Showing posts with label Soup. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Soup. Show all posts

Sunday, December 1, 2013

A Hearty Minestrone

Soup is the epitome of comfort food and has, as some believe, the power to soothe one's soul. Whether it is the prelude to a meal or it is the meal itself, it never, ever fails to satisfy (unless of course the soup isn't to your liking). If the taste of the soup wasn't enough, there is the added benefit of the aroma created while it is simmering. This aroma can be simply intoxicating. A cold fall or winter day is great weather for making most soups and perfect weather for making this hearty minestrone. It can made early in the day and served for lunch or dinner. Or if you can or have to wait, it can be served the next day. Either way, this hearty minestrone is one of those soups that really does soothe one's soul.


Like a great bolognese, a great soup can also be a labor of love. And this hearty minestrone soup is just that, a labor love. Like all great loves, it is one well worth the effort and investment of time. It was not until I made this minestrone did I truly understand all that went into making it. So weeks after my childhood best friend had this minestrone made and ready for me when I returned from the two day drive back to the midwest from the east coast, I told her I should have 'kissed the ground she walked on' for making it. Not only because it was insanely delicious, but because I knew she had made it after a long day of work (which meant she was on her feet for another couple of hours). In retrospect my simple 'thank you' expressed on the day we all enjoyed the soup did not seem to be enough.


Sautéed pancetta and a rind of Parmigiano-Regianno cheese elevate this minestrone from ordinary to extraordinary as the depth of flavor is further enhanced by these two ingredients. Leaving them out of the soup would be akin to leaving out the pecans in a pecan pie, the cocoa in hot chocolate, mozzarella cheese on a margherita pizza. In other words, it is not a hearty minestrone or even a minestrone if you leave out the pancetta and Parmigiano-Regianno cheese. Pancetta has become so readily available that you can almost always find it in the deli section of the grocery store. For this recipe you want really thick slices of pancetta so it can be cut into a 1/2 inch dice. One cut pancetta is cooked over medium-low heat for 6 to 8 minutes (stirred occasionally) in two tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil or until lightly browned.


In addition to the usual suspects of celery, garlic, onions, carrots and spinach, there is a vegetable you may not always associate with minestrone. That would be butternut squash. Like the pancetta and Parmigiano-Regianno cheese, the butternut squash sets this minestrone recipe apart from most others and adds to its' delicious hardiness (and heart healthiness).

So where does the labor of love come in? Well it comes first in the preparation stage and second in the cooking and simmering stages. So if (no when) you plan to make this soup, make sure you aren't making it at the end of a really long day (like I was) as it takes some time to cut up all of those vegetables into a half-inch dice. But don't let all of this cutting be a deterrent, think of it as an opportunity to work on your knife skills, or a time to let your mind just wander, or a time to let your mind race with all sorts of thoughts (just make sure to pay attention when you are cutting). The chopped vegetables along with the chopped thyme and garlic are added to the sautéed pancetta and cooked for 8 to 10 minutes or until they begin to soften (but still retain their shape).


Once the vegetables are sautéed, you add the can of diced tomatoes, 6 cups of chicken stock, 1 Tablespoon Kosher salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper, a bay leaf or two and a 2 to 3 inch Parmigiano-Regianno rind (still having some cheese on it). The minestrone is brought to a boil and then the heat is reduced to a simmer. Continue cooking uncovered for at least 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.


While the soup is simmering (about 30 minutes) you bring salted water to boil and add two cups of pasta. If you do not want your pasta to 'overtake' the minestrone, use the tubetti pasta (it is an even smaller version of the digitali pasta). The pasta is cooked al dente according to package directions and drained before adding to the minestrone.

In addition to the drained pasta, a can of drained and rinsed cannellini beans and a half cup of a dry white wine (Sauvignon Blanc works incredibly well) are added to the simmering vegetables (remove the bay leaves at this stage) and cooked for about 10 minutes. And if I have made you think the making of this soup is a little 'too much' for you (there are some of you thinking this), you can be enjoying a glass of white wine while you make this minestrone. No matter how much we may love to cook, we sometimes we need to reward ourselves with something tangible. And a glass of wine could not be a better example of something tangible!


The spinach is added and cooked until the leaves have wilted. If the soup is too thick add one to two cups of additional chicken stock. The final ingredients added to the soup are a 1/2 cup of dry white wine and two tablespoons of pesto. These are stirred in and allowed to simmer in the minestrone for 5 to 10 minutes. The hearty minestrone can be served immediately or the next day. When serving, finish the bowls of the minestrone with a drizzle of olive oil and some shredded Parmigiano-Regianno cheese. Note: The flavors of this minestrone further develop overnight, so it easily lends itself to being reheated.


Recipe
A Hearty Minestrone (slight adaptation to Ina Garten's Winter Minestrone recipe)

Ingredients
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin olive oil, plus more when serving
4 - 5 ounces pancetta, 1/2 inch diced
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions 
2 cups diced carrots, about 3 to 4 large carrots or 4 to 6 smaller carrots (1/2 inch dice)
2 cups diced celery, about 3 large stalks or 4 to 6 smaller stalks (1/2 inch dice)
2 1/2 cups diced peeled butternut squash (1/2 inch dice)
4 to 5 cloves of garlic, minced
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced
1 (2 to 3 inch) rind of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (rind should have some cheese remaining on it)
26 ounce can of diced tomatoes (recommend San Marzano)
6 to 8 cups chicken stock
1 or 2 bay leaves
1 Tablespoon Kosher salt 
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups cooked small pasta (recommend tubetti) cooked al dente according to package directions
10-12 ounces baby spinach leaves or rough chopped standard sized spinach leaves
1/2 cup good dry white wine (recommend Sauvignon Blanc)
2 Tablespoons pesto (store-bought or homemade)
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (for serving)
Bread or Bruschetta for serving with soup

Directions
1. Heat 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin oil in a large, heavy pot (think wide). Add the pancetta and cook over medium-low heat until it is lightly browned (about 6 to 8 minutes).
2. Add the onions, celery, butternut squash, garlic and thyme and cook over medium heat until the vegetables begin to soften (about 8-10 minutes). The vegetables will soften but will retain their shape.
3. Add the can of tomatoes, 6 cups of chicken stock, one or two bay leaves, 1 Tablespoon salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper and a 2- 3 inch rind of Parmigiano-Reggiano. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to simmer and continue cooking (pot uncovered) for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
4. Discard the bay leaf.
5. Add the cannellini beans and cooked pasta. Cook on low heat until beans are heated through (about 5 to 10 minutes). If the soup is too thick at this point add up to 1 or 2 cups of the remaining chicken stock.
6. Add the chopped spinach, cooking until the spinach leaves are wilted.
7. Add the 1/2 cup of dry white wine and two tablespoons of pesto, simmering for an additional 5 to 10 minutes.
8. Check for saltiness, if needed add salt to taste.
9. The bowls of soup should be drizzled with some extra-virgin olive oil and some freshly shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Serve with either chunks of thickly cut bread or bruschetta.


With Thanksgiving now (unfortunately) over, I suppose it is time for me to begin thinking about the Christmas holidays. Only I don't want to just yet. I would rather just spend a few more days savoring this year's Thanksgiving experience before moving on to making lists, planning, baking, decorating, cooking, entertaining and wrapping (it is exhausting, in a sort of good way, to think about all of the energy that goes into (only one of the aspects of) Christmas).

We spent this Thanksgiving in the back country, the hinterlands of Kentucky with some very good friends. While we (literally) ate Thanksgiving dinner outside under the stars, we enjoyed the comforts of a heated wooden cabin complete with a fireplace, hot tub, and a spectacular view of the Red River Gorge. Getting to this beautiful, somewhat remote cabin meant having to walk down 80 stairs. But getting out meant walking up (ugh) 80 stairs. Yet, in addition to the climbs to and from the cabin (yes there were multiple ones in a day), we also went on some relatively short, steep, at times a little slippery (less than 2 mile round trip) hikes. My calves and quads have never had such a workout!

I can be a bit of a wimp when it comes to hiking on surfaces where there are more inclines than flat surfaces (meaning I whine through some of it as well as make the hikes a little longer for everyone while I catch my breath). But no matter how hard (I think) the hike is, the rewards are always well worth the effort (and overcoming of some irrational fear of falling). Hikes hard for some may be easy for others. The making of minestrone soup might fall into this category too (okay this could be a stretch, but not too far of stretch). The perception of easy and hard is all relative (something we all know, but at times can have difficulty acknowledging, particularly when we find something easy).

I sought to capture some of the views experienced during the hikes with my camera, but only looking at photos would have not been a replacement for having had the experience itself. So yes, for me, the breathlessness was worth taking in the breathtaking views. Needless to say I am thankful I didn't talk myself out of any of these hikes, but even more thankful to have spent this holiday so differently (meaning abandoning tradition and being open to possibility) as it just might be one of those experiences that forever changes how I look at my favorite holiday again.

Sunday, April 7, 2013

Cannellini Bean and Pasta Soup

Did you ever make a new recipe and then wish before it was too late that you could remove some of the ingredients?  Well I had that almost disastrous experience today making the Pasta Fagioli recipe shared by Anne Burrell in her Cook Like a Rock Star cookbook. What is Pasta Fagioli?  It is a delicious tomato based soup made with pancetta, pureed tomatoes, onion, garlic, cannelloni beans, chick peas and the tiny ditalini pasta. It is what I would characterize as a rather filling soup, yet it is neither a rich nor heavy one. I might even go so far as to say it's a kind of healthy soup, although I am reluctant to tell you this as some of you might equate healthy with a 'not good to just okay' eating experience. This soup breaks that myth and will even make cannellini bean lovers out of everyone who eats it.

Okay back to the 'too much' of some ingredients dilemma.  I have wanted to make this soup for awhile now.  With the nights still being cold around here, soup for dinner was just the kind of comfort food I needed to home to after a long day at work. Having had great success with Anne Burrell's recipes in the past I thought it was her Pasta Fagioli recipe I would make.  The recipe was coming together perfectly, but as soon as I added the quantity of cannelloni beans and chick peas the recipe called for to the simmering tomato base I had a sinking feeling there were going to be too many beans and not enough of the tomato liquid base.  And I hadn't even added the pasta yet. But I didn't act on this feeling quick enough. Not sure why I didn't listen to myself.

I actually made the decision to remove the 'too many' cannellini beans and chick peas too late. Which translates into I couldn't go back and remove them. But I decided I would finish the recipe anyway and see how it tasted. Well here's the good news. It was so incredibly flavorful. The pinch of red pepper adds just the right amount of heat to compliment the tomatoes and onions, that I just wanted more of the liquid. 

When served in a bowl, you top it with a finish of olive oil and chopped chives.  These two ingredients take this Cannellini Bean and Pasta Soup to elevated taste heights.  In spite of there not being as much liquid as I think it should have had, I have decided I would definitely make this soup again, and again, and again. But next time I definitely only would use one can each of the cannellini beans and chick peas so that the tomato base liquid is not completed absorbed. Then I think the proportions would be perfect.  Why all of these musings about this recipe? Why even share this recipe if it didn't turn out perfect the first time? Well I suppose I want you to seriously think about making this soup.



With the possible exception of finding pancetta, all of the ingredients are readily available in the grocery store.  Sometimes you find the pancetta in the deli section of the store and sometimes in the section where the packaged bacons are.  My favorite grocery store had the packaged pancetta, so I went with it.


After coating the bottom of a large pan with olive oil, be generous here, you add the pancetta and cook until it is crisp.  This takes anywhere from 4 to 6 minutes depending on how hot your olive oil was.


After the pancetta is cooked you add the chopped Spanish onion and cook until the onion is tender and almost translucent. You add some salt and a pinch of the red pepper during this phase of the cooking process. This takes about 6 to 8 minutes.  


After the onion is cooked, you add the chopped, minced garlic.  The moment the garlic hits the pan, the most incredible aroma fills your kitchen.  They sell minced garlic in jars these days.  As much as I love convenience, the jarred garlic is not the same as minced fresh garlic.  When given the choice, go for fresh.


The tomatoes are pureed and then added to pancetta, onion, garlic mixture.  In addition to the pureed tomatoes you also add one cup of water here and a pinch more of salt. Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking for 15 minutes.



This soup has two kinds of beans, cannellini and chick peas.  The original recipe called for two 15 ounce cans of each.  Based on my experience making this soup, I would use only one 15 ounce can of each.  More can always can be added, but they can't always be removed.  This was my invaluable learning lesson of the day.

Ditalini pasta adds something to this soup, more so than any other type of pasta.  It is cooked until very al dente, drained and then added to the soup mixture.  The pasta will continue to cook in the soup.  Remember to reserve one cup of the pasta water and add to the soup mixture.  The pasta water helps to thicken the sauce ever so slightly.

Recipe
Cannellini Bean and Pasta Soup (more than a slight adaptation of Anne Burrell's Pasta Fagioli recipe)

Ingredients
1/4 pound pancetta, cut into a 1/4 inch dice
1 medium Spanish or yellow onion, cut into a 1/4 inch dice
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 28 ounce can of San Marzano diced tomatoes-pureed
1 cup water
1 15 ounce can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (I like the Goya brand)
1 15 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (I like the Goya brand)
1 pound ditalini pasta plus 1 cup of reserved pasta water
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt, crushed red pepper, freshly grated parmesan cheese and chopped fresh chives

Directions
1. Coat the bottom of a large saucepan with olive oil and add pancetta.  Turn heat to medium and cook pancetta until crisp, approximately 4 to 5 minutes of cooking time.
2. Add onion, season with salt and red pepper and cook until onion is soft, approximately 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Add garlic and continue cooking for approximately 2 minutes.
4. Add the pureed tomatoes along with one cup of water.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer. Continue cooking for at least 15 minutes.
5. Add the drained and rinsed cannellini beans and chickpeas.  Cook for another 20 minutes.
6. While sauce is cooking, bring a large pot of water to boil. Add pasta and cook until very al dente.
7. Reserving one cup of the pasta water, drain pasta and add to the saucepan with the sauce and beans.  Add the one cup of reserved pasta water.  Continue cooking another 5 minutes.
8. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese, chopped chives and a generous finish of olive oil.


Today was one of those oops, no excuses kind of days.  Oops I didn't listen to my instincts and oops I hit the publish button on the blog posting today before I was finished.  And thankfully both of these oops were learning experiences and not ones that were irreparable.  All things considered it was still a pretty good day.