I am having a hectic and very odd week, which I will maybe not go into a lot of detail about here, because you're probably here about the food. So, I will keep it brief, but still attempt to be interesting.
In Michigan, there is a wonderful Mexican restaurant in a small town called Otsego that serves the best black bean soup on this earth. Seriously.
I have never been able to recreate it, but this may not be a bad approximation. In addition, chipotles are smoky, which eliminates the need for bacon. Make no mistake, I am not saying that bacon is a bad thing, but, you know, some people don't dig on the pig. There's a ham steak in here too, which you can totally do without. Just leave it out.
Black Bean Soup with Chipotle Chiles
Beans
1 pound dried black beans (2 cups), rinsed and picked over
4 ounces ham steak , trimmed of rind
2 bay leaves
5 cups water
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon table salt
Soup
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, chopped fine (about 3 cups)
1 large carrot, chopped fine (about 1/2 cup)
3 ribs celery, chopped fine (about 1 cup)
1/2 teaspoon table salt
5 - 6 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 1/2 tablespoon)
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon minced chipotle chiles in adobo
2 teaspoons adobo sauce
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons lime juice , from 1 to 2 limes
Garnishes
lime wedges
minced fresh cilantro leaves
red onion , finely diced
avocado , diced medium
sour cream
1. FOR THE BEANS: Place beans, ham, bay, water, and baking soda in large saucepan with tight-fitting lid. Bring to boil over medium-high heat; using large spoon, skim scum as it rises to surface. Stir in salt, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer briskly until beans are tender, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours (if necessary, add another 1 cup water and continue to simmer until beans are tender); do not drain beans. Discard bay. Remove ham steak (ham steak darkens to color of beans), cut into 1/4-inch cubes, and set aside.
2. FOR THE SOUP: Heat oil in 8-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking; add onions, carrot, celery, and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and add garlic and cumin; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Stir in beans, bean cooking liquid, chipotle chiles, adobo sauce, and chicken broth. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, to blend flavors, about 30 minutes.
3. TO FINISH THE SOUP: Ladle 1 1?2 cups beans and 2 cups liquid into food processor or blender, process until smooth, and return to pot. Stir together cornstarch and water in small bowl until combined, then gradually stir about half of cornstarch mixture into soup; bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, to fully thicken. If soup is still thinner than desired once boiling, stir remaining cornstarch mixture to recombine and gradually stir mixture into soup; return to boil to fully thicken. Off heat, stir in lime juice and reserved ham; ladle soup into bowls and serve immediately, passing garnishes separately.
Showing posts with label Soup/Stew. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Soup/Stew. Show all posts
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
May 7: French Onion Soup
Man oh man, what a dilemma. French onion soup can be rich, sumptuous, the best possible kind of comfort food. Or it can be salty, one-note, tired, and covered in congealed, poor-quality cheese. When you order it in a restaurant, you never know what you're going to get.
What's the answer? Make it at home. It's not difficult, and it's made mostly of things you have around the house (and I promise I'll get around to that Advanced Pantry still). It's a great Sunday afternoon lunch for a rainy day, maybe with a little salad and a tall glass of milk.
You need the right bowls for this--heavy crockery that can take the heat of the broiler. There are special French onion crocks with handles that make handling a scorching-hot bowl a little easier. Either way, as my son says, be safe, be careful. French onion soup can make for some impressive burns.
This is awesome: I'm watching the Nationals game while I write this: Paul LoDuca got hit in the already-injured hand with a pitch and is clearly in quite a bit of pain. A knucklehead fan from the other team (The Houston Assholes, I mean the Astros) gave him some crap as he went back to the dugout, and security came and escorted this fine gentleman and his knuckle-dragging ape of a buddy from the ballpark. This has nothing to do with soup. This has to do with me and how much I love baseball.
French Onion Soup
2 lb medium onions, halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced lengthwise
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 Turkish bay leaves or 1 California
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup dry white wine
4 cups reduced-sodium beef broth (32 fl oz)
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
6 (1/2-inch-thick) diagonal slices of baguette
1 (1/2-lb) piece Gruyère, Comte, or Emmental
2 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Cook onions, thyme, bay leaves, and salt in butter in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, uncovered, stirring frequently, until onions are very soft and deep golden brown, about 45 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in wine and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Stir in broth, water, and pepper and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes.
While soup simmers, put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
Arrange bread in 1 layer on a large baking sheet and toast, turning over once, until completely dry, about 15 minutes.
Remove croûtes from oven and preheat broiler. Put crocks in a shallow baking pan.
Discard bay leaves and thyme from soup and divide soup among crocks, then float a croûte in each. Slice enough Gruyère (about 6 ounces total) with cheese plane or very sharp knife to cover tops of crocks, allowing ends of cheese to hang over rims of crocks, then sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano. Broil 4 to 5 inches from heat until cheese is melted and bubbly, 1 to 2 minutes.
What's the answer? Make it at home. It's not difficult, and it's made mostly of things you have around the house (and I promise I'll get around to that Advanced Pantry still). It's a great Sunday afternoon lunch for a rainy day, maybe with a little salad and a tall glass of milk.
You need the right bowls for this--heavy crockery that can take the heat of the broiler. There are special French onion crocks with handles that make handling a scorching-hot bowl a little easier. Either way, as my son says, be safe, be careful. French onion soup can make for some impressive burns.
This is awesome: I'm watching the Nationals game while I write this: Paul LoDuca got hit in the already-injured hand with a pitch and is clearly in quite a bit of pain. A knucklehead fan from the other team (The Houston Assholes, I mean the Astros) gave him some crap as he went back to the dugout, and security came and escorted this fine gentleman and his knuckle-dragging ape of a buddy from the ballpark. This has nothing to do with soup. This has to do with me and how much I love baseball.
French Onion Soup
2 lb medium onions, halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced lengthwise
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 Turkish bay leaves or 1 California
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup dry white wine
4 cups reduced-sodium beef broth (32 fl oz)
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
6 (1/2-inch-thick) diagonal slices of baguette
1 (1/2-lb) piece Gruyère, Comte, or Emmental
2 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Cook onions, thyme, bay leaves, and salt in butter in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, uncovered, stirring frequently, until onions are very soft and deep golden brown, about 45 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in wine and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Stir in broth, water, and pepper and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes.
While soup simmers, put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
Arrange bread in 1 layer on a large baking sheet and toast, turning over once, until completely dry, about 15 minutes.
Remove croûtes from oven and preheat broiler. Put crocks in a shallow baking pan.
Discard bay leaves and thyme from soup and divide soup among crocks, then float a croûte in each. Slice enough Gruyère (about 6 ounces total) with cheese plane or very sharp knife to cover tops of crocks, allowing ends of cheese to hang over rims of crocks, then sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano. Broil 4 to 5 inches from heat until cheese is melted and bubbly, 1 to 2 minutes.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
April 30: Corn & Squash Soup
I am watching Top Chef only reluctantly this season. For one thing, I think Tom Collicchio's restaurants are woefully overpriced and totally fussy, and what the hell is up with his soul patch, and also, why is he such a grumpy old poop? For another thing, I got tired of the egos the last two seasons, and it made me a little less willing to stick my toes back in the water. That Marcel twerp, particularly, deserved one serious foot in his ass. Yuck. I'm watching the reruns, but I rarely stay up late enough to watch the new episode, because I just think they suck.
Non sequiter: I like soup. I love seasonal food. I can't wait to cook this, but since becoming unemployed, my food budget is limited and I just found this recipe and I can't work improvisation into my budget, so it'll have to wait, but as you know, food is like porn for me: beautiful pictures and descriptions of things that I will probably never do.
Corn and Squash Soup
6 cups water
3 basil sprigs
1 garlic head, halved horizontally
2 tbsp butter
1 cup diced onion
2 cups diced yellow squash
3 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper as needed
Combine the water, basil, and garlic in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook, partially covered, for 30 minutes, skimming the surface as necessary. Strain the broth and reserve.
Heat the butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, about five minutes. Add the squash and cook, stirring frequently, for another 5 minutes. Add the corn and reserved broth and bring the soup to a simmer. Season to taste.
Puree the soup and strain it through a fine sieve. Return the soup to the pot and bring to a simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve the soup in heated soup bowls.
Non sequiter: I like soup. I love seasonal food. I can't wait to cook this, but since becoming unemployed, my food budget is limited and I just found this recipe and I can't work improvisation into my budget, so it'll have to wait, but as you know, food is like porn for me: beautiful pictures and descriptions of things that I will probably never do.
Corn and Squash Soup
6 cups water
3 basil sprigs
1 garlic head, halved horizontally
2 tbsp butter
1 cup diced onion
2 cups diced yellow squash
3 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper as needed
Combine the water, basil, and garlic in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook, partially covered, for 30 minutes, skimming the surface as necessary. Strain the broth and reserve.
Heat the butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, about five minutes. Add the squash and cook, stirring frequently, for another 5 minutes. Add the corn and reserved broth and bring the soup to a simmer. Season to taste.
Puree the soup and strain it through a fine sieve. Return the soup to the pot and bring to a simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve the soup in heated soup bowls.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
April 26: Chile Verde
I am...not sure how I should feel about being unemployed. For one thing, it's not as though we need the money; we don't exactly live high on the hog, our car's paid off and Dan's student loans are not unreasonable. My job has not exactly been my favorite place in the world lately, and the daily dread of what fresh hell awaited me every morning isn't something I'll miss. On the other hand, I was looking forward to getting pregnant again (hell, I've been looking forward to it for a year now) and I liked all the not worrying about money. But to all my real-life friends who've been so sweet and supportive and wonderful, my work people who were shocked and sympathetic on my behalf, and of course my husband and my son, thanks so very much for being everything that you are.
As usual, when I'm feeling a little bruised, I'm craving spicy. This is a widespread, modernized version of a rustic classic Southwestern stew. The easy thing to do here is to use canned chilles, available in the ethnic food aisle of almost any grocery store in the country, but for a real treat, find fresh Anaheim peppers and roast and peel them yourself. This goes great with a sprinkle of cilantro, a few diced tomatoes, and maybe a drizzle of sour cream over the top.
Chili Verde
3 pounds boneless pork, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, diced small
6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 jalapenos, stemmed and coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon oregano (fresh) or 1 teaspoon dried
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cans peeled whole green chiles, drained
2 cups reduced sodium chicken stock
Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, chile peppers, oregano, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Cook until the onion is softening, about 5 minutes. Remove the mixture to a large stew pot.
In the same frying pan, add as much pork as will fit in one layer. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper and cook over medium-high heat until browned. Remove to the stew pot and repeat with pork until all of it is cooked.
While the pork is browning, cut the canned chiles into 1/4 inch dice. Add the chiles to the pot, along with the stock, and 3 cups water. Bring to a biol. Reduce the heat to the barest simmer, and partially cover the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 1/2 hours, or until the pork shreds easily when pressed with a wooden spoon. Serve with garnishes and flour or corn tortillas
As usual, when I'm feeling a little bruised, I'm craving spicy. This is a widespread, modernized version of a rustic classic Southwestern stew. The easy thing to do here is to use canned chilles, available in the ethnic food aisle of almost any grocery store in the country, but for a real treat, find fresh Anaheim peppers and roast and peel them yourself. This goes great with a sprinkle of cilantro, a few diced tomatoes, and maybe a drizzle of sour cream over the top.
Chili Verde
3 pounds boneless pork, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, diced small
6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 jalapenos, stemmed and coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon oregano (fresh) or 1 teaspoon dried
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cans peeled whole green chiles, drained
2 cups reduced sodium chicken stock
Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, chile peppers, oregano, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Cook until the onion is softening, about 5 minutes. Remove the mixture to a large stew pot.
In the same frying pan, add as much pork as will fit in one layer. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper and cook over medium-high heat until browned. Remove to the stew pot and repeat with pork until all of it is cooked.
While the pork is browning, cut the canned chiles into 1/4 inch dice. Add the chiles to the pot, along with the stock, and 3 cups water. Bring to a biol. Reduce the heat to the barest simmer, and partially cover the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 1/2 hours, or until the pork shreds easily when pressed with a wooden spoon. Serve with garnishes and flour or corn tortillas
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
April 2: Stewed Chicken with Anchos and Almonds
One of my very favorite cookbooks in my arsenal is one called The Well-Filled Tortilla. I love food in the form of a taco (let's be perfectly honest: I would probably love food in the form of a lug wrench. I just love food) and this wonderful little gem of a cookbook takes every imaginable flavor and applies it to a taco. There are Asian flavors, Middle-Eastern Flavors, French Bistro flavors, traditional Mexican flavors, and even all-American flavors, all wrapped in tortillas in different forms. I just think that almost any food on earth tastes even better wrapped in a tortilla.
This is one of the things I'd never have thought of wrapping in a tortilla. The authors of the book explain that "During stewing, chicken sops up flavors and aromas like a beauty queen soaks up flattery. At the same time, the meat cooks to such a moist tenderness it practically shreds itself."
I am not generally a fan of dark meat, although our favorite barbecue joint in our neighborhood has a barbecued half-chicken that is cravably good. But whole chickens are cheap and easy to find and make this recipe a real bargain, as well as being true comfort food. Chicken becomes even more mellow while resting in its own sauce, incidentally: the leftovers for this are even better than the original dish.
Stewed Chicken With Almonds and Anchos
4-5 pounds chicken pieces, a combination of breasts, thighs, and legs, or 1 1/2 chickens, quartered
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
Small pinch of ground cinnamon
4 whole cloves
2 dried ancho chilies, stemmed and seeded
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cans (14 oz. each) crushed tomatoes in puree
3 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon oil
1/2 cup almond slivers
18 corn or 12 flour tortillas, warmed or crisped just before serving
Toppings: 2 cups heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks
2 cups cilantro leaves
In a large nonreactive pot, combine the chicken, allspice, cinnamon, cloves, chiles, salt, tomatoes, and 3 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil. Partially cover, reduce heat, and simmer until the meat pulls away from the bones, 35-45 minutes. Remove the chicken and chiles and set aside. Continue to simmer the sauce for 15 minutes while the chicken cools.
Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat, add the almonds, and stir until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside.
When cool enough to handle, shred the chicken; discard the skin and bones. Scrape the pulp off the chile skins. Return the chicken and chile pulp to the pot.
To assemble, spread about 1/3 cup of the chicken and sauce in the center of a tortilla. Top with the whipped cream, toasted almonds, and cilantro. Fold and serve.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
March 19: Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
So here we are, still on a diet. My husband's down about two pants sizes, and mine are beginning to get a little looser. Maybe. Men.
I'm finding that the thing that I'm craving, much more than fat or sugar, is spicy. Something about spicy food gets my engine going and makes me feel more satisfied with less. I'm sure there's some kind of neuro-biological reason for that, but at this point, I'd rather have one of my low-fat, practically-no-cheese-involved chicken enchiladas than a bowl of ice cream. Go figure.
Speaking of enchiladas, I make my own enchilada sauce because the stuff that comes out of a can tastes terrible and what I make tastes great. It's the America's Test Kitchen recipe, and if you're interested, leave me a comment or email me and I'll send it to you. Other than that, this soup is made of things I keep around the house regularly, but I am inclined to raise the stakes, by using fresh ingredients when I can. I'm also inclined to add tortilla flavor and thicken the soup by adding a quarter of a cup of masa to this, an hour or so before it's done.
This was a totally generic recipe when I found it; I've turned it into something a little more interesting since then. It's also easy: throw everything in the crock pot and just walk away, Renee. You need some leftover chicken on hand, which is something I almost always do have.
Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
1 pound shredded, cooked chicken
1 can Muir Glen Organics fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 10 ounce can enchilada sauce, or 1 1/2 cups homemade enchilada sauce
1 medium onion, chopped medium-fine
1 4 ounce can chopped green chile peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup water
2 (14.5 ounce) cans low sodium chicken broth
1/4 masa (corn flour)
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn
4 tablespoons chopped cilantro
7 corn tortillas
vegetable oil
Cooking Instructions
Place chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chiles, and garlic into a slow cooker. Mix masa into chicken broth. Pour in water and chicken broth, and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in corn and cilantro. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with oil. Cut tortillas into strips, then spread on a baking sheet.
Bake in preheated oven until crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes. To serve, sprinkle tortilla strips over soup.
I'm finding that the thing that I'm craving, much more than fat or sugar, is spicy. Something about spicy food gets my engine going and makes me feel more satisfied with less. I'm sure there's some kind of neuro-biological reason for that, but at this point, I'd rather have one of my low-fat, practically-no-cheese-involved chicken enchiladas than a bowl of ice cream. Go figure.
Speaking of enchiladas, I make my own enchilada sauce because the stuff that comes out of a can tastes terrible and what I make tastes great. It's the America's Test Kitchen recipe, and if you're interested, leave me a comment or email me and I'll send it to you. Other than that, this soup is made of things I keep around the house regularly, but I am inclined to raise the stakes, by using fresh ingredients when I can. I'm also inclined to add tortilla flavor and thicken the soup by adding a quarter of a cup of masa to this, an hour or so before it's done.
This was a totally generic recipe when I found it; I've turned it into something a little more interesting since then. It's also easy: throw everything in the crock pot and just walk away, Renee. You need some leftover chicken on hand, which is something I almost always do have.
Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
1 pound shredded, cooked chicken
1 can Muir Glen Organics fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 10 ounce can enchilada sauce, or 1 1/2 cups homemade enchilada sauce
1 medium onion, chopped medium-fine
1 4 ounce can chopped green chile peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup water
2 (14.5 ounce) cans low sodium chicken broth
1/4 masa (corn flour)
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn
4 tablespoons chopped cilantro
7 corn tortillas
vegetable oil
Cooking Instructions
Place chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chiles, and garlic into a slow cooker. Mix masa into chicken broth. Pour in water and chicken broth, and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in corn and cilantro. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with oil. Cut tortillas into strips, then spread on a baking sheet.
Bake in preheated oven until crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes. To serve, sprinkle tortilla strips over soup.
Friday, February 29, 2008
February 29: Potato and Green Garlic Chowder
It's the last day of February and I have a hard time with the whole Leap Day thing. I mean, come on. If this were really a day, wouldn't we have one every year? This should be like, a bonus day or something, where we all sleep in until noon and nothing that we eat counts for calories or fat. That's a Leap Day I could get behind.
Anyway, it's almost March, which means spring vegetables are coming. Artichokes, asparagus, ramps, spring onions, and green garlic mean nice, light, balanced pasta dishes, sides, and appetizers, like asparagus with prosciutto in puff pastry and artichoke risotto and penne with green garlic and ricotta. Well, that last one might not be light exactly, but it is springy.
Green garlic, if you've never run into it, is an early spring treat if you have a great farmer's market. It's available from March to May and it's got a delicate garlic flavor, without the bite of raw regular garlic.
The Los Angeles times has a recipe for Potato and Green Garlic chowder, to which I say oh hell yes. Keep an eye out for these sprouty veggies; this sounds so worth having. Serves 4-6.
Potato and Green Garlic Chowder
1/2 pound green garlic
1 1/2 pounds fingerling potatoes
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon sherry vinegar
Black pepper
Good olive oil
Grated pecorino Romano
1. Trim the root ends of the green garlic and the very tips of the green leaves if they are dried out. Cut the green garlic crosswise in thin pieces. Slice the potatoes in half lengthwise and then into about half-inch pieces. Place them in a bowl of water to prevent coloring.
2. In a large saucepan, combine the butter and onion and cook over medium heat, stirring roughly until the butter melts and the onions turn soft and creamy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and the green garlic, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the mixture is fragrant, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the potatoes and turn them in the garlic mixture. Add the broth and salt, increase the heat to medium and bring to a simmer. Loosely cover and cook at a quick simmer until the potatoes are soft enough to be smashed with a fork, about 20 minutes.
4. Coarsely purée the potatoes and garlic. This is most easily done with an immersion blender but can also be done in a food processor or blender if you're careful to pulse quickly. The mixture should be chunky, not a smooth purée.
5. Add one-half teaspoon sherry vinegarand a generous grinding of black pepper. Taste and add more salt, pepper or vinegar if necessary. Return to the pan and simmer another 5 minutes. This makes about 7 cups of soup.
6. Stir briskly just before serving. Ladle into warm serving bowls, drizzle with a thread of olive oil and sprinkle over 1 to 2 tablespoons grated pecorino Romano.
Anyway, it's almost March, which means spring vegetables are coming. Artichokes, asparagus, ramps, spring onions, and green garlic mean nice, light, balanced pasta dishes, sides, and appetizers, like asparagus with prosciutto in puff pastry and artichoke risotto and penne with green garlic and ricotta. Well, that last one might not be light exactly, but it is springy.
Green garlic, if you've never run into it, is an early spring treat if you have a great farmer's market. It's available from March to May and it's got a delicate garlic flavor, without the bite of raw regular garlic.
The Los Angeles times has a recipe for Potato and Green Garlic chowder, to which I say oh hell yes. Keep an eye out for these sprouty veggies; this sounds so worth having. Serves 4-6.
Potato and Green Garlic Chowder
1/2 pound green garlic
1 1/2 pounds fingerling potatoes
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon sherry vinegar
Black pepper
Good olive oil
Grated pecorino Romano
1. Trim the root ends of the green garlic and the very tips of the green leaves if they are dried out. Cut the green garlic crosswise in thin pieces. Slice the potatoes in half lengthwise and then into about half-inch pieces. Place them in a bowl of water to prevent coloring.
2. In a large saucepan, combine the butter and onion and cook over medium heat, stirring roughly until the butter melts and the onions turn soft and creamy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and the green garlic, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the mixture is fragrant, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the potatoes and turn them in the garlic mixture. Add the broth and salt, increase the heat to medium and bring to a simmer. Loosely cover and cook at a quick simmer until the potatoes are soft enough to be smashed with a fork, about 20 minutes.
4. Coarsely purée the potatoes and garlic. This is most easily done with an immersion blender but can also be done in a food processor or blender if you're careful to pulse quickly. The mixture should be chunky, not a smooth purée.
5. Add one-half teaspoon sherry vinegarand a generous grinding of black pepper. Taste and add more salt, pepper or vinegar if necessary. Return to the pan and simmer another 5 minutes. This makes about 7 cups of soup.
6. Stir briskly just before serving. Ladle into warm serving bowls, drizzle with a thread of olive oil and sprinkle over 1 to 2 tablespoons grated pecorino Romano.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
February 21: Baked Potato & Leek Soup with Cheddar and Bacon
Winter's back. It was 74 degrees as we were driving home from Virginia Beach last weekend. This morning, the temperature in our parking lot when we left home: 19.
Well, it's cold, so it must be soup. The grocery store across the street from my office offers three soups a day on their salad bar, something which I frequently partake in. I am a fan of soup, I have to admit. Their best is the southern-style chicken and dumplings, but a close second is their loaded baked potato soup.
Just as I was thinking about how I was hoping that they'd have potato soup today, an email from Fine Cooking popped into my inbox, and there it is, a recipe for a potato soup. I don't make it at home often; I tend to be a little lazy about keeping potatoes around the house, and while I love leeks, they aren't something I generally keep on hand.
I am making myself hungry just thinking about this soup. I may be forced to pick up some potatoes and leeks on the way home tonight. How have I gotten to a place where, instead of eating lunch on my lunch break, I write about lunch on my lunch break?
Serves 4
Baked Potato & Leek Soup With Cheddar and Bacon
2 medium russet potatoes (about 1/2 lb. each)
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2-1/2 cups sliced leeks (about 2 medium leeks; white and light green parts), rinsed well
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups homemade or low-salt canned chicken broth
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
4 thick slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 cup grated sharp Cheddar (about 1/4 lb.)
2 Tbs. thinly sliced scallion greens or chives
Heat the oven to 375ºF. Scrub the potatoes in water, pat dry, and pierce in several places with a fork. Set them directly on an oven rack and bake until very tender when pierced with a fork, about 1 hour. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
Melt the butter in a soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and garlic, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the broth and 2 cups water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until the leeks are very tender, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, put the bacon in a skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the bacon bits with a slotted spoon to a saucer lined with paper towels to drain and cool.
When the potatoes are cool, cut one of them in half lengthwise. Use a large spoon to scoop the flesh in one piece from each half. Cut the flesh into 1/2-inch cubes and set aside. Coarsely chop the potato skin and the entire remaining potato and add to the pot with the leeks. Purée the contents of the pot in a blender until very smooth (you'll need to work in two batches). Return the puréed soup to a clean soup pot and reheat over medium low. Whisk together the milk and sour cream until smooth and then whisk this into the soup, along with 1/2 cup of the Cheddar. Stir in the diced potato. The soup should be fairly thick, but if it seems too thick, thin it with a little water. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve garnished with the remaining Cheddar, the bacon bits, and the scallions or chives.
Well, it's cold, so it must be soup. The grocery store across the street from my office offers three soups a day on their salad bar, something which I frequently partake in. I am a fan of soup, I have to admit. Their best is the southern-style chicken and dumplings, but a close second is their loaded baked potato soup.
Just as I was thinking about how I was hoping that they'd have potato soup today, an email from Fine Cooking popped into my inbox, and there it is, a recipe for a potato soup. I don't make it at home often; I tend to be a little lazy about keeping potatoes around the house, and while I love leeks, they aren't something I generally keep on hand.
I am making myself hungry just thinking about this soup. I may be forced to pick up some potatoes and leeks on the way home tonight. How have I gotten to a place where, instead of eating lunch on my lunch break, I write about lunch on my lunch break?
Serves 4
Baked Potato & Leek Soup With Cheddar and Bacon
2 medium russet potatoes (about 1/2 lb. each)
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2-1/2 cups sliced leeks (about 2 medium leeks; white and light green parts), rinsed well
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups homemade or low-salt canned chicken broth
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
4 thick slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 cup grated sharp Cheddar (about 1/4 lb.)
2 Tbs. thinly sliced scallion greens or chives
Heat the oven to 375ºF. Scrub the potatoes in water, pat dry, and pierce in several places with a fork. Set them directly on an oven rack and bake until very tender when pierced with a fork, about 1 hour. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
Melt the butter in a soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and garlic, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the broth and 2 cups water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until the leeks are very tender, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, put the bacon in a skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the bacon bits with a slotted spoon to a saucer lined with paper towels to drain and cool.
When the potatoes are cool, cut one of them in half lengthwise. Use a large spoon to scoop the flesh in one piece from each half. Cut the flesh into 1/2-inch cubes and set aside. Coarsely chop the potato skin and the entire remaining potato and add to the pot with the leeks. Purée the contents of the pot in a blender until very smooth (you'll need to work in two batches). Return the puréed soup to a clean soup pot and reheat over medium low. Whisk together the milk and sour cream until smooth and then whisk this into the soup, along with 1/2 cup of the Cheddar. Stir in the diced potato. The soup should be fairly thick, but if it seems too thick, thin it with a little water. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve garnished with the remaining Cheddar, the bacon bits, and the scallions or chives.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Meatless Main Dish Monday: Southwest Tomato & Roasted Pepper Soup
It was 18 degrees this morning and I got on the wrong bus (duh) which extended my commute by about an hour. All in all, it wasn't an auspicious start.
It's a perfect day for soup. It's cold, first of all, and it's Monday. My husband, who's a teacher, has tomorrow off for election day, so I'm expecting a piping hot dinner when I walk in the door tomorrow night. He does that. So tonight it's soup and cheesy garlic bread and a caesar salad.
I love this. It was in Fine Cooking this month, and it's perfect for a cold night when you don't want a big heavy meal with a big pile of leftovers. A day like this calls for something spicy, to get those food endorphins going. How great is it that the same rush that runners get you can get from eating a plate full of nachos? Okay, it's not exactly the same, but still.
A note about pureeing: beware. Hot soup can build steam up in a blender, which will blow the lid right off and shower you and your entire kitchen in hot soup. Take the center widget out of the blender lid and cover it with a dish towel. Also, for God sake, puree in small batches. Safety first.
This serves four as a main dish.
Southwest Tomato & Roasted Pepper Soup
1 large red bell pepper
3 tbsp plus 1/2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. ground coriander
3 cups reduced sodium chicken broth (use vegetable broth to go totally meatless)
28 oz. can whole peeled plum tomatoes, draned and coarsely chopped (reserve the juice)
1 cup small diced zucchini
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tbsp lime juice
1/2 tsp. finely grated lime zest
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
Coat the red pepper with 1/2 tsp of the oil. Roast directly on the grate of a gas burner over high heat or undera broiler, turning occasionally until charred all over. Put the pepper in a bowl while still hot and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let rest until cool enough to handle. Stem, seed and peel the pepper, using a table knife to scrape away the charred skin. Coarsely chop and set aside.
In a nonreactive Dutch oven, heat the remaining oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until just soft, 8-10 minutes. Stir the chili powder, cumin, and coriander into the onions. Add the roasted pepper and cook for another minute. Add the broth and tomatoes and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 40 minutes.
Let cool briefly, then puree the soup in batches in a blender or food processor. Rinse the pot and return the soup to the pot. If it is too thick, add some of the reserved tomato juice. Add the zucchini and cook for another 10 minutes over low heat.
Meanwhile, combine the sour cream, lime juice, and zest in a small bowl. Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with the lime sour cream and the cilantro leaves.
It's a perfect day for soup. It's cold, first of all, and it's Monday. My husband, who's a teacher, has tomorrow off for election day, so I'm expecting a piping hot dinner when I walk in the door tomorrow night. He does that. So tonight it's soup and cheesy garlic bread and a caesar salad.
I love this. It was in Fine Cooking this month, and it's perfect for a cold night when you don't want a big heavy meal with a big pile of leftovers. A day like this calls for something spicy, to get those food endorphins going. How great is it that the same rush that runners get you can get from eating a plate full of nachos? Okay, it's not exactly the same, but still.
A note about pureeing: beware. Hot soup can build steam up in a blender, which will blow the lid right off and shower you and your entire kitchen in hot soup. Take the center widget out of the blender lid and cover it with a dish towel. Also, for God sake, puree in small batches. Safety first.
This serves four as a main dish.
Southwest Tomato & Roasted Pepper Soup
1 large red bell pepper
3 tbsp plus 1/2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. ground coriander
3 cups reduced sodium chicken broth (use vegetable broth to go totally meatless)
28 oz. can whole peeled plum tomatoes, draned and coarsely chopped (reserve the juice)
1 cup small diced zucchini
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tbsp lime juice
1/2 tsp. finely grated lime zest
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
Coat the red pepper with 1/2 tsp of the oil. Roast directly on the grate of a gas burner over high heat or undera broiler, turning occasionally until charred all over. Put the pepper in a bowl while still hot and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let rest until cool enough to handle. Stem, seed and peel the pepper, using a table knife to scrape away the charred skin. Coarsely chop and set aside.
In a nonreactive Dutch oven, heat the remaining oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until just soft, 8-10 minutes. Stir the chili powder, cumin, and coriander into the onions. Add the roasted pepper and cook for another minute. Add the broth and tomatoes and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 40 minutes.
Let cool briefly, then puree the soup in batches in a blender or food processor. Rinse the pot and return the soup to the pot. If it is too thick, add some of the reserved tomato juice. Add the zucchini and cook for another 10 minutes over low heat.
Meanwhile, combine the sour cream, lime juice, and zest in a small bowl. Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with the lime sour cream and the cilantro leaves.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
February 10: Creamy White Bean and Chorizo Soup
My favorite thing about the internet (besides, as Heather says, all the free goat porn) is that it gives you access to information that would normally, by its own nature, be inaccessable. The best example that I can think of, in this context, is recipes. I no longer have to carry subscriptions to Cooking Light, Cook's Illustrated, Bon Appetit, Fine Cooking, and Food and Wine--the recipes and a fairly broad array of their articles are available to me, sometimes for a minimal subscription fee, online.
Of course, I do still subscibe to several of these: Food and Wine, Fine Cooking and Cook's Illustrated. I do it because many of their articles are only available in their hard copies and also, because I like the collectability of them. I have several years of issues of all of them and they're like my cookbooks: practically priceless, at least to me.
I gave up my subsciption to Bon Appetit last year in favor of using Epicurious instead. It's simpler by far to search their archives than to page back through my collections to find exactly what it is that I'm looking for. When I woke this morning to the sound (and movement) of the heavy winds that are currently buffeting my condo, I knew exactly what I wanted: a hearty winter soup, starchy and creamy and spicy all at once. I knew where to go for it too: the Internet. I'm planning on making this tonight with some kind of bread, something rustic and toasty, and a 2003 California Pinot Noir that I've been hoarding.
This serves 6.
1 pound dried cannellini or Great Northern beans (generous 2 cups)
8 cups water
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 garlic cloves; 1 smashed, 2 chopped
1 large fresh rosemary sprig
1 bay leaf
1 large onion, coarsely chopped (about 2 cups)
1 large carrot, coarsely chopped (about 1 cup)
1 large celery stalk, coarsely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
2 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme, divided
4 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth
1 pound fresh chorizo link sausages, casings removed
1/4 cup whipping cream
Place beans in heavy large saucepan. Add enough water to pan to cover beans by 4 inches. Let beans soak overnight at room temperature. (Edited: Or do what I do and use canned beans: a good quality, like 365 Brand from Whole Foods, about two cans, drained and rinsed.)
Drain and rinse beans; return to same saucepan. Add 8 cups water, 1 tablespoon oil, smashed garlic clove, rosemary, and bay leaf. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer until beans are just tender, 1 to 11/2 hours. Season to taste with salt. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cool slightly, cover, and chill.)
Drain beans, reserving cooking liquid. Discard rosemary sprig and bay leaf. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté until vegetables are beginning to soften, about 10 minutes. Add chopped garlic and 1 teaspoon thyme; sauté 2 minutes. Add 2 cups reserved bean cooking liquid, 4 cups chicken broth, and beans. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered until vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes. Cool soup 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, sauté chorizo in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through, breaking up lumps with back of spoon, about 5 minutes. Transfer chorizo to paper towels to drain.
Using slotted spoon, remove 1 1/2 cups bean mixture from soup; reserve. Working in batches, puree remaining soup in blender until smooth. Return puree to pot. Stir in reserved whole-bean mixture, remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons thyme, chorizo, and cream. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill uncovered until cold. Cover and keep chilled.) Rewarm soup over medium heat, thinning with more broth if desired. Season with salt and pepper. Divide soup among bowls and serve.
Of course, I do still subscibe to several of these: Food and Wine, Fine Cooking and Cook's Illustrated. I do it because many of their articles are only available in their hard copies and also, because I like the collectability of them. I have several years of issues of all of them and they're like my cookbooks: practically priceless, at least to me.
I gave up my subsciption to Bon Appetit last year in favor of using Epicurious instead. It's simpler by far to search their archives than to page back through my collections to find exactly what it is that I'm looking for. When I woke this morning to the sound (and movement) of the heavy winds that are currently buffeting my condo, I knew exactly what I wanted: a hearty winter soup, starchy and creamy and spicy all at once. I knew where to go for it too: the Internet. I'm planning on making this tonight with some kind of bread, something rustic and toasty, and a 2003 California Pinot Noir that I've been hoarding.
This serves 6.
1 pound dried cannellini or Great Northern beans (generous 2 cups)
8 cups water
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 garlic cloves; 1 smashed, 2 chopped
1 large fresh rosemary sprig
1 bay leaf
1 large onion, coarsely chopped (about 2 cups)
1 large carrot, coarsely chopped (about 1 cup)
1 large celery stalk, coarsely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
2 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme, divided
4 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth
1 pound fresh chorizo link sausages, casings removed
1/4 cup whipping cream
Place beans in heavy large saucepan. Add enough water to pan to cover beans by 4 inches. Let beans soak overnight at room temperature. (Edited: Or do what I do and use canned beans: a good quality, like 365 Brand from Whole Foods, about two cans, drained and rinsed.)
Drain and rinse beans; return to same saucepan. Add 8 cups water, 1 tablespoon oil, smashed garlic clove, rosemary, and bay leaf. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer until beans are just tender, 1 to 11/2 hours. Season to taste with salt. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cool slightly, cover, and chill.)
Drain beans, reserving cooking liquid. Discard rosemary sprig and bay leaf. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté until vegetables are beginning to soften, about 10 minutes. Add chopped garlic and 1 teaspoon thyme; sauté 2 minutes. Add 2 cups reserved bean cooking liquid, 4 cups chicken broth, and beans. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered until vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes. Cool soup 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, sauté chorizo in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through, breaking up lumps with back of spoon, about 5 minutes. Transfer chorizo to paper towels to drain.
Using slotted spoon, remove 1 1/2 cups bean mixture from soup; reserve. Working in batches, puree remaining soup in blender until smooth. Return puree to pot. Stir in reserved whole-bean mixture, remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons thyme, chorizo, and cream. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill uncovered until cold. Cover and keep chilled.) Rewarm soup over medium heat, thinning with more broth if desired. Season with salt and pepper. Divide soup among bowls and serve.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
February 5: Cheddar Soup
One small administrative note: Dan and I stopped at a small Italian restaurant in a strip mall in College Park tonight. It failed miserably in atmosphere and fell far short in service. However, it had by far the best pizza that I've tasted in years. I promise to review Mamma Lucia's in more detail later this week, but I am just really mezmerized by American Idol right now.
Great cheddar soup is silky, elegant enough for company, and rich. This is a great lunch with a loaf of good bakery bread and a big crunchy salad and some kind of a fruity-berry tart for dessert. The bad news: this isn't a soup that holds well. The good news: it's simple and delicious and also, it's ready in 20 minutes.
This is plenty of soup for at least four as a centerpiece. You might stretch it to six for a starter.
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, minced (about 1 cup)
1 medium carrot, minced (about 1/3 cup)
1 small rib celery , minced (about 1/4 cup)
1 medium clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 1/2 cups half-and-half
1 bay leaf
pinch cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons dry sherry
12 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 3 cups)
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
Table salt and ground black pepper
1. Heat butter in large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat until foaming; add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add carrot, celery, and garlic; cook until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add flour and cook, stirring to coat vegetables, until mixture begins to brown on bottom of pot, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in chicken broth and half-and-half and add bay leaf. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until vegetables soften, about 10 minutes.
2. Off heat, add cayenne and sherry; cool soup for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in cheese and thyme; season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
Great cheddar soup is silky, elegant enough for company, and rich. This is a great lunch with a loaf of good bakery bread and a big crunchy salad and some kind of a fruity-berry tart for dessert. The bad news: this isn't a soup that holds well. The good news: it's simple and delicious and also, it's ready in 20 minutes.
This is plenty of soup for at least four as a centerpiece. You might stretch it to six for a starter.
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, minced (about 1 cup)
1 medium carrot, minced (about 1/3 cup)
1 small rib celery , minced (about 1/4 cup)
1 medium clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 1/2 cups half-and-half
1 bay leaf
pinch cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons dry sherry
12 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 3 cups)
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
Table salt and ground black pepper
1. Heat butter in large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat until foaming; add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add carrot, celery, and garlic; cook until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add flour and cook, stirring to coat vegetables, until mixture begins to brown on bottom of pot, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in chicken broth and half-and-half and add bay leaf. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until vegetables soften, about 10 minutes.
2. Off heat, add cayenne and sherry; cool soup for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in cheese and thyme; season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
Friday, January 4, 2008
January 4: Homemade Stocks
Holy frick, is it cold here. I am a cold-weather person, if you want to know--I would much rather be too cold than too hot. It feels good to warm up; cooling down just makes me feel crusty as the sweat dries. It was 19 degrees when I left home this morning, and it's a bit of a hike to the bus stop. The bus was late too. As much of a fan of public transportation as I am--holy frick, is it cold here.
One of my favorite things about winter is the food, especially the soups. I love mushroom soup and chicken noodle soup and beef stew (see yesterday) and butternut squash soup and carrot-ginger soup. Soup is comforting and filling and full of significance to its maker. I am embarassed to admit that I was never a fan of my mother's soups; she always threw one or two too many random ingredients in. My husband, however, still requests Campbell's Tomato Soup and grilled cheese sandwiches on cold days.
Pat Conroy, who is a novelist also well-known for his food writing, has said that, unless you make your own stocks as the base for your soups, you may as well not bother. I wouldn't go that far--I think there's something to be said for the ease of browning a few chopped vegetables, poaching chicken breasts in store-bought low-sodium stock, and throwing in a few handfuls of egg noodles shortly before you're hoping to eat--but I think that knowing how to make your own stock, and better yet, keeping a small store of it in your freezer, is empowering and creates convenience for an everyday home cook. And besides, they taste good, and this isn't complicated work. It's worth doing.
Let me say a word about the necessity of not letting stocks boil: once more, it's better living through science. When you boil a pot full of chicken wings or backs or drumsticks, it jars loose fat, which gets suspended in the liquid, and makes a cloudy, less-clean tasting stock. You don't want that. Simmer: to cook over low heat, so that a few bubbles rise slowly. If your stove won't allow you to hold your food at a low simmer, get or make a flame tamer--you can use heavy-duty aluminum foil to wrap into a sort of a collar that sits on your burner, between the pot and the burner. It will keep things a little cooler to moderate that simmer.
Makes 2 quarts.
Homemade Chicken Stock
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 pounds whole chicken legs or backs and wingtips, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 quarts water (boiling)
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 bay leaves
Heat oil in large stockpot over medium-high heat until shimmering; add onion and cook until slightly softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer onion to large bowl. Brown chicken in two batches, cooking on each side until lightly browned, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer cooked chicken to bowl with onion. Return onion and chicken to pot. Reduce heat to low, cover, and sweat until chicken releases its juices, about 20 minutes. Increase heat to high; add boiling water, salt, and bay leaves. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to low; cover and simmer slowly until stock is rich and flavorful, about 20 minutes, skimming foam off surface, if desired.
Strain broth and discard solids. Before using, defat stock. After stock has been refrigerated, the fat hardens on the surface and is very easy to remove with a spoon. To defat hot stock, use a ladle or fat separator.
Hey, how about this: I am unable to find a recipe for a quick beef stock. I know there's one in Pat Conroy's cookbook, but I don't currently have it in hand. Honestly, I don't think there's a way to speed up this process. America's Test Kitchen uses low-sodium chicken broth in very nearly all of their recipes where beef stock would be used, with small amounts of store-bought beef broth of the low-sodium variety in combination with the chicken in places where it really can't be avoided, while still giving appallingly bad reviews to nearly every widely-available brand. If it's so bad, America's Test Kitchen, why don't you give us a recipe for one that is less awful?
Epicurious is equally bad--their recipe calls for beef and veal shanks, specially cut crosswise by a butcher into 1-inch pieces. I do not have a butcher. I could probably find one, but I'm almost always happy with the meat that I find in my local grocery store--with a few outrageously expensive roasts or steaks for special occasions coming from Whole Foods or D.C.'s Eastern Market. I won't bore you.
My suggestion is this: use a low-sodium beef broth, in a 1-to-1 ratio of a combination with chicken stock, as well as well-browned meat and fond and veggies, for whatever your recipe calls for in the department of beef broth or stock. I will continue to seek out a recipe that streamlines the process. If you have one, please let me know.
One of my favorite things about winter is the food, especially the soups. I love mushroom soup and chicken noodle soup and beef stew (see yesterday) and butternut squash soup and carrot-ginger soup. Soup is comforting and filling and full of significance to its maker. I am embarassed to admit that I was never a fan of my mother's soups; she always threw one or two too many random ingredients in. My husband, however, still requests Campbell's Tomato Soup and grilled cheese sandwiches on cold days.
Pat Conroy, who is a novelist also well-known for his food writing, has said that, unless you make your own stocks as the base for your soups, you may as well not bother. I wouldn't go that far--I think there's something to be said for the ease of browning a few chopped vegetables, poaching chicken breasts in store-bought low-sodium stock, and throwing in a few handfuls of egg noodles shortly before you're hoping to eat--but I think that knowing how to make your own stock, and better yet, keeping a small store of it in your freezer, is empowering and creates convenience for an everyday home cook. And besides, they taste good, and this isn't complicated work. It's worth doing.
These stocks are a jumping-off point--you can jump off to Italian Wedding soup, minestrone, French Onion gratinee, old-fashioned chicken-noodle, beef-barley. I like them with just some egg noodles simmered with a few tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley, or some rice and a few sauteed mushrooms. What I'm saying is, they're good enough for you to eat them plain--a welcome change from the salty, chemical-tasting boullion cubes or the tinny, artificial canned broths that too many cooks are left depending on.
Let me say a word about the necessity of not letting stocks boil: once more, it's better living through science. When you boil a pot full of chicken wings or backs or drumsticks, it jars loose fat, which gets suspended in the liquid, and makes a cloudy, less-clean tasting stock. You don't want that. Simmer: to cook over low heat, so that a few bubbles rise slowly. If your stove won't allow you to hold your food at a low simmer, get or make a flame tamer--you can use heavy-duty aluminum foil to wrap into a sort of a collar that sits on your burner, between the pot and the burner. It will keep things a little cooler to moderate that simmer.
Makes 2 quarts.
Homemade Chicken Stock
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 pounds whole chicken legs or backs and wingtips, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 quarts water (boiling)
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 bay leaves
Heat oil in large stockpot over medium-high heat until shimmering; add onion and cook until slightly softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer onion to large bowl. Brown chicken in two batches, cooking on each side until lightly browned, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer cooked chicken to bowl with onion. Return onion and chicken to pot. Reduce heat to low, cover, and sweat until chicken releases its juices, about 20 minutes. Increase heat to high; add boiling water, salt, and bay leaves. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to low; cover and simmer slowly until stock is rich and flavorful, about 20 minutes, skimming foam off surface, if desired.
Strain broth and discard solids. Before using, defat stock. After stock has been refrigerated, the fat hardens on the surface and is very easy to remove with a spoon. To defat hot stock, use a ladle or fat separator.
Hey, how about this: I am unable to find a recipe for a quick beef stock. I know there's one in Pat Conroy's cookbook, but I don't currently have it in hand. Honestly, I don't think there's a way to speed up this process. America's Test Kitchen uses low-sodium chicken broth in very nearly all of their recipes where beef stock would be used, with small amounts of store-bought beef broth of the low-sodium variety in combination with the chicken in places where it really can't be avoided, while still giving appallingly bad reviews to nearly every widely-available brand. If it's so bad, America's Test Kitchen, why don't you give us a recipe for one that is less awful?
Epicurious is equally bad--their recipe calls for beef and veal shanks, specially cut crosswise by a butcher into 1-inch pieces. I do not have a butcher. I could probably find one, but I'm almost always happy with the meat that I find in my local grocery store--with a few outrageously expensive roasts or steaks for special occasions coming from Whole Foods or D.C.'s Eastern Market. I won't bore you.
My suggestion is this: use a low-sodium beef broth, in a 1-to-1 ratio of a combination with chicken stock, as well as well-browned meat and fond and veggies, for whatever your recipe calls for in the department of beef broth or stock. I will continue to seek out a recipe that streamlines the process. If you have one, please let me know.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
January 3: Two Beef Stews
My best friend is pregnant, just at the start of her second trimester. I am so thrilled I can barely stand it; I would not have been more excited if I were pregnant myself. I remember what it was like to be pregnant--tired all the time, food holding less than no appeal--and yet I know she's interested in food and cooking, if for no other reason than she has to fuel herself and her husband.
I received the following email from her today:
As it turns out, I have just the thing for you, Kimberly. Two beef stews, both delicious, both from America's Test Kitchen. This is their Hearty Beef Stew recipe, with a few modifications. It's simple and straightforward and classic. It serves six to eight.
INGREDIENTS
3 pounds stew meat, or chuck roast cut into 1-inch cubes
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium onions, chopped coarse (about 2 cups)
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 cup dry red wine, like burgandy or pinot noir
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
6 small boiling potatoes, peeled and halved
4 large carrots , peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
Heat oven to 300 degrees. Place beef cubes in large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat in large nonreactive Dutch oven; add beef to kettle in two separate batches. Brown meat on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch, adding remaining tablespoon of oil if needed. Remove meat and set aside. Add onions to now empty kettle; sauté until almost softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add garlic; continue to sauté about 30 seconds longer. Stir in flour; cook until lightly colored, 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine, scraping up any browned bits that may have stuck to kettle. Add stock, bay leaves, and thyme; bring to simmer. Add meat; return to simmer. Cover and place in oven; simmer about 1 hour.
2. Remove Dutch oven from oven, add potatoes and carrots, cover, and return to oven. Simmer until meat is just tender, about 1 hour. Remove stew from oven. (Can be cooled, covered, and refrigerated up to 3 days.)
3. Add peas and allow to stand 5 minutes. Stir in parsley, adjust seasonings, and serve.
Let me just say this: I know you don't have a Dutch oven, Kimberly, and the reason I know you don't is because your Dutch oven is still in a box in my pantry. I keep forgetting to give it to you. You can make this on the stove top too, just keep it at a barely bubbling simmer. You can also make it in a slow-cooker: just brown the meat first and simmer it on low for a couple of hours, then add the potatoes and carrots and simmer it for a couple more hours, then the peas just before serving.
The next recipe, also from America's Test Kitchen, is my favorite beef stew recipe. I love to serve this over garlic mashed potatoes when I am feeling very ambitious, and when I'm not, buttered egg noodles. I want to emphasize the necessity of finding blade steaks for this recipe--they are tender and beautifully marbled and a little bit of a pain to prep for this. It involves trimming the meat away from a line of gristle that runs through the center of each steak. It is worth it. It serves six.
Carbonnade a la Flamande—Belgian Beef, Beer, and Onion Stew
3 1/2 pounds blade steaks , 1 inch thick, trimmed of gristle and fat and cut into 1-inch pieces Table salt and ground black pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 pounds yellow onions (about 3 medium), halved and sliced about 1/4 inch thick (about 8 cups)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup low-sodium beef broth
1 1/2 cups beer (12-ounce bottle or can) -- a dark or amber ale works best
4 sprigs fresh thyme, tied with kitchen twine
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 300 degrees. Dry beef thoroughly with paper towels, then season generously with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat until beginning to smoke; add about one-third of beef to pot. Cook without moving pieces until well browned, 2 to 3 minutes; using tongs, turn each piece and continue cooking until second side is well browned, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer browned beef to medium bowl. Repeat with additional 2 teaspoons oil and half of remaining beef. (If drippings in bottom of pot are very dark, add about 1/2 cup of above-listed chicken or beef broth and scrape pan bottom with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits; pour liquid into bowl with browned beef, then proceed.) Repeat once more with 2 teaspoons oil and remaining beef.
2. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to now-empty Dutch oven; reduce heat to medium-low. Add onions, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and tomato paste; cook, scraping bottom of pot with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits, until onions have released some moisture, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are lightly browned, 12 to 14 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add flour and stir until onions are evenly coated and flour is lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Stir in broths, scraping pan bottom to loosen browned bits; stir in beer, thyme, bay, vinegar, browned beef with any accumulated juices, and salt and pepper to taste. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to full simmer, stirring occasionally; cover partially, then place pot in oven. Cook until fork inserted into beef meets little resistance, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
3. Discard thyme and bay. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper to taste and serve. (Can be cooled and refrigerated in airtight container for up to 4 days; reheat over medium-low heat.)
As for the cornbread or corn muffins you asked about, America's Test Kitchen, whose opinions I have a great deal of confidence in, has tested different brands and suggest two: Jiffy Brand, which comes in a blue-and-white box, and Betty Crocker, which comes in a pouch. I have to admit to you that I am not a fan of cornbread, and not the best source of information on the subject.
Not, however, that not being an expert on a subject has ever stopped me from giving my opinion. It's a problem.
I received the following email from her today:
"You need to post a beef stew recipe on your kitchen blog tomorrow. I am a vegetarian. turns out, my baby is not, and I'm craving red meat like you just have no idea. Red meat and milk. Go figure. So I want to make beef stew and I have no clue about how to do it. And if you have a good cornbread or cornbread muffin recipe to go with it, that would be good too. Just, you know, supporting your endeavors and all."
As it turns out, I have just the thing for you, Kimberly. Two beef stews, both delicious, both from America's Test Kitchen. This is their Hearty Beef Stew recipe, with a few modifications. It's simple and straightforward and classic. It serves six to eight.
INGREDIENTS
3 pounds stew meat, or chuck roast cut into 1-inch cubes
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium onions, chopped coarse (about 2 cups)
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 cup dry red wine, like burgandy or pinot noir
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
6 small boiling potatoes, peeled and halved
4 large carrots , peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
Heat oven to 300 degrees. Place beef cubes in large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat in large nonreactive Dutch oven; add beef to kettle in two separate batches. Brown meat on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch, adding remaining tablespoon of oil if needed. Remove meat and set aside. Add onions to now empty kettle; sauté until almost softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add garlic; continue to sauté about 30 seconds longer. Stir in flour; cook until lightly colored, 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine, scraping up any browned bits that may have stuck to kettle. Add stock, bay leaves, and thyme; bring to simmer. Add meat; return to simmer. Cover and place in oven; simmer about 1 hour.
2. Remove Dutch oven from oven, add potatoes and carrots, cover, and return to oven. Simmer until meat is just tender, about 1 hour. Remove stew from oven. (Can be cooled, covered, and refrigerated up to 3 days.)
3. Add peas and allow to stand 5 minutes. Stir in parsley, adjust seasonings, and serve.
Let me just say this: I know you don't have a Dutch oven, Kimberly, and the reason I know you don't is because your Dutch oven is still in a box in my pantry. I keep forgetting to give it to you. You can make this on the stove top too, just keep it at a barely bubbling simmer. You can also make it in a slow-cooker: just brown the meat first and simmer it on low for a couple of hours, then add the potatoes and carrots and simmer it for a couple more hours, then the peas just before serving.
The next recipe, also from America's Test Kitchen, is my favorite beef stew recipe. I love to serve this over garlic mashed potatoes when I am feeling very ambitious, and when I'm not, buttered egg noodles. I want to emphasize the necessity of finding blade steaks for this recipe--they are tender and beautifully marbled and a little bit of a pain to prep for this. It involves trimming the meat away from a line of gristle that runs through the center of each steak. It is worth it. It serves six.
Carbonnade a la Flamande—Belgian Beef, Beer, and Onion Stew
3 1/2 pounds blade steaks , 1 inch thick, trimmed of gristle and fat and cut into 1-inch pieces Table salt and ground black pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 pounds yellow onions (about 3 medium), halved and sliced about 1/4 inch thick (about 8 cups)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup low-sodium beef broth
1 1/2 cups beer (12-ounce bottle or can) -- a dark or amber ale works best
4 sprigs fresh thyme, tied with kitchen twine
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 300 degrees. Dry beef thoroughly with paper towels, then season generously with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat until beginning to smoke; add about one-third of beef to pot. Cook without moving pieces until well browned, 2 to 3 minutes; using tongs, turn each piece and continue cooking until second side is well browned, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer browned beef to medium bowl. Repeat with additional 2 teaspoons oil and half of remaining beef. (If drippings in bottom of pot are very dark, add about 1/2 cup of above-listed chicken or beef broth and scrape pan bottom with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits; pour liquid into bowl with browned beef, then proceed.) Repeat once more with 2 teaspoons oil and remaining beef.
2. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to now-empty Dutch oven; reduce heat to medium-low. Add onions, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and tomato paste; cook, scraping bottom of pot with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits, until onions have released some moisture, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are lightly browned, 12 to 14 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add flour and stir until onions are evenly coated and flour is lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Stir in broths, scraping pan bottom to loosen browned bits; stir in beer, thyme, bay, vinegar, browned beef with any accumulated juices, and salt and pepper to taste. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to full simmer, stirring occasionally; cover partially, then place pot in oven. Cook until fork inserted into beef meets little resistance, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
3. Discard thyme and bay. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper to taste and serve. (Can be cooled and refrigerated in airtight container for up to 4 days; reheat over medium-low heat.)
As for the cornbread or corn muffins you asked about, America's Test Kitchen, whose opinions I have a great deal of confidence in, has tested different brands and suggest two: Jiffy Brand, which comes in a blue-and-white box, and Betty Crocker, which comes in a pouch. I have to admit to you that I am not a fan of cornbread, and not the best source of information on the subject.
Not, however, that not being an expert on a subject has ever stopped me from giving my opinion. It's a problem.
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