock,) and chopped tomatoes. When fish is tender, turn off heat and add chopped spinach some fish sauce or hot sauce and a bit of vinegar. Serve with bread or over rice.

GROUPER SOUP -- Combine tomato sauce, sliced mushrooms, thyme, marjoram and savory. When mushrooms are tender add pan fried pieces of paprika seasoned grouper fillets. Top with chopped scallions.

GUMBO -- Make a rich, brown roux and in it sauté garlic, onions, celery and green pepper, cooking until vegetables are tender, then add chicken stock, chopped tomatoes, some tomato juice, chopped fish fillets and shrimp, crab meat, crawfish, plus sliced Andouille smoked sausage, fresh or frozen okra, cayenne and a few bay leaves. Simmer for another hour or so.

HOT AND SOUR CABBAGE SOUP -- Boil together chicken stock, shredded cabbage, finely shredded chicken or pork, bamboo shoots, soy sauce, minced ginger root, minced garlic, white pepper, and few tablespoons of cider or rice vinegar. Thicken soup with cornstarch/water mixture then slowly pour in beaten egg and remove from heat. Serve with sesame and chili oils, if desired, and garnish with scallion

JALAPENO AND CHEESE SOUP I -- Combine chicken broth, diced celery and onion, garlic salt and white pepper and cook over high heat until slightly reduced. Puree in a blender with lots of cheese spread and then return to the stove to simmer gently for a few minutes. Add diced jalapeno peppers and serve garnished with sour cream.

LEBANESE CUCUMBER SOUP -- Peel cucumbers if skins are tough, grate coarsely. Stir in cream and yogurt, crushed garlic, tarragon vinegar, chopped mint. Chill and garnish with mint or gherkins or small cooked shrimp.

Lemon Tomato Soup -- Sauté chopped green onions in butter. Add chicken broth, paprika, lemon zest and lemon juice, cloves, pepper and a big can of plum tomatoes, drained. Simmer 45 minutes, cool, puree and strain. Boil a cup of Burgundy for two minutes and add to the soup. Garnish with parsley.

LOBSTER BISQUE -- Sauté minced onions, carrots and uncooked lobster meat in butter; pour hot sherry over mixture and add dry white wine, chicken broth, tomato paste, bay leaf, parsley and thyme. Simmer about 15 minutes. Add hot milk to a roux then add to lobster mixture. Simmer another 15 minutes, add some heavy cream and season.

LOBSTER CHOWDER -- Sauté celery and onions, add corn kernels; thicken with flour then add mixture of clam juice and water, diced red potatoes, bay leaf and thyme. Simmer until potatoes are tender then add lobster meat, heavy cream and, if desired, diced red and green bell pepper. Simmer until warm.

Madrilène with Clams -- With a rotary beater, whip sour cream into a like amount of chilled consommé until the mix resembles a mousse. Fold in a little lemon juice, minced chives, salt and pepper and drained minced canned clams. Chill and serve.

MANGO AND CURRY SOUP -- Puree mango with chicken stock and lemon juice, add curry powder and heat. Add heavy cream, touch of saffron and season to taste.

Mushroom Soup I -- Sauté sliced mushrooms in butter with a little minced onions and lemon juice. When mushrooms are tender, add Tabasco and Worcestershire, chicken broth and parsley. Simmer for half an hour, then puree and return to the pan. Blend egg yolks with heavy cream (or light) and stir into the soup. Heat briefly, stirring constantly. Season and serve warm or cold.

MUSHROOM SOUP II -- Nuke a bunch of mushrooms , covered, until they shrink and give off a lot of their moisture. Drain of the liquid, thicken it with flour and butter, add a little chicken broth and white pepper, then cream to equal the liquid already there. Add back the mushrooms. If you start with huge mushrooms, cut them into manageable pieces.

MUSSEL SOUP -- Combine dry white wine, minced garlic, chopped onion and shallots. Bring to boil, add mussels and steam, covered over high heat, until shells open. Remove mussels and strain liquid. Whisk curry powder into liquid an boil down to about 1/2 cup. Add heavy cream and creame fraiche (about 3 cups total) and boil to reduce again. Add mussels (remove half of shell and leave meat attached to remaining shell) and heat.

ORANGE AND CARROT SOUP -- Sauté chopped onion, garlic, sliced carrots and a few tablespoons of rice in butter until fragrant; add chicken stock, rind from half an orange, parsley and scant amount of sugar and bring to boil then simmer until vegetables are tender. Puree then stir in juice from orange, some heavy cream and reheat. Garnish with orange slice topped with parsley sprig.

PEA SOUP AND DUMPLINGS -- Puree peas that have been cooked in water with a bit of brown sugar, stir in a light white wine and season with salt and black pepper. Thicken with a roux, blending well. Drop small dumplings that have been seasoned with nutmeg into gently boil

PEACH SOUP -- Combine pureed peaches (about one large per serving), crushed cardamom and coriander seeds, a large tablespoon of orange juice, some finely grated orange peel and about one and a half cups of buttermilk. Chill. Add honey if desired. Garnish with watercress.

PEAR SOUP -- Sauté chopped celery and sliced leeks in butter until soft, then add diced potatoes, about 3 cups of chicken stock seasoned with ground white pepper to taste. Simmer until vegetables are soft, cool slightly and puree until smooth. Add about 3 large peeled, chopped pears and puree. Stir in a couple of cups of cold milk and grated nutmeg. Chill thoroughly to serve.

PINEAPPLE GAZPACHO -- Making the traditional cold soup with a pineapple base makes it a spicy-sweet dish: Combine minced garlic; diced cucumber, bell peppers, red onions and tomatoes; pineapple chunks and some juice; red wine vinegar; cayenne; cumin; chunks of French or Italian bread, and tomato juice and puree until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, then stir in some more diced cucumbers, bell peppers, and tomatoes for texture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours. Serve garnished with lemon and/or lime slices.

RASPBERRY BORSCHT -- Combine cutup, cooked beets, raspberries, minced red onion, and 2 cups of liquid from cooking beets. Puree it all in batches in a blender and strain to remove raspberry seeds. Stir in lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, and sugar to taste. Chill the soup and serve with sour cream.

RASPBERRY ORANGE SOUP -- Combine equal parts raspberries and water, add some fresh orange juice, tablespoon lemon juice, cinnamon stick and honey to taste. Bring to boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Sieve, cover and chill. Top each serving with some yogurt or sour cream, orange rind and thyme sprig.

RED BELL PEPPER SOUP -- Sauté large yellow onion and red bell pepper strips with bay leaf, parsley, rosemary, savory and oregano. Add chopped tomatoes, garlic and chicken or vegetable stock, and simmer until vegetables are soft. Cool and puree; strain if desired. Reheat with lemon juice, pepper and salt to taste. Serve with dollop of sour cream or creme fraiche.

Scallop Bisque -- Simmer diced potatoes, chopped carrot, onion and celery in chicken broth until tender. Season with thyme and pepper. Cool and puree. Sauté scallops in butter for a minute then add some white wine and almost immediately remove the scallops from the pan. Add in light cream mixed with beaten egg yolk and then the pureed vegetables. Add the scallops and heat thoroughly but don't boil. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Spicy Tomato Soup -- Sauté a chopped onion in butter, add a little flour and paprika and cook for 2 minutes. Add chicken broth, drained canned tomatoes and tomato paste. Season with bouquet garni, the peel of a lemon, and some whole cloves. Simmer 30 minutes, then strain out the bouquet and lemon rind and puree the soup. Add some burgundy that has been heated and garnish the soup with chopped parsley.

Spinach Soup I -- Sauté chopped shallots or onions in butter. Add frozen spinach, thawed and sauté some more. Add a little flour, some chicken broth and half and half. Season with nutmeg, Tabasco, sherry and optional Perrins. Don't boil after the cream is added.

Split Pea Soup --Bring to a boil split peas with a ham bone and an onion in ample water to cover. Add bay leaves, clove and salt. Reduce heat and simmer , stirring and adding water as needed to keep the peas from sticking. When the peas are losing their skins and the soup is thick, fish out the ham bone and any other solids and serve. If you prefer a smoother soup, strain. Can season with sherry or sweet vermouth. Variations -- --- Use yellow peas instead of green, whole dried instead of split and allow a little more time for the whole peas. --- Use a piece of ham, cut up or not; or sausages, instead of ham bone. Return the meat to the soup after straining.

Strawberry Soup with Tofu -- Blend a couple of cups of berries, vanilla extract, some strawberry jam, half cup frozen apple juice concentrate, one cake silken tofu and two cups soy milk. Add more vanilla to taste

TOMATO AND DUMPLING SOUP -- Sauté onions, garlic and tomatoes until soft. Add chili powder and some flour to thicken, then add vegetable stock, tomato juice and/ or water. Puree mixture then simmer about half an hour. Make dill dumplings and drop into soup. Serve with parsley and grated cheese

TOMATO AND LIME SOUP -- Cook sautéed onions, garlic, chiles (if desired), cumin and oregano with lots of chopped fresh tomatoes. Add vegetable stock and simmer. Add lime juice to taste and top with grated cheese and crumbled tortilla chips.

Tomato Potato Soup -- Sauté lots of sliced onions in lots of butter. Add sliced potatoes, chicken broth and some water. Simmer until potatoes are done. Add canned pear tomatoes, paprika, tarragon and a little dry vermouth. Simmer 20 minutes, cool and puree. Stir in light cream and bring back to heat. Garnish with chives or parsley.

Tomato Soup -- Boil lots of chopped tomatoes, onions and red peppers seasoned with cloves, bay leaves, chopped fresh parsley and salt. After about an hour, run through a food mill or processor . Boil for a little while longer, then add sugar to taste. To serve thin with equal part of consommé.

TURNIP SOUP -- Sauté onion in butter, add chopped turnip and carrots or, for a sweeter taste, apples or pears, and cook about ten minutes before adding chicken or vegetable broth. Cook until tender, season then puree with orange juice, apple juice or broth, as desired.

Vegetable Broth -- Sauté sliced carrots and onions, celery, scallions and leeks (green and white parts)in butter with a bouquet garni. When tender, cover with water and bring to a boil. Skim and then simmer for a couple of hours, .. Add water as needed. Strain and discard all solid matter. Reduce for a stronger stock.

Watercress Soup -- Sauté onions and garlic in butter, add thinly sliced potatoes , salt and pepper. Add water, bring to a boil then reduce and simmer until potatoes are tender. Chop most of a bunch of watercress and add it to the soup with milk and chicken broth. Cook 15 minutes then puree, and return to pot. Stir in a mixture of egg yolks and cream and reheat. Garnish with more of the chopped watercress.

YOGURT AND BERRY SOUP -- Whisk together fresh orange juice, yogurt, honey to taste, fresh lemon or lime juice, and dash of cinnamon or nutmeg. Chill and serve on top of fresh blueberries, raspberries or strawberries; garnish with fresh mint.

YOGURT AND CARROT SOUP -- Sauté onions and garlic, add mustard seeds, cayenne, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, and salt to taste. Add sliced carrots and lemon juice, stirring for a few more minutes, then add water or broth and simmer until carrots are tender. Puree in blender, adding more water. Return to skillet and whisk in plain yogurt and honey and heat. Season with black pepper, more cayenne and salt as desired.

YOGURT AND CUCUMBER SOUP -- Puree together four cups peeled, chopped, seeded cucumber, two cups water, two cups plain yogurt, clove of garlic, fresh mint leaves, tablespoon of honey, two teaspoons of salt and half teaspoon dill weed. Garnish with chopped scallions or chives.

YOGURT AND SHRIMP SOUP -- Cook peeled shrimp with bay leaf then let cool, saving water. Boil reserved shrimp shells in shrimp water for ten minutes to make broth. Strain and cool. Whisk together cold plain yogurt, some of the strained cooking liquid, and Dijon-style mustard, salt and pepper to taste. Stir in chopped shrimp and peeled, chopped cucumber. Chill soup, covered, for at least 20 minutes. Garnish with shrimp halves.

ZUCCHINI SOUP -- Cook finely chopped onions until soft, add chicken or vegetable stock then grated zucchini and small soup pasta. When done, add fresh lemon juice and seasoning. Top with dollop of sour cream and some fresh basil, chervil or mint.