By Stephanie Witt Sedgwick
I’ve lost my taste for fatty cuts of lamb, which are out of step with how I cook and eat today.
Luckily, it’s easy to buy lean portions of boneless leg of lamb that can be cut into strips for stir-frying or grilling, cubed for kebabs or diced for a soup. The last is what I’ve done here.
Leeks and potatoes are the main ingredients, with a parsnip thrown in for sweetness and cumin for a little background flavor. Pearl barley brings substance and a slight thickening to the broth.
Lamb, Leek and Potato Soup
Makes about 9 cups (8 to 10 servings)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound boneless leg of lamb, trimmed of all fat, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 1/4 pounds leeks (see note)
Salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
4 cups low-sodium or homemade chicken broth
2 cups water
1/4 cup pearl barley
1/2 pound all-purpose potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 large parsnip, peeled and woody core removed, the remaining flesh cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a 4-quart soup pot. Add the lamb in batches, taking care not to crowd the pieces. Sear for a few minutes, stirring a few times, until the lamb loses its raw look. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a clean plate or bowl. Repeat to sear all of the lamb.
Add the leeks and salt (to taste) to the pot; reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are soft. Add the cumin and pepper to taste; cook for 1 minute. Add the broth, water, barley and cooked lamb; cover and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium or as needed to maintain a low boil. Cook for about 1 hour, until the barley is tender.
Add the potatoes and parsnip; cook covered for 15 to 20 minutes, maintaining a slow boil, until the vegetables are tender. Taste, and adjust the seasoning as needed.
Divide among individual bowls. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.
Note: To clean the leeks thoroughly, first trim away the dark green parts and root end. Cut the leeks lengthwise in half and rinse in cold water. Cut the leeks crosswise into thin slices and submerge in a large bowl of cold water to soak for 20 minutes. Use a strainer to remove the leeks from the water; pat dry.
Make ahead: This soup can be made a day in advance.
By J.M. HIRSCH
Never one much for tradition, I wanted to see what would happen if I took a backward approach to a classic Italian soup.
Bread and tomato soup — known as pappa al pomodoro — is a wonderful way of using up stale bread and overripe tomatoes. It produces a richly savory soup that is thick and satisfying enough to make a meal of.
It typically is made by sauteeing onions and garlic, then adding tomatoes and cooking.
Just before serving, cubes of stale bread, chopped fresh basil and a bit of chicken broth are stirred in.
My approach reversed the order, pan-frying the cubes of bread in olive oil until crisp, then adding the tomatoes.
Delicious results. The bread retained a nice chew and the tomatoes — which were cooked for far less time than they typically would be — also had a nicer texture. It was a keeper.
Pan-Fried Sourdough Bread and Tomato Soup
Serves 4
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound sourdough bread, cut into 1- to 2-inch cubes (about 8 cups)
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
28-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Balsamic vinegar, to taste
In a large saucepan over medium-high, heat the olive oil. Add the bread and toast, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes.
The bread will quickly absorb the oil. Keep the bread moving in the pan so it toasts but doesn’t burn.
Add the wine, then continue toasting the bread for another 5 minutes. Add the thyme, oregano and garlic powder, then cook for another for 2 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and chicken broth, then mix well but gently. Continue cooking until heated through, then stir in the cheese.
When the cheese is melted into the soup, season with salt, pepper and a splash of balsamic vinegar.
Lorraine Wallace knows she can make a mean pot of soup. But no one has been more surprised than she at how fast America is slurping it up.
Tortellini meatball, salmon chowder and Buffalo-wing-inspired chili are three of the 78 comfort-food recipes in her first cookbook, which has remained in Amazon’s top-100 bestsellers list since the slim paperback was published in December. And recently it clocked in at No. 8 on The New York Times bestseller list for paperbacks in the advice etc. category.
Husband Chris Wallace was skeptical at the very idea of a book two years ago, yet he grooved the fastball that is Mr. Sunday’s Soups (Wiley). Catchy title, and fitting: As anchor of Fox News Sunday, he proclaimed his wife to be the show’s Power Player of the Week in mid-January, conducting the interview in their D.C. kitchen.
"She cooked well when I married her," he says, referring to the 1997 event that blended his four children and her two from their first marriages. Offering a different, quick soup each week was Lorraine’s warm way of feeding a famished spouse just home from work and a son headed for a day of sports.
Her repertoire grew. Family favorites were established as the grown children came home for the holidays. Chris’ famous TV journalist dad, Mike Wallace of 60 Minutes fame, became a fan as well.
A quick scan of Wallace’s recipes in the book yields soup standards and riffs. Closer inspection finds special touches. She’ll compose a salad to scatter across or enrich the center of a bowlful; the treatment proves to be a masterstroke for her garlicky, bright-green spinach puree.
Lightly dressed, tender baby spinach leaves and watercress, bursts of cherry tomato and Parmesan shavings lend texture and wink at the soup’s main ingredient.
This is one of Lorraine Wallace’s signature "salad soups," each serving topped with a mix of some of same ingredients that are pureed. It works especially well here, with tender spinach leaves.
Italian Spinach Salad Soup
Serves 6 to 8
FOR THE SOUP:
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 large onion, finely chopped (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups)
8 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning blend
8 cups (2 quarts) homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken broth
2 large russet potatoes, peeled and chopped into bite-size pieces
Two 9-ounce packages frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
1/2 cup half-and-half (optional)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE SALAD:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly squeezed juice from 1/2 lemon (1 tablespoon)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups (about 2 ounces) loosely packed baby spinach leaves
2 cups loosely packed watercress leaves and tender stems
9 to 12 cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half
2 to 4 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shaved with a vegetable peeler
For the soup: Melt the butter in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and Italian seasoning blend; cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender.
Add the broth and potatoes; once the liquid begins to bubble at the edges, cook for 5 minutes so the potatoes are just tender, then stir in the spinach and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for about 10 minutes.
Working in batches, puree the mixture in a blender or food processor to form a smooth green soup. (Remove the center knob from the blender lid to allow steam to escape. Place a dish towel over the lid to prevent splashes.) Return the soup to the pot, and place over low heat.
Stir in the half-and-half, if using. Season with the salt and pepper to taste. Cover and keep warm until ready to serve.
For the salad: Whisk together the oil, lemon juice, salt and the pepper to taste. Add the spinach and watercress; toss to coat evenly.
To serve, ladle the soup into individual bowls (preferably warmed ones). Top each portion with some of the salad, a few tomato halves (to taste) and the shaved cheese (to taste). Serve immediately.
Recipe from "Mr. Sunday’s Soups" (Wiley, 2011).
An increasing number of restaurant chefs – and intrepid home cooks – have turned to garnishes as a way to elevate soup from supper mainstay to the truly sublime. Tiny, sauteed croutons, a flourish of herbs, or a drizzle of flavored olive oil don’t just dress up the bowl, they add exciting pops of flavor and texture.
"I think garnishes go a long way in soups," says Eric Berg, executive chef at California’s Wente Vineyards.
"They should never be an afterthought. They’re meant to complement the soup itself and add a more dynamic flavor."
Of course, French onion soup, with its melted cheese-topped crouton, is the ultimate example of a garnish that makes the dish. David Bastide serves the classic at San Jose’s Left Bank Brasserie all winter long, garnished with baguette slices – toasted with olive oil and salt – and caramelized Emmenthal cheese that slowly melts into the soup.
Left Bank French Onion Soup
Serves 10-12
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 pound butter
8 yellow onions, cut in half, then sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 cup white wine
1 cup sherry
3 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon peppercorns
1 quart chicken stock
2 quarts beef stock
Salt, pepper
Sliced baguettes
Olive oil
Emmenthal cheese, shredded, to garnish
Chives, minced, to garnish
Heat butter and oil in a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized.
Add white wine and sherry. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer until reduced by half.
Tie the thyme, bay leaves and peppercorns in a square of cheesecloth to make a sachet. Add, along with stocks; simmer for 1 hour. Remove sachet from soup. Season to taste.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush baguette slices with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake until crispy, 5-10 minutes.
To serve, fill warm soup bowls with onion soup, float two baguette croutons on top and add a generous sprinkling of cheese. Slide under the broiler and cook until the cheese melts and caramelizes. Garnish with chives.
Recipe from David Bastide, executive chef, Left Bank Brasserie, San Jose, Calif.
Warm and inviting, this chickpea and pasta soup has its origins in an ancient Roman dish, La Minestra di Orazio, or Horace’s Chickpea and Pasta Soup. In one of his satires, Horace is quoted as saying, "I’m going home to a bowl of leeks, chickpeas and lasagna …." In fact this is one of the earliest references to pasta of any kind.
This adapted version uses canned chickpeas and acini pepe pasta. Acini pepe, also called pastina, is Italian for peppercorns and they look like tiny beads. Any small pasta such as orzo can be used. Or, just break up any type of pasta you have on hand into small pieces.
Helpful hints:
Linda Gassenheimer is the author of 14 cookbooks, including her newest, "Mix ‘n Match Meals in Minutes for People With Diabetes,"
and "Prevention’s Fit and Fast Meals in Minutes."
Horace’s Chickpea Soup
3 teaspoons olive oil, divided use
1 cup sliced celery
1 medium-size leek, white only, sliced (about 1 cup)
3 cups drained canned diced tomatoes
1¼ cups rinsed and drained canned chickpeas
1¼ cups fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
1¼ cups water
½ cup acini pepe or orzo pasta
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the celery and leek. Sauté 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook 1 minute. Add the chickpeas, chicken broth, water and acini pepe.
Bring to a slow boil and cook 10 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally.
Add the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Serve in large soup bowls and sprinkle the parsley and Parmesan cheese on top. Makes 2 servings.
Per serving: 486 calories (23 percent from fat), 12.4 g fat (2.3 g saturated, 5.6 g monounsaturated), 4 mg cholesterol, 22.3 g protein, 75.1 g carbohydrates, 10.3 g fiber, 588 mg sodium
Beans may be good for you, but that doesn’t mean every bowl of bean-rich chili is good for your diet.
If you take a look under the hood of many chili recipes, you’ll often find less-than-lean meat. Vegetarian versions fix that, but it’s not impossible to keep the meat and keep it healthy.
If your recipe calls for ground meat, use lean, ground turkey, chicken or even 93-percent lean ground beef.
If you make your chili with chunks of beef, stick to leaner cuts, such as sirloin or bottom round.
Pork loin also works well. Just keep in mind that lean chunked meat dries out easily, so you might want to brown it and add it to the other ingredients just before the chili is finished.
Diced chicken and turkey also can be great in chili, but again, precook it and add it in at the end so it doesn’t dry out and toughen up.
Another way to keep things healthy is to make sure your ratio of meat to beans and vegetables leans more toward the latter ingredients.
It’s always good to load chili up with lots of onions, peppers and tomatoes, or whatever vegetables you like.
This smoky white chili sports plenty of healthy beans, diced green chilies and onions. It gets a smoky taste from ground chipotle chili powder and the charred flavor of grilled boneless, skinless chicken breast.
Top the chili with small amounts of low-fat cheese and reduced-fat sour cream or shredded lettuce and a heap of diced fresh tomatoes.
Smoky White Chili with Grilled Chicken
Time: Start to finish 1 hour (30 minutes active)
Servings: 12
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups chopped yellow onion (2 large)
Two 7-ounce cans diced green chilies
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder, or to taste
Six 15-ounce cans great northern beans or white cannellini beans, rinsed
8 cups (2 quarts) reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/4 cup lime juice
Heat a grill to medium-high.
In a Dutch oven or other large pot over medium-high, heat the oil. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chilies, cumin, oregano and chipotle chili powder. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Stir in the beans and broth and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, grill the chicken until well-browned and an instant-read thermometer registers 165° when inserted at the thickest part of the breast, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and cool for 10 minutes. Cut the grilled chicken into 3/4-inch dice, then set aside.
Using a ladle, transfer 2 cups of the beans and cooking liquid to a bowl and mash with a fork. Stir the mashed beans back into the simmering pot. Add the chicken and lime juice, then cook for 10 minutes more.
Chicken combined with fresh asparagus tips, basil, sliced scallions and Roma tomatoes simmering in a citrus-infused broth form a healthy soup. (Photo by Pam Brandon)
The holiday cookie binge is over and you’re still too fat for the chimney. Since everyone knows that diets don’t work, you’ll need a few mouth-watering, adipose-punishing recipes to find your way back to a more reasonable bathroom scale.
Instead of knives and forks to ravage a rubber chicken breast, might we suggest you slurp your way to slim? Soup not only leaves you feeling fuller longer, but also speaks fluently to comfort food cravings.
Tender cuts of chicken and fresh asparagus tips defy diet doldrums in a bright, citrus-infused broth. Fresh basil, thinly sliced scallions and Roma tomatoes make this soup a healthy treat to die-t for.
To Die-t For
Asian Soup
Makes 6 servings
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon ginger paste
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup cooked brown or white rice
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
1 bunch fresh asparagus tips
Juice of 1 lemon
4 scallions, thinly sliced
Fresh basil leaves, torn, optional
Thinly sliced Roma tomatoes, optional
Bring the stock to a boil. Add the fish sauce, ginger, cinnamon, rice, chicken and asparagus tips.
Simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the asparagus is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat. Add fresh lemon juice, scallions, fresh basil and tomatoes, if desired. Serve hot.
By FRANCINE SEGAN
Most of us think of chocolate as something just for dessert, but the Italians have been adding it to pasta, risotto, polenta and meat dishes for centuries.
“Chocolate, the ‘food of the gods,’ conquered not just the candy shop but also the kitchen,” says Riccardo Magni of ICAM, one of Italy’s premier chocolate makers, based in the city of Lecco in the northern region of Lombardy.
This is not so surprising if you reflect that the cacao bean, from which chocolate is made, is not itself sweet. In fact, the ancient dwellers of Mesoamerica mixed ground roasted cacao seeds, chile peppers, cornmeal, spices and water into a spicy, sacred brew.
As G.B. Mantelli, marketing director at Venchi, an artisanal chocolate company based in Turin, defines it, “Like so many other seeds — pepper, fennel, cardamom and caraway — cacao beans are a spice.”
Here’s a maple-laced recipe that captures all the flavors of fall. It’s adapted from Anna Thomas’ Love Soup: 160 All-New Vegetarian Recipes from the Author of The Vegetarian Epicure (W.W. Norton & Co.). The centerpiece ingredient: kabocha squash, also known as Japanese pumpkin.
Read the full story
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
