1½ tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
2 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
leaves stripped from a sprig of fresh thyme
about 3 cups hot chicken or vegetable stock (see Chapter 9)
squeeze of lemon juice (optional)
2/3 cup heavy cream
Pick out 12 of the most attractive asparagus spears and cut off the tips to use for garnish. Roughly chop the rest of the asparagus and set aside.
Heat the oil and half of the butter in a large pot and add the onion, celery, and a seasoning of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables begin to soften, 4–6 minutes. Add the chopped asparagus and the thyme and stir over high heat until the asparagus is tender but still vibrant green, 3–4 minutes. Pour in just enough stock to cover and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat.
Blend the soup while it is still hot: Place half the vegetables in a blender using a slotted spoon, add one or two ladles of hot stock, and blend well. Push the resulting purée through a fine sieve into a clean pot, pressing down hard with the back of the ladle. Discard the pulp. Repeat with the remaining soup. Gradually add more hot stock to the sieved purée until you get a creamy consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding a little lemon juice if you like, and erring toward the side of over-seasoning if you intend to serve the soup cold.
When ready to serve, add the cream and gently reheat until the soup just comes to a simmer. Meanwhile, sauté the asparagus tips in the remaining butter with some seasoning in a hot frying pan. Add a splash of water, cover the pan, and let the asparagus steam until just tender, 2–3 minutes.
Pour the soup into warm bowls and garnish with the asparagus tips. Drizzle a little olive oil over the top and serve immediately.
Alnwick soup
I’ve used the core ingredients of the classic Alnwick stew, from Northumberland, England, to make this hearty soup. The broth is light and flavorful, and at the same time the chunks of ham and vegetables are nourishing and satisfying. Eat with rye or seeded bread. Comfort in a bowl.
SERVES 4–6
Broth:
2 smoked ham hocks, about 1¾ pounds in total
1 large onion, roughly chopped
2 large carrots, roughly chopped
2 celery ribs, roughly chopped
1 bay leaf
few sprigs of fresh thyme
½ teaspoon black peppercorns
To finish:
2 large onions, roughly chopped
2 large boiling potatoes, cut into bite-size chunks
2 celery ribs, roughly chopped
few sprigs of fresh thyme
generous handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves chopped
Cut off any rind and excess fat from the ham hocks, then place in a large pot. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let simmer for 10 minutes. Pour off the water.
Add the onion, carrots, celery, bay leaf, thyme, and peppercorns to the pot to join the ham hocks. Cover with fresh water and bring to a simmer. Gently cook until the meat is tender and falling off the bone, 2½–3 hours, turning the hocks around halfway through to ensure even cooking. When ready, let the hocks cool in the liquid.
Remove the ham hocks to a large bowl using a pair of tongs. Pull the meat off the bone and tear into bite-size chunks. Strain the stock into a clean pot and discard the vegetables, herbs, and peppercorns. Add the onions, potatoes, celery, and thyme to the strained stock and bring to a simmer. Cook until the vegetables are soft, 30–40 minutes. Add the chunks of ham and simmer for 10 minutes longer to warm through. Ladle into warm soup bowls and sprinkle with parsley.
Broccoli, Stilton, and pear soup
Here’s a soup that’s perfect for entertaining, both for its elegance and for its ease of preparation. The broccoli soup can be prepared a day in advance, ready to reheat. It is best to roast the pears just before serving, but you can peel them earlier: Put them in water with a squeeze of lemon juice to prevent them from turning brown, then drain and pat dry with paper towels before roasting so they will caramelize nicely.
SERVES 4 AS A FIRST COURSE
2 large heads of broccoli, about 2¼ pounds in total
3 cups hot chicken or vegetable stock (see Chapter 9)
4 ounces Stilton, crumbled
2 firm but ripe pears
2 tablespoons butter
handful of toasted sliced almonds for garnish
Cut the broccoli into florets, but do not waste the stalks. Peel off the tough skins from the stalks and roughly chop up the tender core.
Bring the stock to a boil in a large pot. Add the broccoli and cover the pot. Cook until the broccoli is tender but still bright green, 3–4 minutes. In two batches, blend the broccoli and stock into a smooth soup, adding half of the Stilton as you do so. Return the soup to the pot. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Reheat just before serving.
Peel the pears and cut them in half lengthwise. Remove the cores with an apple corer. Melt the butter in a pan and add the pear halves, cut-side down. Spoon the foaming butter over the pears to baste as you cook them. Pan-roast them on one side until they are golden brown around the edges, 1–2 minutes, then flip them over to pan-roast the other side for 1–2 minutes longer. Remove to a plate and drain off the excess butter.
Pour the soup into warm bowls and place a pan-roasted pear half in the center of each. Scatter the remaining crumbled Stilton and the sliced almonds over the soup to garnish. Serve at once.
Conger eel bisque
Conger eels, which you can find in ethnic markets, are considered a delicacy by the French and Japanese. Here I’ve used the eel as a base for a flavorful fish soup. It’s rich, so serve it in small bowls with a few garlic croûtes.
SERVES 4–6 AS A FIRST COURSE
4½ pounds conger eel fillets (ask the fish merchant to remove the skin and cut the meat into boneless fillets)
pinch of saffron strands
olive oil for cooking
1 fennel bulb, finely sliced
1 carrot, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 shallot, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 star anise
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup Pernod or Noilly Prat
1 large potato, about 12 ounces, finely diced (about 2 heaped cups)
5 vine-ripened plum or Roma tomatoes, deseeded and chopped sprig each of fresh basil and flat-leaf parsley, leaves chopped
4 cups hot fish stock (see Chapter 9)
squeeze of lemon juice (optional)
Season the eel fillets with salt, pepper, and saffron, then drizzle on a little olive oil. Toss well to coat evenly. Heat a thin layer of olive oil in a wide pot. Fry the eel fillets in batches over medium heat for 2–3 minutes on each side. Remove to a plate and set aside.
Add a little more oil to the pot and toss in the fennel, carrot, celery, shallot, garlic, star anise, and cayenne. Cook over medium heat for a few minutes, stirring frequently. Pour in the Pernod and boil until reduced to a syrupy consistency. Add the potato, tomatoes, and herbs, then return the eel to the pot. Pour in enough stock to cover and bring to a simmer. Cook gently until the potatoes are very soft, 15–20 minutes.
Remove and discard the star anise. In batches, blend the soup until smooth, holding a dish towel over the blender as you blitz to avoid hot-soup splatters. Strain the soup through a fine sieve into a clean pot, pressing down to extract all the liquid.
Return the soup to a gentle simmer and reheat for a few minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding a squeeze of lemon juice if needed. Serve immediately.
Italian-style turnip soup
This is a great quick and healthy soup for a weeknight supper. It is also ideal for vegetarians—simply omit the bacon and use vegetable stock. You also could add a mixture of root vegetables and replace the rice with macaroni or other pasta.
S
ERVES 4–6
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 thick slice lean bacon, chopped
1 small onion, chopped into ½-inch dice
1 pound turnips, chopped into ½-inch dice
scant 1 cup risotto rice, such as carnaroli, vialone nano, or arborio
3 cups hot chicken or vegetable stock (see Chapter 9)
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves chopped
Heat the butter and oil in a large pot. As the butter begins to foam, add the bacon and fry until golden brown, 3–4 minutes. Stir in the onion, turnips, and some salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables are soft and lightly golden, 6–8 minutes longer.
Tip in the rice and stir well, adding a little more oil if necessary. Toast the rice for a minute, then pour in the stock to cover. Give the mixture a stir. Partially cover the pot and simmer gently until the rice is tender, 15–20 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Add a little boiling water as necessary to increase the broth.
Just before serving, stir in 2 tablespoons of Parmesan. Ladle the soup into warm bowls and sprinkle the remaining Parmesan and the chopped parsley on top. Serve immediately.
Cornish crab soup
This crab soup instantly transports me to lovely vacations by the coast in Cornwall, in the southwest of England. It may seem like a lot of effort to pick the meat from the crabs and use the shells to make your own stock, but trust me, the results are well worth it.
SERVES 4
1 or more cooked crabs, depending on type, 3½–4 pounds in total
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, minced
1 large carrot, minced
2 celery ribs, minced
1 large garlic clove, sliced
1 lemongrass stalk, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
splash of brandy or Cognac
scant 1 cup Noilly Prat or dry white wine
3 plum or Roma tomatoes, chopped
sprig each of fresh basil, tarragon, and parsley
3–4 tablespoons crème fraîche
handful of cilantro leaves for garnish
Remove the meat from the crab bodies, legs, and claws (be sure to discard the small spongy sac and furry gray gills that are known as dead man’s fingers). Use the back of a Chinese cleaver, a strong chef’s knife, or a pestle to break up the crab shells into small pieces. Place them in a large bowl.
Now make the crab stock: Heat the oil in a large pot and add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and lemongrass. Stir over high heat until the vegetables are golden and beginning to soften, 4–6 minutes. Add the crab shells, tomato paste, and a splash of brandy or Cognac and stir well. Fry for 4–5 minutes longer, stirring frequently. Add the Noilly Prat and boil for a few minutes until reduced by two-thirds. Pour in enough water to cover (about 3 cups) and bring to a simmer. Skim off any scum or froth from the surface of the liquid, then add the tomatoes and herbs. Simmer for 20 minutes.
Strain the stock through a fine sieve into a clean pot. Discard the shells and vegetables. Bring the stock to a boil and let it bubble vigorously until reduced by a third, to about 2 cups. Stir in a few tablespoons of crème fraîche and season well to taste.
Spoon the crabmeat into the center of warmed bowls and pour the piping hot soup around. (You could also add the crabmeat to the gently simmering soup to warm through before serving.) Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve.
Oxtail soup
Oxtail is still a relatively cheap cut, and the gelatinous nature of the meat makes it ideal for soups and stews. I remember it as one of my favorite soups when I was growing up, and I think it’s a shame this warming and delicious soup isn’t as popular as it used to be.
SERVES 4
1 oxtail, about 3½ pounds, disjointed
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2–3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large carrot, roughly chopped
1 turnip, roughly chopped
1 celery rib, roughly chopped
1 large onion, roughly chopped
1 bay leaf
few sprigs of fresh thyme
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1¼ cups red wine
5 cups hot beef stock (see Chapter 9)
2 tablespoons butter, softened
handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves chopped
Trim off any excess fat from the oxtail pieces. In a shallow bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of the flour with some salt and pepper. Heat half the oil in a large, heavy-based or cast-iron pot until hot. Coat the oxtail pieces with the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess, and fry until evenly browned all over, 2–2½ minutes on each side. Remove the oxtail to a plate and set aside.
Add the remaining oil to the pot along with the chopped vegetables, herbs, and peppercorns. Cook until the vegetables begin to soften, 4–5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and remaining seasoned flour, adding a little more oil as necessary. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring frequently.
Pour in the red wine and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to dislodge the sediment. Boil for a few minutes. Return the oxtail to the pot and pour in the stock to cover. Bring to a simmer and skim off any scum that rises to the surface. Partially cover the pot and cook gently until the oxtail meat is very tender and comes off the bone easily, about 3 hours. With a pair of kitchen tongs, lift out the oxtail pieces to a large bowl and let cool slightly.
Strain the soup through a fine sieve into a clean pot, pushing down on the vegetables with the back of a ladle to extract as much liquid as possible. To thicken the soup, mix the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour with the butter, then whisk into the simmering soup a little at a time. Simmer for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, pull the meat from the oxtail bones and shred into small pieces. Taste and adjust the seasoning of the soup, then add the shredded meat to warm through. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.
Summer soup
Most summer soups are served smooth and creamy, and usually cold, but I like some to be rustic—chunky vegetables in a light broth. If you decide to purée the soup, mix in some heavy cream after blending, to add richness and to give a silky texture.
SERVES 4–6
¼ cup olive oil
2 small onions, chopped into ½-inch dice
2 large potatoes, about 1 pound in total, chopped into ½-inch dice (about 3 cups)
8 ounces zucchini, chopped into ½-inch dice (about 2 cups)
leaves stripped from a few sprigs of fresh thyme
4 cups hot vegetable or chicken stock (see Chapter 9)
1 head of romaine, finely shredded
handful each of fresh mint and flat-leaf parsley, leaves chopped
Heat a large pot with the oil and add the onions and potatoes. Cook over medium heat for 4–5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the zucchini, thyme leaves, and some salt and pepper and cook for a couple of minutes longer.
Pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Add the lettuce and remove from the heat as soon as the lettuce has wilted. Scatter half of the chopped herbs over the soup. Ladle into warm bowls and garnish with the remaining chopped herbs.
Crayfish chowder
Crayfish (or crawfish as they are known in the southern U.S.) are delicious in salads, in rice and pasta dishes, and in soups, such as this New England-style chowder. Although you can buy cooked and shelled crayfish tails, you will miss out on the flavor from the shells and heads. So buy whole crayfish (frozen ones if you are too squeamish to cook them alive). This chowder is quite substantial. With sourdough bread and a light salad, it will make a good, satisfying lunch.
SERVES 4
Crayfish stock:
3½–4½ pounds live crayfish
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 c
elery rib, chopped
2 bay leaves
few sprigs of fresh thyme
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup dry white wine
1 plum or Roma tomato, chopped
Chowder:
2 tablespoons butter
1 leek, minced
1 carrot, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 potato, finely diced
1 cup corn kernels, thawed if frozen
squeeze of lemon juice, to taste
¼ cup crème fraîche for serving (optional)
handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves chopped
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the crayfish in two batches: Add half to the pot and bring the water back to a boil. Cook for 3 minutes, then remove with tongs and drop into a large bowl of ice water. Repeat with the remaining crayfish.
Drain the crayfish and remove the meat: First, pull out the claws. Snip the shell underneath the tail with kitchen scissors, take out the tail meat, and set aside. If you have the time and patience, crack the claws and extract the small pieces of meat. Set aside with the meat from the tails. Place the heads and shells in a large bowl and bash them with a pestle or the end of a rolling pin to break them into smaller pieces.
Pour the water from the pot, then heat the oil in it. Stir in the onion, carrot, celery, and herbs. Cook over high heat until the vegetables are lightly browned, 4–6 minutes. Add the tomato paste and crayfish shells. Stir over high heat for 4–5 minutes.
Pour in the white wine and boil until it has almost all evaporated and the pot is quite dry. Add the chopped tomato and pour in enough water to cover the shells. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for 15–20 minutes. When ready, strain the stock through a fine sieve into a clean pot and discard the shells and vegetables. Boil the stock until reduced to about 3 cups.
Cooking for Friends Page 2