the right way to do stuffed peppers

 A couple of secrets here: using ground pork instead of ground beef and a half cup of chicken bouillon broth.

2-3 peppers
1 lb ground pork
1 white onion, chopped
1 bunch of Swiss chard, chopped into small strips
1 can of tomato paste
1 teaspoon of chicken bouillon stirred into warm water
1 big pinch of marjoram
1 big pinch of thyme
2-3 tbsp non-dairy parmesan
1-2 slices of non-dairy provolone
salt and pepper to taste

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Cut peppers in half and remove core, ribs and seeds. Oil the bottom of a pan and oil the insides of the peppers. Place in pan cut side up and salt and pepper the insides. Roast for 20-25 minutes.

Brown the pork in a non-stick pan. While the first side is browning, salt and pepper the second side. Brown second side and cut into bite-sized pieces. Add the thyme and marjoram. 

Once the pork is well-browned, add the tomato paste. Combine with pork and let darken a bit. Add the chicken bouillon broth and stir to combine. Add the onion and chard and stir to combine. Cook for 5 minutes then add the non-dairy parmesan. Once the chard has softened and most of the liquid has been absorbed remove the peppers from the oven. Add the pork and chard mixture to the peppers. Put one slice of non-dairy provolone on the top of each pepper. Broil for 5 minutes or until provolone has melted.

pasta saucy

The freshness of all 3 of these is unmatched.

Calamari Puttanesca:

1 pound of calamari
2 large fresh tomatoes (or canned tomatoes)
olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, sliced
5-6 anchovies
pinch of hot pepper
parsley, chopped
olives (doesn't matter what kind)
capers
salt
pepper
anchovy vermouth
rigatoni pasta
cherry tomatoes, halved
lemon zest
basil

Prep the tomatoes: cut into quarters and blend in blender. Strain (shaking and smushing to collect the juice).

In a pan, heat oil, add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add anchovies and stir to break up. Add hot pepper, a handful of parsley, olives and capers and stir. Add calamari and salt and pepper and stir. Add vermouth and reduce. Add tomato sauce. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Cook pasta.

After sauce is finished simmering, add halved cherry tomatoes and pasta and stir to coat pasta. Add lemon zest and more fresh parsley. Plate and drizzle with additional olive oil and add fresh basil.

Olive and Chorizo Pasta

green olives
dried chorizo
fresh pasta
kerrygold butter
salt and pepper

Cook pasta. Slice chorizo and warm in a saucepan until slightly crispy. Add olives and warm through. Add a few tablespoons of pasta water. Stir in 2 tablespoons of kerrygold butter. Add pasta to the pan and coat with sauce. Plate and add salt and pepper.

Fig and Serrano Ham Pasta

serrano ham
fresh oregano
fig jam
kerrygold butter
fresh pasta
salt and pepper

Cook pasta. Melt a few tablespoons of fig jam. Add a few tablespoons of pasta water. Stir in 2 tablespoons of kerrygold butter. Add pasta to the pan and coat with sauce. Plate, and add pieces of serrano ham and a handful of fresh oregano and add salt and pepper.

greek meatball mezze bowl

Meatballs

1 pound ground lamb
2 shallots, chopped
1/4 cup fresh oregano, chopped
2 teaspoons sweet or regular paprika
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
kosher salt and black pepper
sprinkle of chili flakes
extra virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 425° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.

Combine the lamb, shallots, parsley, oregano, paprika, dijon, salt, pepper, and chili flakes in a bowl. Coat your hands with a bit of olive oil, and roll the meat into 2 tablespoon size balls, placing them on the prepared baking sheet. 

Bake for 15 minutes, until the meatballs are crisp and cooked through on the inside.

Lemon Rice

1.5 cups Basmati rice
1 medium white or yellow onion, ends cut off
2 lemons, juice of (PLUS zest of 1 lemon)
3 cups chicken broth (or water and 1 tablespoon of chicken bullion)
1 tablespoon of butter

Add 1 small onion to the center of the Instant Pot. 

Add rice to the IP.

Add broth and lemon juice to the Instant pot.

Seal and use the Rice function to cook for 15 minutes. Let pressure naturally release for 9 minutes then release the remaining pressure.

Remove the onion, chop and return to the rice.

Stir in lemon zest and butter until completely melted.

Tzatziki-style dressing

½ cup full-fat plain Greek yogurt
1 clove garlic, microplaned
3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1 lemon
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon dried or fresh dill
¼ teaspoon dried parsley
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste

Add all ingredients to a bowl and stir until fully combined. Taste test and adjust as needed per your preferences. 

Optional: chill before serving to allow the flavor to develop further.

Dressing

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped dill
salt and pepper

Meanwhile, make the dressing. Whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, dill and salt and pepper. 

Salad vegetables

Tomatoes, chopped
Cucumber, chopped
Peppers, chopped
Red onion, chopped
Feta, crumbled
Kalamata olives

Add lemon rice to a bowl, add meatballs, veggies and a spoonful of tzatziki, drizzle with dressing.

lemony chicken and root veggies

 ½ cup (125 ml) olive oil
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp freshly minced garlic
Zest of 1 lemon, plus the juice of 2 lemons
1 tbsp sweet paprika
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp sea salt flakes
½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
10 mini yellow potatoes
2 medium carrots
1 watermelon radish
½ cup chicken stock (or 1 tsp chicken bouillon and water)
1 lemon quartered
1 tbsp fresh oregano or parsley, to garnish  

Marinate the chicken –  in a large bowl, combine the olive oil, oregano, garlic, lemon zest and juice, sweet paprika, dijon mustard, sugar, salt and pepper. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Marinate for up to 24 hours or cook immediately.

Cut potatoes in half and chop carrots and radish into half inch pieces.

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Arrange the chicken and potatoes in the pan – Add the potatoes to a large baking pan and top with the chicken. Scrape out any marinade left in the bowl and coat the potatoes with it, using your hands.

Arrange the potatoes and veggies in an even layer with the chicken sitting on top. Ensure the chicken does not overlap.

Add the chicken stock to the base of the pan. Scatter the lemon quarters around the pan on top of the potatoes only (avoid placing the lemon slices on the chicken as it stops the skin from browning).

Bake for 55 minutes or until the chicken is golden and cooked through, shuffling the potatoes around at the 30-minute mark to stop them burning. Remove the chicken from the oven, raise the temperature to 450 degrees and cooks the potatoes and veggies for another 15 minutes.

Adapted from the Simple Home Edit

tahini-less lemony hummus

 I do not like tahini and this makes a great hummus. It disappears at parties.

1 can (15 ounce) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon jarred garlic (the fresh is too sharp)
2 tablespoons olive oil, good quality
½ teaspoon salt, or more to taste
3 tablespoons cold water or as needed

Add everything to a blender cup and blend until smooth. You may need to add more water to make it as smooth as you like.

karaage everything

I've used this for both chicken and eggplant and both were delicious.

4-6 skinless or skin-on boneless chicken thighs
2 garlic cloves minced or grated
1 tbsp grated ginger
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar or Japanese sake
1 tsp kosher salt more to taste
1 cup potato starch or cornstarch
¼ - ½ cup canola oil more depending on size of skillet
lemon wedges

Cut chicken thighs into 3-4 bite size pieces.

In a bowl, add in the chicken thighs, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and kosher salt. Mix until well combined and let marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat with canola oil. Use enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan.

While oil is heating up, add potato starch to a shallow bowl. Lightly coat each piece of chicken thigh in potato starch making sure to shake off any excess.

Add chicken to the skillet (making sure not to overcrowd, cook in batches if you need to) and cook the chicken for 5-6 minutes per side or until golden brown and cooked through.

Place fried chicken on a paper towel lined plate and season with kosher salt to taste.

Serve karaage with lemon wedges. Be sure to squeeze lemon over chicken before eating!

Adapted from A Dash of Dolly

mexican marinade

Great on both chicken and shrimp. A reddit masterpiece.

1-2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, chicken breasts, or shrimp
¼ cup lime juice
¼ cup olive oil
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon black pepper

Combine all ingredients of the marinade and mix. Trim excess fat from the chicken thighs and place in a zip bag or airtight container with the marinade. Marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours before cooking, or overnight.

For chicken, bake at 425 for 30 minutes or pan sear both sides first and bake for 20 minutes.

For shrimp, pan fry both sides for 2-3 minutes until cooked through.

salsa verde

Use just half a jalapeno for a less spicy version. Can be made in the blender smoothie cup as well.

4 tomatillos, husked, washed, and halved
1/2 white onion, quartered
1 jalapeño, seeded and sliced in half
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 handful cilantro leaves and stems
3 Tbsp. lime juice
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Tortilla chips, for serving

Preheat oven to 450°. Toss tomatillos, white onion, and jalapeños with vegetable oil on a sheet tray, and season with salt and pepper. 

Roast until softened and charred in spots, about 20 minutes. Let cool.

Transfer roasted vegetables, cilantro, and lime juice to a blender and blend. Add olive oil and blend again until mostly smooth. Season with salt and pepper if needed.

shrimp burgers and slaw

Just a fantastic meal. Make in order below. The burgers come together quickly so you want to have everything else ready to go.

Mango Slaw:

2 cups of cabbage, thinly sliced
1 mango, chopped into small pieces
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
zest and juice of 1 lime
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
1/4 cup honey
salt & pepper

Combine everything and mix by hand. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Herb Aioli:

1 cup of mayo
1 garlic clove
half a lemon
assorted herbs (chive, basil, oregano and sage work well)
salt & pepper

Microplane the garlic into individual blender cup, squeeze lemon into cup and let rest for 5 minutes. Add herbs and 1/4 cup of mayo and pulse until well incorporated. Add to the remaining mayo with salt and pepper to taste and mix well.

Shrimp Burger:

1 pound of raw shrimp
1 tbsp ginger
1 tbsp garlic
1 tsp Hatch chili powder
1 shallot
3 fresh chives
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp white pepper
1/2 cup gluten free panko breadcrumbs
1 egg
oil
3 gluten free buns

Throw everything except the breadcrumbs and egg into a food processer and pulse until a paste forms with some chunks of shrimp. Remove to another bowl and add the breadcrumbs and egg and mix until combined. Shape into 3 patties on a plate and refrigerate for 15 minutes for the patties to set.

Add oil to a nonstick pan on medium high heat and sear shrimp burgers on each side for 1 minute and browned. Add 1/4 cup of water to the pan and cover to steam the burgers for 2 minutes. Flip and re-cover for 2 more minutes. 

Wipe out pan and toast gluten free buns and then cover to steam.

To plate: Smear each side of the buns with the aioli, add the burger and then a pile of the slaw. Serve with additional slaw on the side. 

chicken poblano casserole

So so good!

8 roasted Hatch green chiles or Poblanos peeled
2 cobs of corn, kernels removed
Mexican chicken
4 oz dairy free cream cheese
2 handfuls of dairy free mozzarella
1.5 cups non-dairy milk
1 cup garbanzo bean flour or tapioca flour
4 large eggs beaten
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Marinate 5 chicken thighs with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1.5 tablespoons of Basquise spices and the juice and zest of 1 lime. Cook on comal until brown on each side and cooked through. Shred chicken.

Grease a cast iron skillet or oven proof pan; set aside.

Carefully cut a slit in one side of each roasted and peeled green chile. Layer each opened chile in the dish, add chunks of cream cheese, and add  Mexican chicken. 

Add another layer of chiles, cream cheese and the kernels of corn.

In a large mixing bowl combine non-dairy milk, flour, eggs, baking powder and spices.

Whisk until frothy.

Pour batter over everything.

Sprinkle with shredded cheese.

Place into your preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until puffed & golden.

ground beef casserole

A tasty and easy one pan dish.

1 pound ground beef
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 14.5 ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes
15 ounce can tomato sauce
6 ounce can tomato paste
2 cups Beef Broth
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon parsley
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon coarse ground pepper
8-12 ounces Rummo gluten free spiral pasta
½ cup dairy free sour cream
8 ounces dairy free cream cheese, chopped into chunks
1 package of dairy free feta

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a cast iron braiser over medium heat cook the ground beef until just a little pink remains. Add the chopped onion. Cook on medium heat until the onion is translucent.

Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, beef broth, seasonings, sea salt and pepper. Stir to combine the ingredients and heat to a simmer.

Add the sour cream, cream cheese, feta and uncooked pasta. Stir to combine.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until bubbling around the edges and browned slightly.

jazzfest shrimp coctel

Ana Castro of Acamaya in New Orleans did a demonstration of her shrimp coctel at Jazzfest 2025 and it was amazing.

This isn't exactly her recipe but it's as close as I can recall.

Ingredients

For the Shrimp

2 pounds medium size shrimp (Approx 31-35 per pound) deveined, tail shells removed. (Thawed if frozen)
1/4 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup sugar

For the Coctel Mixture

2 cup chilled V8
1 cup chilled Clamato juice
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp Crystal's Hot Sauce
2 cups English cucumber- seeded, 1/8-1/4 inch dice
4 tbsp jalapeños – seeded and finely diced
1 cup red onion – finely diced
4 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

Fill large bowl halfway with ice and water. Set aside.

In a medium pot, combine the salt, sugar, and 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Add the shrimp to the boiling water mixture and poach for about 2 minutes, until the shrimp are pink and opaque. (Note: The water will not fully return to a boil once you add the shrimp.) If you are nervous about the shrimp not being cooked, pull one and slice to make sure they are cooked through.

Transfer shrimp to ice bath and let cool for 3 to 5 minutes. Once cool, pay dry and cut each shrimp into 2-3 bite size pieces per shrimp, depending on size.

In a large mixing bowl, combine tomato juice, clamato juice, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. Mix well. Add the cooked, chopped shrimp, cucumber, jalapeño & red onion and gently stir until evenly coated.

Cover and chill in the fridge for at least one hour and up to 24 hours. Taste for seasoning once all the flavors have married. Add salt, pepper hot sauce, and/or lime juice to taste.

the only good chickpeas (besides hummus)

This softens the chickpeas in just the right way.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped, or a tablespoon of jarred garlic
1 tablespoon grated or finely chopped fresh ginger, or 2 tabs of frozen ginger
1½ teaspoons curry powder
1 large bunch (about 8 ounces) greens, such as Swiss chard, kale, or collard greens, stems removed and leaves torn into medium-size pieces, washed, and shaken dry (there should be a little water still clinging to the leaves) or half a bag of frozen spinach
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk
1 cup of water
2 teaspoons kosher salt
4 Roasted Sweet Potato halves, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus additional wedges for serving
1 teaspoon of fish sauce, for serving
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, plus more for serving (optional)

Directions

Roast sweet potatoes. Pre heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut sweet potatoes in half, cover in olive oil and roast cut side down for 35 minutes.

Warm a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened a little, about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic, ginger, and curry powder and cook, stirring frequently, until it all gets really fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes more.

If using, add fresh greens to the pot and stir them into the onion mixture with a wooden spoon, scraping up any browned bits at the bottom of the pot while you do so. (If there are a lot of brown bits and they’re sticking, add a teaspoon or two of water.) Add the chickpeas, coconut milk, 1 cup water, and the kosher salt. If using frozen greens, add now. Let the whole thing simmer, partially covered, for about 20 minutes.

Add the sweet potatoes to the pot and cook for a minute or two—just enough to warm them through. Stir in the lime juice and cilantro if using and taste for seasoning; add more salt or lime juice if necessary.

Serve the braised chickpeas in shallow bowls over rice, topped with a splash of fish sauce and a squeeze of lime.

Adapted from Epicurious.com

the best chinese recipe ever

Hands down a Hall of Fame recipe. 

8 ounces chicken breast (thinly sliced)
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 Japanese eggplants (cut on an angle into 1 1/2-inch wedges)
3 cloves garlic (sliced thinly)
3 scallions (sliced 1½ inches long on an angle, separated into white and green parts)
5 baby bok choy sliced
1 king oyster mushroom (cut into sticks)
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
2 teaspoons fish sauce
½ teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
½ teaspoon sesame oil
ground white pepper
¼ cup chicken stock (hot)

Velvet chicken according to Kenji's Wok book. 

Add 1 more tablespoon of oil to your wok and heat until just smoking. Add the marinated chicken, and spread it around the wok. Let it sear for 30 to 60 seconds (depending upon your burner capacity) on each side. Remove from the wok and set aside.

Heat your wok over medium-high heat and coat it with 2 tablespoons of oil. Spread the eggplant out evenly in the wok, and let sear with the cover on the wok for 2 minutes. Remove the cover, turn the eggplant pieces over, and pour another tablespoon of oil around the perimeter. Cover the wok, and turn heat to medium-low for another 2 minutes until the eggplant is just tender. Next, raise the heat to high to cook the eggplant to a golden brown color–another 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Add more oil and heat until near smoking. Cook mushrooms and bok choy until softened. Transfer to a plate. 

With the wok over high heat, add another tablespoon of oil, the garlic, the white parts of the scallions. Stir fry for 30 seconds, and add the veggies and chicken.

Next, add the Shaoxing wine, and stir everything together. Add the fish sauce, sugar, soy sauces, sesame oil, and white pepper, and stir until everything is combined–about a minute. Next, add the green portion of the scallions.

Pour the chicken stock around the perimeter of the wok to deglaze it. Stir fry until everything is well-combined, and most of the liquid has been absorbed by other ingredients. Serve with steamed jasmine rice!

celeriac fall soup

1 tablespoon neutral oil
1 shallot
1 medium celeriac/celery root
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 tablespoon dried tarragon
2 large sweet apples - peeled (I used Rosa Lee)
3 medium red potatoes - peeled
1 teaspoon jarred chicken bouillon
4 cups of water
3 tablespoons of butter
Salt to taste 

Chop celeriac, potatoes and apples into bite sized pieces. Dice shallot. 

Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan or Dutch oven. Add shallots and heat until translucent but not browned. Add fennel seeds and tarragon and warm through until fragrant. Add celeriac, potatoes and apples and stir. Add bouillon and water and stir. Bring to a boil and simmer on medium high, partially covered, for 20 minutes or until the celeriac is mostly softened. 

Use an immersion blender to process the soup until smooth. Stir in the butter until combined. Add salt to taste.

tomato-tini

Makes 2 cocktails

8 cherry tomatoes
2 teaspoons of champagne vinegar
pinch of salt
6 large basil leaves
4 oz of gin
1 oz of dry vermouth
cracked black pepper
dash of olive oil

Place cherry tomatoes, champagne vinegar, salt and basil leaves in the tin and muddle until the tomatoes are fully smashed. Add the gin and vermouth to the tin with ice and shake thoroughly. Double strain into coupe glasses. Crack black pepper on top and add a dash of olive oil to each glass.

coconut curry base

amaranth and/or mustard leaves or spinach leaves
1 can of coconut milk
1 large onion, diced

3 garlic cloves

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
15-20 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt

fish sauce 

Bring water and salt to the boil in a large pot. Add washed leaves and boil for 10 minutes or until tender.

In a separate pan, heat the oil and cook the chopped onion until softened. Add the garlic and ginger and heat until fragrant. Add the curry powder and cook until fragrant.

Add the well drained leaves and tomatoes and stir to combine.

Add the coconut milk and continue cooking for about 10 minutes.

Add fish sauce and salt to taste.

greatest rice ever

This is the best rice I've ever had. I call it the good good rice.

4 cups water
2 tbsp chicken or beef Better than Bouillon 
1 packet of Sazon con Culantro y Achiote
1 small onion whole
2 cups long grain rice uncooked
4 tablespoons salted butter
1 teaspoon salt

Add 1 small onion to the center of the Instant Pot. 

Add 4 cups of warm water to the Instant pot, add in chicken bouillon and Sazon packet and mix well.

Add 2 cups of rice to the IP.

Seal and use the Rice function to cook for 15 minutes. Let pressure naturally release for 9 minutes then release the remaining pressure.

Remove the onion.

Stir in 4 Tbsp. butter until completely melted.

Taste your rice to see if it needs any salt. 

Adapted from Sunday Supper

brown butter frisee

 An accidently delicious discovery.

1 head of frisee
2 tablespoons of butter
salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in a non-stick pan until browned and bubbling. Tear frisee into smaller pieces and add to the pan. Stir frisee in pan until it is softened and browned. 

Remove from pan and salt with Maldon flakes and black pepper.

roberto!

This is the best soup! Helen Rosner is a soup queen! Go read her original recipe. The condensed version here is to make shopping easier for me.

Ingredients

Olive oil
1 big onion
2-4 cloves garlic
Salt
1 pound hot or sweet italian sausage

1 28oz can tomatoes, diced or crushed or whole (crushed)
1 14oz can of beans of any type
4 cups of broth (chicken, beef, veggie, or honestly just a mix of water and wine is great)
1 bunch of kale
Pepper
1 lemon

Put the olive oil and onions in a soup pot over medium heat, with a pinch of salt (a pinch is about a quarter teaspoon) and stir them all together. Slowly cook them all until the onions are soft and translucent, about 4 minutes, but sometimes as many as 7. Add the garlic and wooden-spoon it around in the onion until you get hit with that nostalgic garlic-and-onion smell, about 1 minute. 

Raise the heat to medium-high and add the sausage squeezed out of its casing. Stir it into the onion and garlic, breaking it up in the pot into small pieces that could comfortably fit on a spoon. It's better to overcook than undercook the sausage: For the best flavor, you want the pieces to start to brown on the outside. It should look speckled with dark spots.

When the sausage is starting to brown dump in the tomatoes (including all the liquid), the beans (it's okay if there's a little liquid left in the can, add that too), and 4 cups of the broth/whatever and bring the whole thing to a simmer. If you'd used canned whole tomatoes, use your wooden spoon to break them up against the side of the pot.

Once it's at a simmer, add the kale. Get the greens in there and put the lid on and turn the heat down back to medium and let the whole thing simmer for about 5 minutes more, or even longer if you want to. Taste the soup (use the wooden spoon, you're less likely to burn your mouth) and decide how much salt and black pepper you think it needs. Then add half as much salt as you want to, and twice as much pepper. Add a little more pepper. 

Serve the soup, which is very hot, in bowls and squeeze a wedge of lemon juice into each bowl. Add parsley if you want.