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Variations: Add 2 bay leaves with the spinach; discard the bay leaves before processing or blending.

Add one 4-inch cinnamon stick with the spinach; discard the stick before processing or blending.

Substitute stemmed watercress, stemmed arugula, or chopped escarole leaves for the baby spinach.

Substitute 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves for the dill.

Substitute sour cream for the heavy cream.

Cold Carrot Ginger Soup

Ginger can become quite spicy in larger quantities, so this soup is cooled off with a little orange marmalade, added off the heat to preserve its bitter edge. Makes 6 servings

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 large onions, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 or 2 serrano chiles, stemmed, seeded, and minced

3 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger

2 pounds carrots, peeled and chopped

2 large tart apples, such as Granny Smith, Empire, Pippin, or Northern Spy, peeled, cored, and chopped

1 cup dry vermouth or dry white wine

6 cups vegetable broth

1 to 2 tablespoons orange marmalade (see Note)

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper, preferably white pepper

Plain yogurt (regular, low-fat, or fat-free) for garnish

6 small fresh cilantro sprigs for garnish

Heat a large saucepan or pot over medium heat. Swirl in the olive oil, then add the onions and cook, stirring often, until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, chiles, and ginger; cook for 30 seconds.

Add the carrots and apples; cook, stirring often, until the apples begin to soften at their edges, about 5 minutes.

Pour in the vermouth or wine; cook, stirring almost constantly, until reduced to a thick glaze, scraping up any browned bits on the pan’s bottom, about 4 minutes.

Pour in the broth and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer slowly until the carrots are soft and very tender, about 35 minutes.

Working in batches as necessary, pour the soup into a large food processor fitted with a chopping blade or into the canister of a large blender. Process or blend until smooth, scraping down the bowl or canister once or twice to make sure everything has been pureed. Alternatively, use an immersion blender to puree the soup right in the pot.

Add 1 tablespoon orange marmalade, the salt, and pepper; continue blending until combined. Taste the soup; add up to 1 tablespoon more marmalade as desired for sweetness and a little spiky bitterness, blending the marmalade thoroughly into the soup.

Transfer to a large bowl, pitcher, or container; cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or up to 3 days.

Check the soup for salt and add a little more, if desired. Spoon into bowls, top with a generous dollop of yogurt and a sprig of cilantro.

Note: Look for a marmalade with distinct bits of orange rind floating in the jam—or better yet, one made from whole, thin orange slices that you will have to chop.

Variations: For a sweeter soup, substitute pears for the apples.

For a tart soup, add 1 tablespoon lemon juice with the orange marmalade.

Use more exotic flavors of marmalade, including pear/lemon or grapefruit.

Drizzle the top of the soup with toasted pumpkinseed oil or toasted sesame oil.

Spicy Watermelon Soup

Here’s a simple, no-cook, summer cooler, refreshing and tart. Makes 4 servings

One small 6-pound red watermelon or a 6-pound chunk of red watermelon (see Note)

4 teaspoons superfine sugar, or to taste

2 teaspoons lime juice

½ teaspoon salt, or to taste

Several dashes of hot red pepper sauce to taste

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

Cut the rind off the melon; working over a bowl to catch any juice, remove and discard all the black seeds and as many of the white seeds as you can. Cut the flesh into chunks; add these and any collected juice to a large food processor fitted with the chopping blade. Process until smooth.

Pour the soup through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl; do not push any solids through the mesh. If any foam passes through the mesh and into the bowl, skim it off with a spoon.