- [Beryl] Why do people like soup?

- Mm, it's like super smoky.

- [Beryl] It seems no matter where you go around the world, you'll find a soup connected to the culture.

- It has that Dominican Puerto Rican smell.

- And then you got that corn that it's like, whoa.

- [Beryl] Typically easy to make, hearty and comforting, soup is a surprising unifier, even when the final dish may look nothing like what you're used to.

(Beryl laughing) - Oh, this is where it goes wrong.

- I've never seen this before.

- [Beryl] My name is Beryl.

And this show explores how our foods can bring our different cultures together.

And this is our soup episode.

Okay, just go, go.

- Woo!

- Ah!

Today I've paired up Nancy and Hens to swap their favorite soup recipes from their cultures.

Caramelizing sugar, not burning sugar, (laughs).

- That's, oh right, not to burn it.

- [Beryl] Nancy will be making a Dutch staple snert.

(Nancy laughing) - The foot broke down a lot more than I thought it would.

- While Hens will explore the flavors of sancocho, a classic of Dominican cuisine.

I've never had either of these, so I'm excited to learn something new today.

(pressure cooker whizzing) Oh my God, it's still going.

- Ew, it's dripping now.

- That was so much drama for truly like a calm soup in there, though.

My wooden spoons are packed and ready to go.

Okay, cut.

(Beryl laughing) - Hi, Hens, my name is Nancy and the dish you will be making is sancocho.

My mother is a native Puerto Rican New Yorker, and my dad was born and raised in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

And I was born and raised in the Bronx, New York City.

- Sancocho.

- [Nancy] Sancocho, or an English meat and vegetable soup, is traditionally eaten around special occasions like Christmas.

- Clean and marinate the meats with vinegar, lime, salt, and oregano.

Juice of one lime, and then it just says vinegar.

So vinegar.

- [Nancy] Sancocho is a hearty stew consisting of multiple meats and vegetables, such as roots and tubers, which are simmered for multiple hours.

The broth is flavored with garlic, herbs, and even some acids such as vinegar and sour orange.

- [Hens] Mostly lime and vinegar.

So I hope I didn't overdo it with the acids.

- Though there are many variations around Latin America, today you'll be having the Dominican version.

- It's a lot about to go down, a lot of chopping.

- [Nancy] When you're cutting your root vegetables, make sure to use a really good chef's knife or even a cleaver, 'cause the root vegetables can be difficult to cut through.

- [Hens] As the meat is marinating, chop and peel the plantains.

Butternut squash, cassava root, this is definitely a much tougher.

- The cleaver was a good recommendation, Nancy.

- Yeah.

Yum.

- It smells so earthy.

- And yautia.

- [Nancy] When caramelizing your sugar, make sure not to burn it.

And just bring it to a caramel color 'cause that'll bring a great depth to your dish.

- This is new to me.

The burning sugar in oil and.

- [Beryl] Caramelizing sugar, not burning sugar in oil.

- That's, oh right, not to burn it.

- Okay, okay, just go, go.

- Yeah, yeah, okay.

- Go, go, go.

- Recipe, wee.

(Beryl screams) (pot sizzles) - [Nancy] I'm not usually a soup person, but sancocho's always the exception.

It's like the best parts of chicken soup, beef stew, and gumbo all put together.

And the fun part about it is that every Dominican household has a slight variation to it, so it's like discovering a new dish every time.

- That looks about right.

And then we wait.

(upbeat music) - I think you'll really love this dish 'cause you can use as many or as little vegetables and meats as you have available.

And I think through your own experimentation, you might even find a variation that you love for yourself.

(upbeat music) - [Beryl] Yeah, I think we're ready.

- Oh, okay.

- This is a great dish, especially if you're cooking for a large crowd.

And when it's served with white rice, avocado, and even a lime wedge, it takes it from being just a soup to a full meal.

I can't wait to hear how you enjoyed my dish, your new friend, Nancy.

(curious music) - It's very light and citrusy.

And this tastes almost like, you know, tropical.

This isn't something that I remember growing up with Dutch cuisine.

The sweetness of the corn really adds a nice contrast that I.

And everything else is kinda meaty and then slightly citrusy.

And then you got that corn that's like, whoa, pops of sugar almost.

- [Beryl] Give it a smack.

- You think that's, okay, yeah.

The cleaver.

Mm, so for the holidays last year, I was gifted a cleaver and I haven't had a chance to get out the big knife and start hacking away at vegetables.

- [Beryl] Yeah, let's see the cleaver, Hens, to the camera.

- The one thing that I thought was intriguing was the whole onion.

See if I can keep it as whole as possible.

That we put in a bowl of fresh squeezed orange juice.

- [Beryl] This is a new thing for you?

- I'm used to chopping an onion or, you know, or at least trying to get in rings or anything like that.

I'm trying to think like, do I taste onion?

Do I taste orange juice?

And I do taste the citrus.

- I'm joining.

(quirky music) Oh my god.

- It's good.

- You did a good job.

This is good.

It's thicker than I would've imagined.

Nancy, thank you so much.

This is delicious.

- Thank you, Nancy.

I'll definitely be making this again.

- [Beryl] Yes.

- Hi, Nancy, my name is Hens, and today you're going to be making split pea soup, or snert, as we call it in the Netherlands.

I live in New Jersey and I'm originally from the Netherlands.

I came to America 30 years ago.

Snert means cooked to mush.

- Okay, so it looks like I'm making snert.

And I guess I'll have to start with the stock.

Growing up, my mom used to make pig's feet.

In Dominican and Puerto Rico culture, it's not strange at all.

This is definitely not gonna fit in there.

We're gonna have to chop some of it up.

- [Hens] It's a very thick, very green, almost stew like soup.

You could almost eat it with a fork.

- Okay, wait, let me just like.

If we- - [Hens] I just have fond childhood memories of it.

(both laughing) It was a regular meal in winter time.

(both laughing) - It is not working.

- That made me so nervous.

- [Hens] Well, it's a soup, so it's really easy.

Don't sweat it.

Put the water on, put your ingredients in, and watch it go.

- Let's start off with cutting the celery roots.

- [Beryl] Have you ever had celery root?

- Never.

I've never seen this before.

- He I think what makes the Netherlands version different is the use of celery root, and leeks, and also potatoes to give it flavor and to thicken it.

- I've never cooked with a leek before.

- [Beryl] Oh, get ready to have your life changed.

(laughs), leeks are one of my favorites.

- [Hens] I grew up in a family of six kids and when it was our birthday, it was the only day that we were allowed to pick what's for dinner.

And I would always pick pea soup 'cause it was my favorite meal as a kid.

(pressure cooker whizzing) - [Beryl] Oh my god, it's going into your light.

- Oh boy.

(Beryl screams) Don't pick- - Your light, (laughs), covered in collagen.

- Yeah, it is, oh boy.

- Oh my god, it's still going.

- Ew, it's dripping now.

(pressure cooker whizzing) - Okay, cut, (laughs).

That was so much drama for truly like a calm soup in there now.

- Wow, I don't even know if I'll be able to take it out.

- [Beryl] Wow, that broke down so much.

- It's super tender.

The foot broke down a lot more than I thought it would.

- Snert is a really thick paste almost.

It's very thick, and very hearty, and it's got a very rich pork flavor.

The joke is that if you can put a spoon in the pot and it keeps standing up straight, then it's done.

Why is it a great soup?

Because it's delicious.

It's one of those soups that is definitely better the next day.

Nancy, I hope you are successful in making the soup and I hope you enjoy it.

And if you enjoy it, I hope you'll share it with friends and family, love, Hens.

(gentle music) - I'm super excited.

Came out so much better than I thought it would.

(gentle music) Mm, it's like super smoky.

I love the vegetables in it, there's so much.

Very simple spices in this.

Peppercorn, bay leaves, some clove.

- This is my trick for when you don't have a spice bag.

- Okay.

- You use an old tea bag, say goodbye to the tea.

Replace the tea with the spices.

Boom.

- All right.

- Spice bag.

- So it wasn't terribly difficult.

I think what was surprising is the little snafu for using the Instapot.

And all of the collagen kinda spraying out.

(Nancy laughing) I know that for the future, to be careful about that.

Oh, and maybe asking the butcher to cut the trotter's foot ahead of time.

(both laughing) Well, Hens did say that if I was successful in making this, that it would be thick enough to stand on its own.

And it actually did, (laughing).

It actually did, (laughing).

We did it.

- [Beryl] Yes, I wasn't expecting you to do it.

- Yes.

- I'm gonna go for this here as well.

This was a very exciting experience.

The Instapot forever in my brain.

(gentle music) That is so creamy.

- Mm-hm.

- This is very heartwarming.

- Yeah.

- Honestly, I understand my Hens would want this on his birthday.

- Oh, yeah.

- This feels like a really special dish.

- Mm-hm.

I can't believe the spoon stood up.

- I know.

- Like that was just like- - That was like the best.

- It worked out.

- I didn't think it was gonna, I was like, it's not gonna work.

- Yeah.

(both laughing) I'll definitely make this.

This is really nice.

- Thank you, Hens.

- Thank you.

(gentle music) - I hope you enjoyed this episode of "Pan Pals."

Let me know in the comments, what is your favorite type of soup from your country or culture?

And if you like home cooking, you should check out the brand new season of "The Great American Recipe."

The show features eight talented home cooks in a competition that celebrates the diversity and flavors of foods across the US.

You can watch the first episode here on the PBS Food YouTube channel.

And check out the rest of the season every week on the PBS app and your local PBS station.

Check it out in the links and in the description.

(quirky music)