The Soup Nazi


The Soup Nazi (Al's Soup Kitchen International)
Crab Bisque Cream of Sweet Potato Soup Indian Mulligatawny Soup Mexican Chicken Chili
Crab Bisque Posted above the counter of the Soup Nazi's take-out-only Soup Kitchen International is a sign laying out the Soup Nazi's 'Rules To Properly Buy Soup'. If you violate the rules you're risking being refused service.
4 pounds snow crab clusters (legs) 4 quarts water (16 cups) 1 small onion, chopped 1 1/2 stalks celery, chopped 2 cloves garlic, quartered 2 potatoes, peeled and chopped 1/4 cup fresh chopped Italian parsley 2 teaspoons mustard seed 1 tablespoon chopped pimento 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground pepper 2 bay leaves 1/3 cup tomato sauce 2 tablespoons half and half 1/4 cup unsalted butter 1/4 teaspoon thyme 1/8 teaspoon basil 1/8 teaspoon marjoram 1. Remove all the crab meat from the shells and set it aside. 2. Put half of the shells into a large pot with 4 quarts of water over high heat. Add onion 1 stalk of chopped celery, and garlic, then bring mixture to a boil. Continue to boil for 1 hour, stirring occasionally (The white part of the shells will start to become transparent), then strain stock. Discard the shells, onion, celery and garlic, keeping only the stock. 3. Measure 3 quarts (12 cups) of the stock into a large sauce pan or cooking pot. If you don't have enough stock, add enough water to make 3 quarts. 4. Add potatoes, bring mixture to a boil, then add 1/2 of the crab and the remaining ingredients to the pot and bring it back to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer for 4 hours, uncovered until it reduces by about half and starts to thicken. Add the remaining crab and simmer for another hour until the soup is very thick. Makes 4-6 servings.
[Back To The Top Of The Page] Cream of Sweet Potato Soup
New Yorkers have lined up around the block for years now to get a hot cup of Al Yeganeh's delicious soups at Al's Soup Kitchen International. Many are familiar with the demands: "Pick the soup you want!", "Have your money ready!", and "Move to the extreme left after ordering!" Customers know if they don't stick to the rules, they'll be quickly scolded and may not get served; even after waiting for as long as two hours to get to the front of the line. This is precisely how the non-smiling Yeganeh was portrayed by actor Larry Thomas in Seinfeld episode number 115, when he forever became known as the "Soup Nazi." (That's the real guy in the picture, as cheerful as ever.)

4 sweet potatoes (about 1 pound each) 8 cups water 1/3 cup butter 1/2 cup tomato sauce 2 tablespoons half and half 2 teaspoons salt 1/8 teaspoon pepper dash thyme 1 cup cashews (split in half) 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake the sweet potatoes for 45 minutes or until they are soft. Cool the potatoes until they can be handled. 2. Peel away the skin, then put the potatoes into a large bowl. Mash the potatoes for 15-20 seconds, but you don't need to mash them until they are entirely smooth. 3. Spoon the mashed sweet potato into a large saucepan over medium/high heat, add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. 4. When the soup begins to boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 50-60 minutes. Cashews should be soft. Serve hot - WITH AN ATITIUDE!! Makes 6-8 servings. [Back To The Top Of The Page] Indian Mulligatawny Soup Elaine: "Do you need anything?" Kramer: "Oh, a hot bowl of Mulligatawny would hit the spot." Elaine: "Mulligatawny?" Kramer: "Yeah, it's an Indian soup. Simmered to perfection by one of the great soup artisans in the modern era." Elaine: "Oh. Who, the Soup Nazi?" Kramer: "He's not a Nazi. He just happens to be a little eccentric. You know, most geniuses are." Kramer was right. Al Yeganeh -- otherwise known as the Soup Nazi from the Seinfeld episode which aired in 1995 -- is a master at the soup kettle. His popular soup creations have inspired many inferior copycats in the Big Apple, including The Soup Nutsy, only 10 blocks away. Yeganeh's mastery shows when he combines sometimes unusual ingredients to create unique and delicious flavors in his much-raved about soups. In this one, you may be surprised when you discover pistachios and cashews among the many vegetables. But it's a combination that works. Just be sure when you make this soup, that you simmer it for at least four hours or until the soup reduces by more than half. The soup will darken as the flavors intensify, the potatoes will begin to fall apart and the nuts will soften. If you follow these directions you should end up with a mimicked version of Mulligatawny Soup that would fool even Cosmo himself. 4 quarts water (16 cups) 6 cups chicken stock 2 potatoes, peeled & sliced 2 carrots, peeled & sliced 2 stalks celery, with tops 2 cups peeled & diced eggplant (about 1/2 of an eggplant) 1 medium onion, chopped 1 cup frozen yellow corn 2/3 cup canned roasted red pepper, diced 1/2 cup tomato sauce 1/2 cup shelled pistachios 1/2 cup roasted cashews 1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley 1/4 cup lemon juice 1/4 cup butter 3 tablespoons sugar 1/2 teaspoon curry powder 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1/4 teaspoon thyme 1 bay leaf dash marjoram dash nutmeg 1. Combine all ingredients in a large pot over high heat. 2. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 4-5 hours or until soup has reduced by more than half, and is thick and brownish in color. It should have the consistency of chili. Stir occasionally for the first few hours, but stir often, the last hour. The edges of the potatoes should become more rounded, and the nuts will soften. Serve hot. Makes 4-6 servings. [Back To The Top Of The Page] Mexican Chicken Chili In the most recent edition of Zagat's New York City Restaurant Survey, Le Cirque 2000, one of the city's most upscale restaurants, received a 25 rating out of a possible 30. In the same guide, Al "The Soup Nazi" Yeganeh's International Soup Kitchen scored a whopping 27. That puts the Soup Nazi's eatery in 14th place among the city's best restaurants! It's common to see lines stretching around the corner and down the block as hungry patrons wait for their cup of one of five daily hot soup selections. Most of the selections change every day, but every time I've been in New York City, the Mexican Chicken Chili was always on the menu. But it's usually sold out before I can get a sample. On the last day of my trip two years ago, I got lucky, "One extra large Mexican Chicken Chili, please." Hand over money, move to the extreme left. So here now, for your enjoyment, is a mimick for what has apparently become one of the Soup Nazi's most popular culinary masterpieces. The secret to this soup, as with many of his creations, seems to be the long simmering time. If you like, you can substitute turkey breast for the chicken to make turkey chili, which was the soup George Costanza ordered on the show. 1 pound chicken breast fillets (4 fillets) 1 tablespoon olive oil 10 cups water 2 cups chicken stock 1/2 cup tomato sauce 1 potato, peeled & chopped 1 small onion, diced 1 cup frozen yellow corn 1/2 carrot, sliced 1 celery stalk, diced 1 cup canned diced tomatoes 1 15-ounce can red kidney beans, plus liquid 1/4 cup diced canned pimento 1 jalapeno, diced 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley 1 clove garlic, minced 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder 1 teaspoon cumin 1/4 teaspoon salt dash cayenne pepper dash basil dash oregano On the side Sour cream Pinch chopped Italian parsley 1. Sauté the chicken breasts in the olive oil in a large pot over medium/high heat. Cook the chicken on both side until done -- about 7-10 minutes per side. Cool the chicken until it can be handled. Do not rinse the pot. 2. Shred the chicken by hand into bite-sizes pieces and place the pieces back into the pot. 3. Add the remaining ingredients to the pot and turn heat to high. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 4-5 hours. Stir mixture often so that many of the chicken pieces shred into much smaller bits. Chili should reduce substantially to thicken and darken (less orange, more brown) when done. 4. Combine some chopped Italian parsley with sour cream and serve it on the side for topping the chili, if desired. Makes 4-6 servings. [Back To The Top Of The Page]


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