by Rick Rodgers
Note
Farro is a very old type of wheat that is still grown, as it has been for centuries, in Italy. It is very similar to wheat berries, which can be substituted.
Jerusalem Artichoke and Mushroom Soup
Makes 6 servings
Never underestimate the element of surprise in your menus—it is always interesting to expose your guests to new ingredients. Also known as sunchokes, Jerusalem artichokes are hardly new, but they aren’t as popular as they could be, and most guests will be guessing at this soup’s main ingredient. Their earthiness pairs nicely with mushrooms, and the soup is never better than when enjoyed with a glass of Pinot Noir.
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4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 pounds Jerusalem artichokes, peeled and cut crosswise into ¼-inch-thick slices
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary, plus more for garnish, or ½ teaspoon crumbled dried rosemary
6 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade, or use canned low-sodium broth
10 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* * *
1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the Jerusalem artichokes and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, abut 10 minutes.
2. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it softens, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and rosemary, and cook until the garlic gives off its fragrance, about 1 minute. Stir in the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer until the artichokes are barely tender, about 20 minutes.
3. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Stir into the soup and cook until the artichokes are very tender, about 10 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Serve hot, topping each serving with a sprinkle of fresh rosemary.
Chicken, Potato, and Leek Soup
Makes 6 to 8 servings
The trio of chicken, potatoes, and leeks has often been turned into soup, but most cooks go for a delicate version that is one step away from being vichyssoise. This one is much more robust and appropriate for a winter meal, almost like roast chicken in a bowl. The soup has plenty of flavor with water alone, but use chicken stock if you prefer it.
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4 bacon slices, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
Two 12-ounce chicken breast halves with skin and bone
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 large leeks, white and pale green parts only, chopped (about 2 cups)
8 cups water (or substitute chicken stock if you prefer)
1 large baking potato, such as russet or Burbank, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme or ¾ teaspoon dried thyme
½ cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* * *
1. Cook the bacon and oil together in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp and browned, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain, leaving the fat in the saucepan.
2. Add the chicken to the fat, skin side down. Cook until the skin is deeply browned, about 4 minutes. Turn and cook the other side until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
3. Pour off any fat in the saucepan. Add the butter to the saucepan and return to medium heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, scraping up any browned bits in the bottom of the saucepan, until tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in the water with the potato and thyme. Return the chicken to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the potato is tender, about 25 minutes.
4. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Remove the skin and bones and coarsely chop the meat. Set aside.
5. Add the cream to the soup and heat until piping hot, but do not boil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. In batches, puree the soup in a blender and return to the saucepan.
6. Serve hot, topping each serving with some of the chicken and bacon.
“Stuffed Cabbage” Soup
Makes 6 to 8 servings
When I first moved to New York, I lived in the East Village, which was dotted with Eastern European coffee shops. Each place featured stuffed cabbage as a cheap daily special, and I quickly learned to both love it and make my own. When I don’t have the time for rolling and stuffing the cabbage, I make this soup that has all of the flavors, but is less labor-intensive.
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MEATBALLS
1 large egg
3 tablespoons dried unflavored bread crumbs
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound ground round beef
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
SOUP
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 cups packed coarsely chopped green cabbage (about 1 pound)
4 cups beef stock, preferably homemade, or use low-sodium canned broth
One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes in puree
2 cups water
½ teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 bay leaf
1/3 cup long-grain rice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Sour cream, for serving
* * *
1. To make the meatballs, beat the egg in a medium bowl. Add the bread crumbs, salt, and pepper and mix together. Add the beef and mix lightly but thoroughly with your hands. Roll into 16 meatballs.
2. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. In batches, add the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate, leaving the fat in the pot.
3. To make the soup, add the oil to the fat in the pot. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until it gives off its fragrance, about 1 minute. Add the cabbage and stir well. Add the stock, tomatoes and their puree, water, thyme, sugar, vinegar, and bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the meatballs and cook until they show no sign of pink when pierced in the center, about 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the rice and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Drain in a wire sieve and rinse under cold running water.
5. Stir the cooked rice into the soup. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Serve hot, with a dollop of sour cream on each serving.
Variation
Meaty Beet Borscht: Add 3 medium beets, peeled and cut into ½ -inch dice, to the soup with the stock. Simmer until the beets are tender, about 45 minutes, before adding the browned meatballs. If you wish, substitute 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill for the dried thyme.
Moroccan Lamb and Garbanzo Bean Soup
Makes 6 to 8 servings
Moroccan cooks are masterful at blending spices, as this fragrant and deeply flavored soup attests. Originally this soup was made with chunks of boneless lamb shoulder roast, but unfortunately that cut is very hard to find at supermarkets. I now use lamb chops, and their bones also enrich the broth.
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1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon crushed hot red pepper flakes
Three 12-ounce lamb shoulder chops, cut about ¾ inch thick
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade, or use canned low-sodium broth
One 28-ounce can plum tomatoes in juice, coarsely chopped, juice reserved
2 cups water
One 15-to 19-ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
* * *
1. Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add the coriander and cumin seeds and cook, stirring occasionally, until the seeds are toasted and fragrant. Transfer to a plate and let cool. Transfer to an electric spice grinder or a mortar and grind into a coarse powder. Stir in the cinnamon and red pepper flakes. Set aside.
2. Cut the meat from the chops, trimming away excess fat, and cut the meat into bite-size pieces. Reserve the bones. Season the meat with salt and pepper.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the lamb and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to a plate, leaving the fat in the pan.
4. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the pot and heat. Add the onion and reduce the heat to medium. Cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until it gives off its fragrance, about 1 minute. Stir in the spice mixture and cook until it gives off its aroma, about 15 seconds. Pour in the stock and scrape up the browned bits in the pot with a wooden spatula. Return the meat and bones to the pot, along with the tomatoes and their juice and the water. Bring to a boil over high heat, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the meat is tender, about 1 hour. Add the beans and cook until heated through, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove and discard the lamb bones.
5. Serve hot, sprinkling each serving with cilantro.
Mussel and Fennel Bisque
Makes 6 servings
Poor fennel—it just doesn’t get its due from American cooks. Here, it lends its light anise flavor to a creamy bisque that is elegant enough to serve to company, yet comforting enough to serve for a supper or lunch.
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2 pounds mussels
1 cup dry white wine
4 cups homemade fish stock or bottled clam juice, as needed
1 large head fennel (also known as anise), preferably with fronds
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup chopped carrots
½ cup chopped shallots
¼ cup long-grain rice
1 teaspoon tomato paste
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup heavy cream
Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)
* * *
1. Scrub the mussels under cold running water, debearding them, if necessary. Put the mussels in a large bowl and add enough cold salted water to cover. Let stand for 1 to 2 hours. Drain and rinse the mussels.
2. Combine the mussels and wine in a large saucepan and cover. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until all of the mussels open, about 5 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the mussels to a bowl. Discard any unopened mussels.
3. Strain the cooking liquid through a wire sieve lined with moistened, wrung-out cheesecloth to remove any grit. Add enough fish stock or clam juice to the mussel liquid to make 5 cups. (If you run out of stock or clam juice, use water.) Remove the mussels from their shells and place the meat in a bowl, discarding the shells. Cover and refrigerate the shelled mussels.
4. If the fennel has its fronds attached, remove, finely chop, and reserve them for garnish. Cut the fennel bulb in half lengthwise and cut out and discard the hard triangular core. Cut the fennel into ½-inch dice; you should have about 2¼ cups fennel.
5. Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add 1½ cups of the chopped fennel and the carrots. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the shallots and cook, uncovered, until the shallots soften, about 3 minutes. Add the clam juice mixture with the rice, tomato paste, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and partially cover. Simmer until the rice is very tender, about 25 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.
6. Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the reserved diced fennel and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.
7. In batches, puree the bisque mixture in a blender. Return the bisque to the saucepan. Add the cream and shelled mussels, and heat just until piping hot; do not boil. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Ladle the bisque into individual soup bowls. Add a spoonful of sautéed fennel to each and sprinkle with fennel fronds or parsley. Serve hot.
Lime and Cilantro Slaw
Makes 6 to 8 servings
It is ironic that citrus, which invokes thoughts of sunny places, should be at the peak of its season during the winter months. On the other hand, cabbage, also a winter staple, is likely to remind one of cold climes. Nonetheless, the two complement each other well in this bright-flavored slaw. You might want to serve it with the Soft Tacos with Chipotle Carnitas (Chapter 3).
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Grated zest of 1 lime
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 garlic clove, crushed through a press
¾ cup pure olive oil
One 2¼-pound head green cabbage, shredded
6 scallions, white and green parts, chopped
¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* * *
1. Whisk the lime zest, lime juice, and garlic together in a large bowl. Gradually whisk in the oil.
2. Add the cabbage, scallions, and cilantro, and mix. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours. (The slaw can be made up to 2 days ahead.) Serve chilled.
Roasted Beet and Orange Salad
Makes 6 servings
With its Day-Glo colors, this salad has lots of visual appeal that is more than matched by its mouth-filling flavors. There is no better way to prepare beets than roasting, and I wish I had a nickel for all of the times I’ve served this to a guest who’s said, “I don’t even like beets, but I love this salad.”
* * *
6 medium beets, scrubbed but unpeeled
2 large navel oranges
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ small red onion, cut into thin half-moons
* * *
1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400°F.