Leite's Culinaria» soups

Pureed Pea Soup with Mint

Mona Talbott — Tue, 15 May 2012 14:00:46 +0000

Zuppe: Soups from the kitchen of the American Academy in Rome | The Little Bookroom, | Serves 6

English peas come in fast and we make a feast of them in the early days of spring. This sweet creamy soup is exactly the same color as the Bass Garden outside the kitchen window. Adding the parsley and mint at the end not only intensifies the flavor, but accentuates the brilliant spring green color. Avoid the temptation to make this soup out of season with frozen peas—it’s just not the same.–Mona Talbott

LC Fresh Not Frozen Peas, Please Note: Trust us, you’ll want to rely on freshly shelled peas–and their spent pods–so as to achieve the fullness of this soup’s sweet, sweet goodness. Those bags of little green orbs languishing atop your fridge, the ones that are probably freezer burnt? Save ‘em for another day, preferably as ice packs.

Active time: 30 minutes | Total time: 45 minutes

Pureed Pea Soup With Mint Recipe

Ingredients

| metric conversion

4 1/2 pounds English peas in pods
3 slender spring onions (we’re talking true spring onions, although you can substitute scallions)
1 stalk green garlic
1 leek
3 sprigs fresh parsley, leaves separated from stems
3 quarts (12 cups) cold water
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt
1/4 cup Arborio rice
3 sprigs fresh mint, leaves only
Black pepper, to taste
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Directions

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1. Shell the peas, reserving the pods.
2. Rinse the spring onions, green garlic, and leek. Peel off the outer layers and cut off the roots, reserving the trimmings.
3. Toss the pea pods, the trimmings from the onion, garlic, and leek, and the parsley stems into a large pot. Add the cold water and bring to a boil. Skim any foam that collects on the surface, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes to create a light pea pod broth. Strain the broth, discarding the solids. You should have about 2 1/2 quarts (10 cups) of broth.
4. Meanwhile, thinly slice the spring onions, green garlic, and leek. Place them in a large pot along with the olive oil and place over medium heat. Season with a generous pinch of salt and stir. Add the rice and about 3/4 of the shelled peas and stir again to coat with the oil. Add another generous pinch of salt and about 7 cups of the pea broth if you prefer a thicker consistency, slightly more broth if you want a thinner consistency. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and let it burble until the rice is fully cooked and the peas are very tender, 12 to 15 minutes.
5. Toss the parsley and mint leaves into the soup and puree with an immersion blender or let cool slightly and puree in a blender, processing just until the soup is creamy. Add as much of the remaining pea broth or, if necessary, cold water to achieve the desired consistency. Avoid over-pureeing the soup or you’ll end up with a gummy texture.
6. Pour the puree into the pot, add the reserved peas, and simmer oh-so-gently just until the peas are tender. Taste and season accordingly if necessary. Serve with freshly ground black pepper and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.

Hungry for more? Chow down on these:

Chilled Pea Soup with Shrimp from Inspired Taste
Black-Eyed Pea Soup with Tomatoes and Spices from Lisa's Kitchen
Carrot and Lentil Soup from Leite's Culinaria
Green Gazpacho from Leite's Culinaria

Pasta Soup with Potatoes and Pancetta

Gino D'Acampo — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 14:00:48 +0000

Pasta Italiana | Kyle Books, 2012 | Serves 6

Many people would never associate pasta and potato, but in this case you’re really going to have to trust me. This recipe has been in my family for more than 50 years, and considering that so far there have been two chefs in the family, it must be fantastico! Make sure you use a mealy potato like a Russet. [Editor's Note: The word "mealy" may have uncouth associations in some circles, although it's actually quite coveted in this recipe, given how the mealiness lends a lot to the hearty, stew-like consistency of this soup.]–Gino D’Acampo

LC Like Bacon for Pancetta? Note: We’ve a wee caveat to share with anyone tempted to substitute bacon for pancetta in this pantry-minded recipe. While that swap works in some recipes, we don’t encourage trying it here. Pancetta’s sturdy texture and meatiness handily withstand being simmered in this soupy stew without becoming limpid and soggy. Sadly, the same can’t be said about bacon, which turns flabby. Save it for frying up in a pan.

Active time: 25 minutes | Total time: 45 minutes

Pasta Soup with Potatoes, Pancetta and Leeks Recipe

Ingredients

| metric conversion

6 tablespoons olive oil
1 large leek, washed and finely chopped
9 ounces pancetta, diced
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
14 ounces (2 small potatoes or 1 very large one) mealy potatoes, such as russets, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 quarts (8 cups) hot vegetable stock (or substitute chicken, beef or duck stock)
3 tablespoons canned chopped tomatoes, drained, or more to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 1/4 cups (9 ounces) farfalline or another soup pasta (or even spaghetti, broken into bits)
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

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1. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the leek and pancetta for about 3 minutes. Add the carrot and potato and cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, for another 2 minutes.
2. Pour in the stock, lower the heat, and simmer gently, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
3. Add the chopped tomatoes and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the pasta and continue to cook over low heat, uncovered, stirring every 2 minutes, until the pasta is al dente, about 6 minutes.
4. When the pasta is cooked to your liking, remove the pan of soup from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese. Immediately ladle the soup into bowls.

Hungry for more? Chow down on these:

Roasted Potato Leek Soup with Kale from Not Eating Out in New York
Mediterranean Chicken, Bean & Pasta Soup from Cookin' Canuck
Ribollita in the Style of Siena from Leite's Culinaria
Leek and Potato Soup with Bacon from Leite's Culinaria

Congee | Jok Plaw

David Thompson — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:45:39 +0000

Thai Street Food | Ten Speed Press, 2011 | Serves 4 to 6

This is a gentle and comforting congee that heals and salves the soul. All is forgiven or forgotten after eating this suave silken potage. It is eaten for supper, a dinner alone or occasionally for breakfast. It is especially kind to those who are feeling unwell.

The congee must simmer very, very gently, and it should not be too thick or dry–you may need to add more water as it cooks. Once done, it’s ready to use as a base for other, more complex congees. [Editor's Note: And by "complex congees," the author means those to which any number of things have been stirred in, whether scallion and cracked black pepper and a dash of soy sauce and a raw egg stirred in just before serving, as in the photo above, or shredded pork and and black pepper or shredded chicken and ginger or a sprinkling of peanuts or, well, just about anything, really.] Plain congee is really invalids’ food, but Thais and Chinese love its bland taste and easy-to-digest texture. Please note, many Chinese congee recipes use chicken stock in place of water. You can do that if you please. I suggest watering it down slightly if it’s a rich broth.–David Thompson

LC Breaking Down Broken Rice Note: We’re going to borrow author David Thompson’s definition of broken rice, which is, as he says, “simply the grains of rice that break and shatter during the milling process.” In the eyes of some, these broken kernels are damaged goods, separated from the whole grains, as it can no longer be used to make steamed rice. Thompson explains further, saying “the starch spills out of the broken grains as they cook, making a gluggy, gluey mass. Terrible for steamed rice, but wonderful for soup! Some Thai cooks prefer new season’s rice for congee, saying it makes a more supple soup, while others incline to old grains, saying it has more character and aroma. I plump for the latter. Broken rice is easily bought in Thailand, and is usually available in Chinese grocery shops. It is also very easy to make: just lightly grind or pound the required amount.” If you just don’t have it in you to trek to Chinatown or pound rice, you can still partake of congee. Just use regular whole-grain rice and simmer it a little longer.

Active time: 5 minutes | Total time: 2 hours, not including soaking

Congee Recipe

Ingredients

| metric conversion

2 cups (about 1 pound) broken rice
8 cups cold water
1 teaspoon salt
Shredded ginger root
Freshly cracked black pepper
Thinly sliced scallions
Cilantro
Chopped peanuts

Directions

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1. Rinse the rice well and drain it. Soak it in plenty of cold water for 2 to 3 hours–no longer or the cooked congee will be a thin, dull gruel with no perfume.
2. In a large, heavy pan, bring the water to a boil with the salt. Drain the rice and gradually pour it into the boiling water, stirring gently and constantly as the rice returns to a boil. (If the uncooked rice sticks to the pan and scorches, your congee will be ruined.)
3. When the rice begins to swell, turn down the heat to very low, cover with a lid, and simmer as gently as possible, stirring regularly and adding more water if needed, until the rice grains have almost dissolved, 45 minutes to 1 hour. (If you didn’t use broken or pounded rice, you’ll need to cook it for somewhere around twice as long. You may also need to add a little extra water if the rice absorbs so much water that the congee loses its soupy consistency.)
4. Remove from the heat, cover, and set aside for a short spell or up to a few hours. Ladle into bowls and pass the ginger root, black pepper, scallions, cilantro, and peanuts on the side for each person to add as they desire.

Hungry for more? Chow down on these:

Thai Chicken Coconut Soup from Steamy Kitchen
Bee Thai Bak from Rasa Malaysia
Thai Hot and Sour Soup from Leite's Culinaria
Pho Bo from Leite's Culinaria

Cincinnati Chili

Ellie Krieger — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 15:00:45 +0000

Comfort Food Fix | Wiley, 2011 | Serves 4

In Cincinnati they heat things up with heaping bowls of chili cooked until practically melted, with additions such as warm spices like cinnamon, cocoa powder, allspice, and cloves, and a touch of sweet molasses. Served over spaghetti and topped with hearty beans, cheese, and onion, it’s like no chili you have had before, but definitely one you’ll make over and over again.–Ellie Krieger

LC Three Way, Four Way, Five Way, Oh My! Note: Are we all familiar with Cincinnati-style chili? This unique and saucy take on chili is traditionally and ubiquitously plopped atop spaghetti and, if you please, glopped with Cheddar cheese, red onions, and/or beans. Mind you, there’s proper Cincinnati chili terminology to describe exactly how you like yours…

Two Way: Chili plopped on spaghetti

Three Way: Chili plopped on spaghetti and smothered with cheese

Four Way: Chili plopped on spaghetti and smothered with cheese and diced red onions or beans

Five Way: Chili plopped on spaghetti and smothered with cheese, diced red onions, and beans

One last thing. This rendition is made with ground turkey, which is hardly traditional, although you can’t really tell the difference. Honestly. That said, we’re not going to try to stop you from making it with ground beef. As if we could stop you.

Active time: 30 minutes | Total time: 2 hours, 45 minutes

Cincinnati Chili Recipe

Ingredients

| metric conversion

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound lean ground turkey
2 green bell peppers, diced
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon unsweetened natural cocoa
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano (optional)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
One 15-ounce can no-salt-added tomato sauce
One 15-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, with their juices
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon unsulfured molasses
1 bay leaf
8 ounces spaghetti, preferably whole-grain, cooked according to package directions
1 cup canned kidney beans, preferably low-sodium, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup grated, lightly packed extra-sharp Cheddar Cheese
4 teaspoons finely diced red onion

Directions

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1. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the turkey and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon into small pieces, until just cooked through and no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the bell peppers and cook until they begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the chili powder, cocoa, paprika, cumin, oregano (if using), cinnamon, allspice, cayenne pepper, salt, black pepper, and cloves and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Add the tomato sauce, tomatoes with their juice, water, molasses, and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently, partially covered, until the mixture has thickened considerably but is still somewhat soupy, about 2 hours.
4. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Serve the chili over the spaghetti, topped with the kidney beans, cheese, and diced red onion.

Hungry for more? Chow down on these:

Drunken Texas Chili from The Paupered Chef
Pumpkin Turkey Chili from Love and Olive Oil
Black and White Chicken Chili from Leite's Culinaria
Turkey and White Bean Chili from Leite's Culinaria

Game Day Chili

Whitney Miller — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 15:10:55 +0000

Modern Hospitality | Rodale Books, 2011 |

Who doesn’t love a homemade bowl of warming, stick-to-your ribs chili? I like to make this recipe on a Saturday or Sunday during football season when the air turns crisp. A big pot of chili makes for a great tailgating menu item. When serving it at home, I like to set out little bowls of toppings so my guests can make their own creations.–Whitney Miller

LC Girling It Up With Game Day Chili Note: No one needs to tell you that chili is hardly just guy food. But it can seem even girlier, er, more ladylike than you’d ever imagined when you serve in diminutive, floral tea cups, just as in the photo above. We like to do this when serving it to guys, just to see if they’ll raise their pinkies as they tuck into it. Hee hee hee.

Active time: 35 minutes | Total time: 1 hour, 50 minutes

Game Day Chili Recipe

Ingredients

| metric conversion

For the chili
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 pound beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups reduced-sodium beef stock
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 small onion, diced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
5 garlic cloves, minced
Salt, if desired
1 pound ground beef
1 15-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
3 chipotle peppers in adobe sauce, thinly sliced
For the toppings
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
1 16-ounce container sour cream
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Directions

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Make the chili
1. Heat the canola oil in a large soup pot over medium-low heat. Dredge the meat in 2 tablespoons of the flour. Add to the pot and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add the stock and simmer until the beef is almost tender but not falling apart, about 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the bell pepper and onion and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, garlic, and salt, if desired, and cook 1 minute longer. (Here’s the deal with the salt: The chili arguably doesn’t need any, given all the chili and spice, though if you’re sort of a salt whore, you’ll miss it’s presence if you do without.) Add the ground beef to the pan and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until cooked through, about 7 minutes. Spoon the fat from the pan and discard.
3. When the stew meat has cooked for 30 minutes, add the ground beef and vegetables. Add both kinds of beans, the diced tomatoes and their juices, and the chipotle peppers. Gently simmer on low heat for 45 minutes to meld the flavors. Stir occasionally to make sure the chili doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
Assemble the toppings
4. Place all of the toppings in individual bowls to pass at the table. Ladle the chili into bowls or mugs and let everyone help themselves to the toppings.

Hungry for more? Chow down on these:

Smoky Turkey Chili with Chipotle Peppers and Beans from Cookin Canuck
Cornbread-Chili Casserole from Dorie Greenspan
Uncle D's Chili from Leite's Culinaria
Smoky Chipotle Vegetarian Chili from Leite's Culinaria

Carrot and Lentil Soup

Anjum Andand — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 14:00:35 +0000

Anjum Andand | Eat Right for Your Body Type | Da Capo Lifelong Books, 2011 | Serves 2 generously

A delicious, vibrant soup that’s sweet but also savory. The lentils give the soup body, protein, and fiber, as well as minerals. Carrots are a fantastic vegetable and are great for warming up various constitutions, especially when eaten in the cooler months. This is typical of an Ayurvedic soup as it’s light and nourishing—the simpler the food, the easier it is to digest. Eat as an appetizer or stir in some cooked rice for a more substantial meal.–Anjum Andand

LC What the Heck’s Ayurveda (and How do I Pronounce It, Please)? Note: Okay. Here’s our terribly oversimplified attempt at explaining Ayurveda (pronounced aa-yur-VAY-dah. It’s an ancient medical tradition in Indian culture, and it’s founded on the principle that there are three basic body types, or, if you will, constitutions–vata, pitta, and kapha. Certain dietary and lifestyle choices either bring you into balance or bump you further out of balance. Scoff if you will, but it’s been around a heck of a lot longer than any of us—five millennia at last count. Book after book has been written on the topic, and a simple Google search will turn up countless little quizzes you can take to find out your body type and how to take what Ayurvedic practitioners refer to as “intelligent action” in your life. Don’t know about you, but we could sure use some more intelligence in our lives. What are you waiting for?

Active time: 20 minutes | Total time: 40 minutes.

Carrot and Lentil Soup Recipe

Ingredients

| metric conversion

1 1/2 to 2 1/2 teaspoons ghee or vegetable oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/2 to 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger, depending on how zingy you like things
2 small garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper
11 ounces carrots (that’s 3 to 5 smallish or slender carrots), peeled and thickly sliced
2 tablespoons red lentils, washed
2 3/4 cups vegetable stock, chicken stock, or 1/2 teaspoon vegetable bouillon stock powder dissolved in 2 3/4 cups water
Handful fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Directions

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1. Heat the ghee or oil in a small nonstick saucepan. Add the onion and cook gently until golden, then add the ginger and garlic and stir for 40 to 60 seconds. Add the coriander, cumin, and salt and pepper and stir for 20 seconds. Add the carrots, lentils, and stock and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20 minutes.

2. Take the pan off the heat and use an immersion blender to puree it or set aside for at least 10 minutes and then puree it in a blender. If the consistency is too thick for your liking, just add a little water and blitz again.

3. Reheat over low heat, taste, and adjust the seasoning accordingly. Serve topped with cilantro.

Hungry for more? Chow down on these:

White Lentil Soup with Chorizo and Paprika Cream from La Tartine Gourmande
Carrot, Apple and Ginger Soup from Joy the Baker
Rustic Lentil Soup from Leite’s Culinaria
Carrot Soup with Chicken and Thyme from Leite’s Culinaria

Smoky Chipotle Vegetarian Chili

Cara Eisenpress | Phoebe Lapine — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 14:00:46 +0000

In the Small Kitchen | William Morrow, 2011 | Serves 10

To turn this chili into a full buffet party, follow a few easy steps. Bake a pan or two of cornbread. Set up bowls of garnishes (avocado, cheese, sour cream, cilantro, and lime wedges) on a countertop, preferably near the stove. Place bowls, spoons, and napkins next to the pot of chili. Have people load up.–Cara Eisenpress | Phoebe Lapine

LC You Complete Me Note: Nothing complements and completes a bowl of chili like, well, the aforementioned garnishes and side of cornbread, for starters. But let’s not overlook a few other sides, or actually bottoms, given that our tendency is to bury them beneath a ladleful of chili goodness. Tortilla chips. Steaming hot baked potatoes. Rice. Polenta. Fresh tortillas. To say nothing of a cold beer on the side. Are we missing anything?

Active time: 45 minutes | Total time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Smoky Chipotle Vegetarian Chili Recipe

Ingredients

| metric conversion

For the chili
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large sweet onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 orange bell pepper (if unavailable, double on red), chopped
2 medium zucchini, diced
1 yellow squash, diced
3 cloves garlic
Stems from 1 bunch of cilantro (leaves reserved for garnish)
One 7-ounce can mild green chiles
2 or 3 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
2 cups vegetable stock
Three 15-ounce cans diced fire-roasted tomatoes
Two 15-ounce cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
One 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
One 15-ounce can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 bottle dark Mexican beer (Negra Modelo if you can find it)
For the Garnishes
Leaves from 1 bunch fresh cilantro
8 ounces sour cream
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 limes, cut into thin wedges
2 avocados, seeded, peeled, diced, and tossed with lime juice

Directions

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Make the chili
1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and peppers and sauté until they’re beginning to caramelize, about 8 minutes.
2. Add the zucchini and yellow squash and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.
3. In the meantime, combine the garlic cloves, cilantro stems, green chiles, and chipotle chiles in a small food processor and process until minced. Add 1⁄2 cup of the stock and pulse to combine or stir together in a bowl.
4. Add the chile mixture and the tomatoes to the pot and bring to a simmer. Add the beans, salt, chili powder, cumin, oregano, beer, and the remaining 11⁄2 cups stock. Simmer, uncovered, stirring frequently, until the chili thickens and the vegetables soften, about 30 minutes.
Serve the chili
5. Remove the pot of chili from the heat and plonk it on another burner, the countertop, or the table. Place each garnish in a bowl and call your guests. (The chili is best if made the night before and rewarmed gently over low heat. It can keep in the refrigerator for up to a week.)

Hungry for more? Chow down on these:

Chili with Chocolate from David Lebovitz
Turkey Chili from Over the Hill and on a Roll
Black and White Chicken Chili from Leite's Culinaria
Uncle D's Chili from Leite's Culinaria

Spanish Gazpacho

Claudia Roden — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 17:16:03 +0000

Claudia Roden | The Food of Spain | Ecco, 2011 | Serves 4 to 6

Spanish gazpacho is the best thing to have on a hot day in the summer when tomatoes are sweet and full of flavor. It was born in the province of Seville, where tomatoes were first grown in Spain. It was the meal agricultural laborerers made when they worked in vegetable gardens. They brought with them a dornillo (large wooden mortar and pestle) to pound the ingredients that grew on the spot, some olive oil, salt, and vinegar, and bread. Years ago when I went to Spain, the gazpacho was pounded by hand in the old way and the result was like a finely chopped and mashed salad of tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers. Nowadays gazpachos are pureed in a food processor or blender.

There are many gazpacho recipes. My friend Manolo makes his with just tomatoes, garlic, and his own olive oil and vinegar. He makes quantities that he pours into large Coca-Cola bottles so that he and his sister and any friends who happen to be around can have some at any time of the day. I have used the following gazpacho recipe for years. I do not peel the tomatoes—if you use a food processor, the skin all but disappears. You can make this hours in advance, even the day before. If it is a very hot day, add an ice cube to each bowl when you serve. The garnish is optional. In Andalusia, they use green bell pepper because they like the peppery taste, but I like it with the sweet red pepper.–Claudia Roden

LC Got Gazpacho? Note: As Claudia Roden explains above, there’s no limit to the variations on this classic—or, we’d like to add, the manners in which you can serve it. Freshly made or from the fridge. Slurped from a bowl, whether alone for lunch or at a sit-down dinner with family or friends. Sipped from a shot glass or a tea cup as an hors d’oeuvre. Or however you please—perhaps, on those days when it’s not too hot to turn on the stove, even accompanied by a simple manchego quesadilla cut into wedges, a summertime riff on hot tomato soup with grilled cheese.

Active time: 15 minutes | Total time: 15 minutes, not including chilling.

Spanish Gazpacho Recipe

Ingredients

| metric conversion

For the gazpacho

1 thick slice white bread, crusts removed
2 1/4 pounds ripe plum tomatoes
1 red or green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 4 pieces
2 to 3 garlic cloves, crushed to a paste
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or wine vinegar, or more to taste
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, or to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon sugar, or more to taste

For the optional garnishes

1/2 cucumber, finely diced
1/2 red onion or 4 scallions, finely chopped
1/2 red or green bell pepper, finely diced
1 to 2 slices of white bread, cut into small cubes and lightly toasted

Directions

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1. Dry the slice of bread under the broiler, turning it once, without browning it. Break it up into pieces.

2. Quarter the tomatoes and remove the hard white bits at the stem end.

3. Blend the bell pepper to a paste in a food processor. Add the rest of the soup ingredients and blend to a light cream. Add a little cold water if necessary to thin the gazpacho—about 1/2 to 2/3 cup. Pour into a serving bowl and chill in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap, for at least an hour or up to a day.

4. Check the seasoning, and serve the gazpacho in soup bowls, accompanied, if you like, by the garnishes. Pass them around, each on a separate little plate or in four piles in a large serving plate.

Hungry for more? Chow down on these:

Watermelon Strawberry Gazpacho from Delicious Days
Chunky Spanish Gazpacho from Poor Girl Eats Well
Green Gazpacho from Leite’s Culinaria
Yellow Gazpacho from Leite’s Culinaria

New England Bouillabaisse for One

Judith Jones — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 03:35:59 +0000

Judith Jones | The Pleasures of Cooking for One | Knopf, 2009 | Serves 1

This mock bouillabaisse is so scrumptious that you would never know it had anything “left over” in it. You do have to stop and pick up a dozen or so fresh mussels and a few clams the day you’re making it, but otherwise everything else is at hand, and you can put this together in half an hour. I am assuming, of course, that you have a good fish stock in your freezer; if not, plan to make this after you’ve had a lobster or a supper of steamed mussels and have some of that intense lobster or mussel broth left. Otherwise use clam juice, diluted by half with water because it is quite strong.—Judith Jones

LC I Beg Your Pardon, What’s Pistou? Note: Pistou, a term which Ms. Jones bandies about easily but without explanation, means slightly different things to different folks. It came to be in Provence, in the South of France, where basil grows abundantly, its fragrance and flavor a classic and omnipresent accompaniment to almost everything. The condiment is simply basil pounded with garlic and olive oil in a mortar and pestle and served as a dollop on a soup or a spread on bread, although should you not happen to have any basil, Ms. Jones offers an alternate condiment, one that’s pictured above and is equally French. “If you don’t have any pistou on hand or time to make it, try mashing to a paste a small clove of garlic and a little salt, and then mixing that in with a tablespoon of mayonnaise. Whisk in a few pinches of paprika and a dash of hot pepper. Purists would not approve, but you can cheat a little when you’re by yourself. Nobody is looking.” There you have it.

Active time: 10 minutes | Total time: 30 minutes.

New England Bouillabaisse Recipe

Ingredients

| metric conversion

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
1 medium tomato, chopped
2 cups fish broth (see headnote)
A few fresh parsley stems
Pinch of fennel seeds
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4 or 5 small clams
1 dozen mussels
A piece of freshly cooked or leftover cooked fish, whether white fish or salmon (about 4 ounces)
A sprinkling of chopped parsley
2 slices French bread, toasted
A generous dollop of pistou (see LC I Beg Your Pardon, What’s Pistou? Note above)

Directions

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1. Heat the oil in a medium pot, and sauté the onion and garlic gently until softened.

2. Add the tomato, sauté another minute, then pour in the fish stock and seasonings, tasting to judge how much salt and pepper you need. Simmer for about 20 minutes.

3. Add the clams. If you’re using fresh fish, slip that into the pot now. Clams always take longer than mussels, so give the clams a few minutes before adding the mussels. If you’re using leftover cooked fish, slip that into the pot now along with the mussels. Cook until the shellfish opens. Discard any that do not open.

4. Sprinkle the parsley over the bouillabaisse and sit down to it with a couple of slices of toasted French bread spread with pistou.

Hungry for more? Chow down on these:

Seafood Stew with Lobster, Scallops and Clams from Stephens Cooks
Cioppino from No Recipes
Portuguese Bread Soup with Jumbo Shrimp from Leite’s Culinaria
Saffron Mussel Stew from Leite’s Culinaria

Chilled Tomato Soup with Aged Feta and Olives

Darryl Estrine | Kelly Kochendorfer — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 03:35:47 +0000

Darryl Estrine and Kelly Kochendorfer | Harvest to Heat | Taunton Press, 2010 | Serves 6

For this chilled tomato soup, we use a variety of tomatoes when available, perhaps Cherokee Purple, Aunt Ruby’s, and Green Zebra. Sun Golds, a little cherry tomato, are a favorite garnish. The feta and olives add the extra salt needed to bring out the pure tomato flavor. –Darryl Estrine and Kelly Kochendorfer

LC Um, Isn’t This Just Gazpacho? Note: Nope, this most certainly is not gazpacho. It’s more complex in terms of taste—though not at all complicated to make—and calls for cooking as well as some ingredients not common to gazpacho. It does, however, have the same soothing, chilling effect as that other chilled tomato soup on all those who partake.

Active time: 35 minutes | Total time: 1 hour, not including chilling.

Chilled Tomato Soup with Aged Feta and Olives Recipe

Ingredients

| metric conversion

3 pounds ripe tomatoes, preferably Sun Golds or other heirlooms, cored, plus more for garnish (Romas will work in a pinch)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 small onion, diced
1/2 cup thickly sliced leek, white part only (1 small leek)
1/4 cup diced fresh fennel bulb
1/4 cup diced celery
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
3 large cloves garlic, chopped
Bouquet garni (2 sprigs fresh thyme, 1 bay leaf, and 2 sprigs fresh basil tied together with butcher’s or kitchen twine)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 cups chicken or vegetable broth, preferably homemade
Hot sauce to taste
Celery salt to taste
Coarse salt and freshly ground white pepper
1/3 cup feta cheese, preferably barrel aged, crumbled
1/3 cup black Taggiasche (Ligurian) or Niçoise olives, pitted and roughly chopped
12 fresh basil leaves, julienned

Directions

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1. To make the chilled tomato soup, bring a large pot of water to a boil. With a sharp knife, make an “X” in the bottom of each tomato. Plunge the tomatoes into the water and cook for 1 minute. Drain and set aside until cool enough to handle. Using your fingertips, slip off and discard the skins and remove the seeds. Roughly chop the tomatoes and place them in a bowl along with their juices.

2. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, leek, fennel, celery, red pepper, garlic, and bouquet garni. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, stir in the tomato paste, and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the chicken or vegetable broth, bring to a boil, and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and their juices, return to a boil, then lower the heat and gently simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool. Transfer to a large bowl, cover, and refrigerate until cold, 1 to 2 hours.

3. Remove and discard the bouquet garni. Purée the soup in a food processor or blender, working in batches if necessary, until smooth. (You’ll have about 7 cups.) Season to taste with hot sauce, celery salt, and salt and pepper. Cover and chill until ready to serve. (The soup will keep in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to a few days.)

4. To serve, ladle the soup into individual bowls or one large serving bowl and garnish with the feta, olives, basil, a few chopped tomatoes or halved Sun Gold tomatoes, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Hungry for more? Chow down on these:

Chilled Strawberry Soup from Macheesmo
Chilled Pea Soup with Mint-Infused Vanilla Häagen-Dazs from Seduction Meals
Cantaloupe Soup with Prosciutto-Mozzarella Sandwiches from Leite’s Culinaria
Yellow Gazpacho and Ratatouille from Leite’s Culinaria