Pasta e Fagioli

Now, this is good winter food. Warm and hearty, pasta e fagioli (pronounced 'pasta fashool'), or Italian pasta and bean soup/stew, is perfect for those cold nights that are on the way... I already made it twice in the last month. It is one of my favorite meals, and is pretty easy to make.

Which type of beans you use is up to you. Cranberry beans are ideal, but can be hard to find. I used pinto this time, but cannellini or kidney beans are good too. You can use either dried or canned beans. I like to use dried if I have them, as they tend to hold their shape better - canned beans can get a little mushy. If using dried beans, soak 1 cup in plenty of cold water overnight. The next day, boil them in salted water until tender (beginning to get soft, offering no resistance to your teeth when you bite into them), drain and set aside to cool until needed. If using canned beans, there is no prep to do the night before.

When you are ready to make the soup, start by cutting about 2 tbsp onion (about 1/4 of an average onion) into small dice. Splash a good glug of olive oil into a large heavy saucepan and saute the onion until it starts to color. Then add about 3 tbsp carrot (peeled and diced small) and 2 tbsp celery, diced small. Stir, and add a couple of slices of bacon or pancetta, cut into small dice (this is optional - I did it on one of the two occasions, but not on the time I took the picture above). Saute until the vegetables soften - about 10 minutes. Add 2/3 cup chopped canned tomatoes and juice, and simmer until cooked down. Add either your cooked dried beans or 3 cups of canned beans (you'll probably need more than one 14 oz can). Cook for a few minutes, then add 3 cups of broth (beef, chicken, vegetable or even plain old water). Bring it to a boil. Scoop out 1/2 cup of beans and either mash them or push them through a food mill back into the soup. Taste and adjust seasoning. Bring back to a boil and add 8 oz small tubular pasta (macaroni works, but I like ditalini even better). Keep boiling (stirring as you go) until the pasta is just done (a slight bite to it - don't allow it to get too soft), then switch off the heat and stir in 1 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp hard Italian cheese, grated (parmesan, romano or asiago - I like pecorino romano myself).

Allow the soup to cool a little before serving. This recipe will serve 2-4 people, depending on how hungry they are. Enjoy!

Note 1 - Recipe adapted from one in 'Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking' by Marcella Hazan.

Note 2 - Metric Info: 1 cup = 240 ml; 2/3 cup = 160 ml; 3 cups = 700 ml; 14 oz = 400 g; 1/2 cup = 120 ml; 8 oz = 225 g.

Corn Chowder

Yep, it's summer. Local corn is now in season here in Vermont, and we just got our first ears from our Full Moon Farm CSA share. We also got some beautiful red skin potatoes, so my first thought was Corn Chowder!

This recipe is based on one from The Professional Chef, a CIA textbook (that's the Culinary Institute of America, not the other CIA...).

Start by rendering 4 oz diced pancetta (or bacon, if you prefer) in a large saucepan or small stockpot. This means to cook it under medium-low heat so that the fat 'melts' out without the meat getting too crispy. Once there is plenty of fat in the bottom of the pan, add 1 onion, diced, 1/2 red pepper, diced and 2 ribs celery, diced, and sweat them (keep the heat low and allow them to soften without browning. Once your vegetables are soft, add 4 oz flour. Stir to coat everything with the flour and allow it to begin to color gently. You do not want the flour to brown. Once you can see a very pale golden color, start gradually whisking in 2 quarts stock (see Note 1 below). Bring the stock to a simmer; simmer for 25 minutes to cook out the floury flavor.

Next, shuck and remove the kernels from 8 ears of corn (see note 4). The easiest way to do this is stand the cob up in a shallow bowl, and cut down the sides with a knife, separating the kernels from the cob. Puree half of the kernels in  a blender or food processor. Add the whole kernels and the puree to the soup, along with about 2 lb potatoes, peeled and diced. Taste, and add salt and pepper if necessary. Simmer 25 minutes to cook the potatoes through.

Lastly, add 1 pint milk and 1 pint cream (or 1 quart of half-and-half). Bring back to a simmer, taste, check seasoning and adjust, and serve, with Worcestershire and Tabasco sauces on the table. Enjoy!

Note 1 - You can decide what kind of stock to use. You could use purchased vegetable or chicken broth, or make your own. I made a vegetable stock using 1/2 onion, some celery scraps, a little fennel (not required), the corn cobs (after removing the kernels) and some water. Simmered it while I started the soup, and measured out 2 qts.

Note 2 - To make this soup vegetarian, use a vegetarian stock, and 4 tbsp (2 oz) butter in place of the pancetta. Once it is melted, you can sweat your vegetables in it.

Note 3 - Corn = sweetcorn for those across the Pond.

Note 4 - How many ears of corn you need really depends on how large they are. If you have big fat ears, use 8. If your ears are smaller, use more (up to 12).

Note 5 - Metric Info: 4 oz = 115 g; 2 qts = 1.9 litres; 2 lb = 900 g; 1 pint = 470 ml; 1 qt = 950 ml; 2 oz = 55 g.

Gazpacho

Last weekend I made dinner for my partner, who had just come back from a trip away. The weather was still pretty warm, and I had been to the Burlington Farmers Market a couple of days before and picked up some nice veggies (in addition to the ones from our Full Moon Farm CSA share), so gazpacho was on the cards...

Start by chopping 1/4 onion. Put it into your blender or food processor bowl. Add 1/2 clove garlic, crushed, and 1/2 green pepper, deseeded and chopped. Add 1 large tomato, deseeded and chopped, and 1 cucumber, peeled, deseeded and chopped. Blend until pureed.

Strain your puree through a medium-hole strainer, into a bowl. Using a whisk, stir in 2 tbsp sherry vinegar, a splash of lemon juice, a little cold water (start with 1/4 cup, and add more if you feel the soup is too thick) and a pinch of salt and pepper. Lastly, whisk in 2-3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil in a slow stream, taste and adjust the seasoning as desired. Pour into cocktail glasses or small bowls. Garnish with a little finely diced cucumber and some chopped dill. Serves 2.

Note 1 - Any color pepper can be substituted for green, if desired.

Note 2 - Metric Info: 1/4 cup = 60 ml.

Cucumber Apple Soup

Garnished with home-made yogurt and fresh dill

Yes, it's another chilled soup, made with a delicious cucumber from our Full Moon Farm CSA share. The recipe is courtesy of Chef Brian Tomlinson, for whom I used to work. He likes to make soup, and this one came up a lot. It's a good one!

Start by peeling 1-2 cucumbers (if very big, 1; if small, 2). Cut in half, scoop out the seeds (discard) with a spoon, and chop roughly into chunks. Put into your blender or food processor. Take a small chunk of white onion (about 1/8 onion), chop roughly and add to the cukes. Peel a Granny Smith apple, remove the core and chop into rough chunks. Add to the mix. Add 3 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp vinegar (Chef T likes to use cider vinegar, but I used white), 1/2 cup water, 3 tbsp honey, 1/8 tsp ground cumin, 1/8 tsp ground coriander seed and a pinch of salt. Blend until smooth. Check the seasoning - add more salt if desired. Chill in refrigerator until cold. Enjoy on a hot day!

Makes about 3 servings.

Note 1 - Use any kind of eating cucumber for this soup. The kind of apple could be varied too, although the Granny Smith gives the soup a nice tartness, so if you use a sweeter apple, increase the amount of vinegar slightly, to taste.

Note 2 - Metric Info: 1/2 cup = 120 ml.

Chilled Beet Soup

Garnished with home-made sour cream and dill

Another cold soup, this one inspired by the newspaper column of a British  chef I admire, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, and using the beets I picked up at the Burlington Farmers' Market on Saturday. It's like a simple cold borscht. And I think it may be the best soup I have made. It is delicious!

Peel and dice (1/4 inch) 13 oz red beets. Put them in a saucepan with a little canola oil and a good pinch of salt and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add 1/2 onion, diced, and continue to cook for another 15 minutes. Add 1/2 carrot, diced, and cook 5 minutes more. Add 1/2 clove garlic, minced. Stir and cook for 1 minute longer, then add 20 floz beef broth and simmer for 20 minutes. Check that the beets are fully cooked. If they are not, continue simmering until the cook through. Once the beets are done, remove the pan from the heat and allow the soup to cool a little.

Once cooled slightly, carefully blend the soup, using a stick blender or in batches in a stand blender. If using the latter, take extra care - use very small batches and blend slowly to avoid an explosion out the top. Once smooth, pass it through a strainer, add some ground black pepper, thin if desired (I probably added at least a cup of water as it was too thick), add 1/4 cup vinegar (white or red wine vinegar would be preferable, but I used distilled white and it worked out fine), check the seasoning (add more salt if needed) and chill in the refrigerator until very cold.

Serve garnished with dill and sour cream. Enjoy!

Note 1 - This soup can be made vegan by substituting vegetable stock for beef broth.

Note 2 - Metric Info: 13 oz = 380g; 20 floz = 600ml; 1/4 cup = 60ml; 1 cup = 240ml.

Chilled Peach Soup

As I mentioned before, I love making soup. I haven't made many cold soups, but the temperatures are high (around 90 F) and I don't feel like getting hotter.

The recipe is based on this one, credited to Chef Bill Luker, which I found, and thought looked interesting.

You can use a stand blender or a food processor to make this soup. If you have both, I would suggest the blender.

Start by thawing 2 cups (10 oz) frozen peaches. Place them in your blender with 2 tsp Cointreau, 2 tsp lemon juice, 1/2 tsp almond extract and a pinch of salt. Process or blend until smooth. Add 2/3 cup plain yogurt or sour cream and 2 tbsp honey. Blend again until combined. Taste and adjust flavors if needed. Chill in refrigerator until cold.

Serve garnished with a little yogurt or sour cream and some mint leaves, as an appetizer or dessert. Makes two generous servings.

Note 1 - If you have fresh peaches, remove the skin and pits, chop coarsely and measure out 2 cups-worth or scale the recipe accordingly.

Note 2 - If you don't have Cointreau, you can substitute Triple Sec or Grand Marnier.

Note 3 - The original recipe called for more almond extract, but I found it to be overpowering, so I scaled it back a little.

If you feel like making your own yogurt for this soup, click here.

Note 5 - Metric info: 2 cups = 480 ml; 10 oz = 280g; 2/3 cup = 160 ml.

New England Clam Chowder

Garnished with scallions, sriracha and worcestershire sauce

Someone I know just returned from a trip to Cape Cod. Made me think about what I like about the Cape. Clam Chowder - possibly my favorite soup (although when local corn is in season, corn chowder gives it a serious run for its money...). The weather has been pretty hot, but as soon as I started thinking about 'chowda' I had to make it. To hell with the heat - I want soup! This recipe is from 'On Cooking' by Sarah Labensky and Alan Hause.

I would usually buy fresh clams to make chowder, but this time, cash was a little tight, so I opted for canned clams instead. I was impressed with the results.

Start with about 1 quart of canned clams (I bought three 10 oz cans). Drain the liquid from the cans into a quart measuring cup. Do not discard it! Add water to make it up to a full quart. Reserve the clams.

Peel and dice 10 oz potatoes. Add to your quart of clam liquid in a pan and cook until tender. Drain liquid into a container, reserving it and the potatoes.

Render the fat from 4 oz of pancetta or bacon (I used pancetta, but bacon works just as well). That is to say, cook it in a stockpot on medium heat so that it releases its fat. Once it starts to brown, remove the meat and reserve. Add to the fat in the pan 8 oz diced onion and 4 oz diced celery. Saute until tender (but do not allow them to color much). Add 2 oz flour and stir until it turns light brown (this is called a blond roux). Add your clam liquid, a bay leaf and a small pinch of dried thyme, whisking as you go. Simmer for 20 minutes, whisking occasionally to break up any lumps.

Bring 2 cups milk and 0.5 cups cream to a boil. Add them to the soup. Stir. Add the potatoes, pancetta or bacon and clams and continue to heat gently to warm through. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaf and discard it.

Serve with freshly ground black pepper, Tabasco sauce (or Sriracha) and Worcestershire sauce on hand for your diners to add to taste. Other good accompaniments include fresh thyme, sliced scallions and oyster crackers. Enjoy!

Makes about 6-8 servings.

Note 1 - The original recipe used salt pork. I have never come across salt pork. If anyone else has, I would welcome their input on it. I used thin-sliced pancetta. I like the consistency of it in the soup.

Note 2 - Metric info: 1 quart = 950 ml; 10 oz = 280g; 4 oz = 115g; 8 oz = 230g; 2 oz = 60g; 2 cups = 470 ml; 0.5 cups = 120 ml.

Potato Leek Soup

OK, so I know it's almost summer (at least where I am), and I'm still making soups. However, there are two cool things about this soup. First, with some small adjustments, it can be served cold, as Vichyssoise. Second, it uses up leftover mashed potatoes in your fridge (it can also be made with raw potatoes).

Start by slicing half a leek crosswise into half moons. Transfer the pieces into a bowl of cold water. Swish them around a few times and remove with your hands to a strainer (this leaves any dirt in the bowl). Allow to drain for a minute, then put into a pan with 1 tbsp butter and half an onion, diced, and sweat until soft. At this point, add 1 clove of garlic, minced and sweat for a few more minutes until softened.

Next, add about 3 cups of mashed potatoes (the amount does not have to be exact), and water to cover the potatoes generously. Throw in a bay leaf and a pinch of thyme, if you have them. Simmer for a while (at least 20 minutes) to allow the flavors to meld. Remove the bay leaf. Blend the soup (take care, especially if using a stand blender, to avoid spraying hot food everywhere - small batches are best). Add up to 1/2 cup cream (you decide how creamy you want it), and some more water if it seems too thick (depending on your preference). Bring back to a simmer, season (and taste and adjust) and serve. You could garnish the soup with chives and/or any kind of salty pork product - bacon, prosciutto, pancetta etc. Enjoy!

Note 1 - To make vichyssoise (cold potato leek soup), you will need to thin the soup more (with cream and/or water), strain through a fine strainer and chill it in the refrigerator. Once cold, check the consistency (it should be like whipping (single) cream) and the seasoning, and adjust as necessary.

Note 2 - If you have no mashed potatoes, substitute peeled, cubed raw potatoes. About 2 cups would probably work, but again, quantities are not that important. Simmer a little longer - at least 30 minutes, and make sure that the potatoes are fully cooked before blending. You will need more water too.

Note 3 - Metric info: 3 cups = about 700 ml; 1/2 cup = 120 ml; 2 cups = 480 ml.

Butternut Squash Soup

OK, so I've been making a lot of soups lately. And, guess what... next post will be another one. Guess I just like soups...

This one is a family favorite. Start by sweating half an onion, diced, in butter (1 tbsp or so) until soft. Add 1 butternut squash, peeled, deseeded (cut it in half and scoop them out) and cut into 1/2 inch cubes and 1.5 quarts of chicken stock (homemade is preferable). Bring to a simmer and leave for a while to allow the squash to cook through and soften. This will probably take at least 20 minutes, but there is no harm in going a little further after the squash is cooked - I probably simmered the soup for about an hour.

Once the squash is fully cooked (you should be able to mash the cubes with the back of a spoon), blend the soup. It would be safer to allow it to cool a little fist, particularly if using a stand blender. I use a stick blender, which you can put right in the soup pot (so long as it doesn't have a non-stick coating). Once blended, take a look at the consistency. Depending on the size of the squash and your preference, you might like to add some water to thin it out a little. Add some salt and pepper, and then some maple syrup (about 2 tbsp, but just add until it tastes good). Adjust the seasoning until it is as you like it.

At this point, you can serve the soup as is, or you can put it through a strainer to make it a little smoother (a finer strainer will remove more pulp and result in a smoother soup). Serve garnished with toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas) or walnuts, or a few fried sage leaves. Enjoy!

Note 1 - If your butternut squash is big, you may need more than 1.5 qts of stock to cover the pieces. Either increase the amount of stock, or add water until the squash is covered, then simmer.

Note 2 - The maple syrup is not essential. I like a little sweetness in this soup. You could substitute honey or a little brown sugar if you prefer.

Note 3 - This soup can be made vegetarian by substituting vegetable stock for chicken stock. For vegans, also switch the butter for oil.

Note 4 - Metric info: 1/2 inch = 13 mm; 1.5 qts = 1400 ml.

Black Bean Soup

Another bean soup! Yes, that's right, I love beans. And just in time for the warm weather (it wasn't that warm when I made it though)... Note that, if strained, this does not make a very large batch - about 2 servings.

Start by soaking 1 cup of black beans overnight. The next day, drain and combine with 2 cups beef broth (a different stock or broth would be OK, but I had beef broth in the fridge and it gave the soup a nice meaty flavor), a bay leaf and some thyme. Bring the liquid to a simmer and cook until the beans are soft, adding water when the liquid gets too low. Remove the bay leaf, and any thyme floating on top of the liquid. Warning - the cooking process takes a while. It varies depending on the age of your beans but it probably took me over 3 hours. You could use canned beans (3 cups) instead, and add up to 2 cups beef broth in place of the soaking liquid.

Saute 4 oz diced bacon until just crispy. Remove from pan and set aside but do not discard fat. To the fat in the pan, add 1/2 onion, diced and 1 clove garlic, chopped and sweat gently until soft. Add 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes. Increase the heat and add 1/2 cup sherry. Boil until almost dry, then add the bacon, the beans and their cooking liquid, plus 1 dried chipotle pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes, then remove the pepper and carefully blend the soup using a stick blender or standard blender (in which case, do small batches and be very careful to avoid explosions of hot liquid - allow to cool a little and start at a low speed). Return to pan. Add 1/4 cup cream plus enough water to reach your desired consistency (this is personal - you decide how thick or thin you like it). Bring back to a simmer for a few minutes. Check seasoning and adjust as needed. At this point, you can serve it as is (it will probably be pretty thick, or you can strain it first, which will result in a smoother soup, but less of it. We prefer the strained version, but it's up to you!

Serve, garnished with sour cream and cilantro (coriander leaf). Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from one of the same name in James Peterson's 'Splendid Soups' - a great book if you like to make soup like me...

Note 1 - This soup has a little kick to it. Not a lot, but a little. If you prefer no spice, you can omit the red pepper flakes and chipotle pepper. If you like more, you could use a canned chipotle and blend it into the soup.

Note 2 - The thyme is not essential, but the bay leaf should not be omitted.

Note 3 - Metric Info: 1 cup = 240 ml; 2 cups = 500 ml; 4 oz = 110g; 1/2 cup = 120 ml; 1/4 cup = 60 ml.

White Bean, Kale and Chorizo Soup

Been on a soup kick lately, as a friend gave us some homemade soups and we liked having them in the fridge so much we wanted to have soup on hand after we finished them.

We have quite a lot of dried beans in our cupboards (my fault mainly - I love beans of all kinds). So, why not make a bean soup with cannelinis, that awesome Lacinato Kale at City Market and some of my favorite sausage?

Start by soaking your beans overnight. I used 1 cup dry cannellini beans. If you would prefer to use canned beans, you can - just increase the amount of beans to about 3 cups and omit the cooking step on day 2. To soak your dry beans, just place them in a container and cover with plenty of water and place in the fridge overnight.

The following day, drain the beans and place in a pan, covering them with plenty of fresh cold water. Add a bay leaf, some thyme, rosemary and a little salt and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the beans are soft. Drain them, removing the bay leaf and any floating herbs and set aside.

Sweat (cook over a low heat so as to soften with no color) 1/2 onion (diced), 1/2 carrot (diced) and 1 rib of celery (diced) in butter until soft. Add a piece of chorizo (you decide how much - I used about 3 inches but more is always better with chorizo), diced, and saute (cook over medium-high heat so it colors) until it releases its oils and turns everything orange. Add the reserved beans and 1 quart of chicken stock, and bring to a simmer. Take 1/2 bunch kale, remove the ribs and chop coarsely. Add it to the soup and continue to simmer until cooked through (5-10 minutes). Check the seasoning of your soup, adjust with salt and pepper as necessary, serve, and enjoy! I like to sprinkle a little parm cheese on mine...

Note 1 - Chorizo is a traditional Spanish sausage made from pork, paprika, salt and sometimes garlic. If you cannot find it in the specialty deli section, substitute your favorite sausage. Don't expect it to turn everything orange. Just cook it through.

Note 2 - Kale is great. If you have never tried it, get some for this soup. If, however, you can't get it or don't like it, you could use spinach or Swiss chard.

Note 3 - Any kind of white beans could be substituted. Actually, any kind of beans at all. Just make sure they are cooked until soft.

Note 4 - Soaking your beans is not essential. If you have dried beans and have not soaked them by the time you want to start making your soup, just go ahead and cook them as for day 2. They will take longer to cook but it will still work.

Note 5 - Thyme and rosemary are not required in the bean cooking water. A bay leaf is however recommended.

Note 6 - Metric info: 1 cup = 240ml; 3 inches = 7.5 cm; 1 quart = about 1 litre.

Celery Root and Stilton Soup

This was a recipe I read in 'Cooking with Shelburne Farms' by Melissa Pasanen and Rick Gencarelli, and wanted to try after picking up a celery root (celeriac) at the Burlington Farmers' Market. The recipe is actually credited to Vermont chef Aaron Josinsky.

Take 1 celery root. Mine was 9 oz, so if yours is larger or smaller you may have to adjust quantities up or down. Remove the skin (I find a small paring knife best for this) and cut into 1-inch cubes. Put them in a saucepan with 2 cups of milk and a good pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer and maintain until the cubes are soft, about 30 minutes. Keep an eye on it, and stir occasionally. Once done, blend with a blender (be very careful with hot liquids - do it in small batches) or immersion blender. Add 1-2 cups chicken stock (depending on how thick you like your soup - if you like it thicker, use less stock) and 1.5 oz crumbled blue cheese (I used Stilton, which I like, but just about any blue cheese works). Blend again, and reheat gently. Strain through your finest sieve (unless you like your soup thick). Serve and enjoy!

I garnished my soup with oven-roasted pears (I took a pear, de-cored it, sliced it, tossed it with olive oil and salt and roasted for about 30 minutes at 350F). The original recipe suggested finishing it with a little lemon juice and garnishing with roasted apples and blue cheese crumbles.

Note 1 - I left my milk unattended and it curdled. After washing the curds off the celery root and straining the whey through a very fine strainer, I continued with the recipe and strained again at the end. The soup wound up a little grainy, but not a bad save!

Note 2 - Metric info: 9 oz = 255g; 1 inch = 2.5cm; 2 cups = 240ml; 1.5 oz = 43g; 350F = 175C

Nettle Soup

I picked up some stinging nettles from the Burlington Winter Farmers' Market last Saturday, with a view to making nettle soup. Stinging nettles are extremely prevalent in the UK - I would see them (and be stung by them) all the time growing up. Although I have never seen them growing wild here in Vermont, I am assured that they do (and some of my nettles were from a forager, so that is proof enough). Anyway, I had never eaten them and felt like getting my own back on the weeds for stinging me. Plus I read that they are very good for you - they are supposedly an immune-system booster.

Nettle soup is easy to make. Sweat 1/2 an onion, finely diced and a little garlic (1/2 clove at most, minced) in some butter until soft. Meanwhile, wash your nettles (I used 3 good-sized bunches) and remove the thicker stems (be careful not to get stung - mine had been in the fridge a few days and did not seem to be capable of stinging any more). Add the nettles to your onions and cook in the butter for a minute or two. Add 3 cups of stock (I used chicken stock, but you could use vegetable stock if you prefer) and 3 tbsp cooked rice (optional; to thicken the soup). Bring the stock to a boil and simmer about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and blend the soup (you can use a blender, in which case be very careful - do it in small batches slowly - or you can use a stick/immersion blender, which is what I did).

At this point I strained my soup through a fine sieve. You can decide whether or not to do this depending on how you like your soup - with texture (do not strain) or smooth (strain). Place the soup back on the heat and return to a simmer. At this point, switch off the heat and stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream. Add a little grated (or ground) nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Serve. Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from one of the same name in Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's 'River Cottage Cookbook', a great guide for producing and cooking your own food.

Note: Metric info - 3 cups = 700 ml; 1/2 cup = 120 ml

Miso Soup

I love miso soup. It is easy to make once you have all the ingredients and just as good as that served in Japanese restaurants.

First, you need dashi. To make this, follow the instructions in my last post - 'Japanese Noodle Soup' - or, if you already made a batch for the soup, save the strained ingredients, add them to 1 qt of water and bring to a simmer for 20 minutes. If you have any more bonito flakes, add up to about 1/3 oz, remove from the heat ands allow to stand 1 minute (if not, skip this step), then strain.

Put 2-3 tbsp miso in a small bowl and whisk in a little warm dashi to make a paste. Make sure the dashi is off the heat (it should be hot but not boiling) and stir the miso paste into the dashi. Add garnishes if desired - I like tofu cubes, wakame seaweed (follow instructions on package to rehydrate) and sliced scallions - and serve.

This should yield 2 good-sized servings of soup.

Note 1 - Instant dashi granules can be purchased instead of making it. These are not as good but are more convenient.

Note 2 - The ingredients for miso soup can be found at a well-stocked Asian market or higher-end supermarket.

Note 3 - Metric info: 1 qt = about 1 litre; 1/3 oz = 10g.

Japanese Noodle Soup (Ramen)

I have been craving ramen noodles ever since reading Momofuku (David Chang and Peter Meehan) just after Christmas. I ate them at Asiana Noodle Shop in Burlington, VT, a week ago, and wanted to try making them myself. My version deviates from David Chang's, but is simpler and uses only some of the same ingredients. Much as I love pig in its many incarnations, I was craving seafood, so that was my basis for my soup.
The soup can be split into 4 parts - broth, noodles, protein and garnish. The broth is the hardest part, but only because the ingredients are a little difficult to find. I made a Japanese sea stock ('dashi'), but you could substitute a shellfish stock or even a chicken stock if you wish (preferably homemade).

Dashi (broth)
Put 5 cups of water into a saucepan. Add 1 oz of kombu seaweed (this comes in thick sheets) and bring slowly to a boil over medium-low heat. I also added a few dried shiitake mushrooms and a few thin slices of fresh ginger, but these ingredients are not essential. Once your stock is boiling, add about 1/2 oz bonito flakes (dried fish, otherwise known as katsuobushi), remove from the heat and allow to stand for 1 minute. Strain the stock through cheesecloth or a fine sieve. Keep the fish flakes and seaweed for miso soup (see my 'miso soup' post). Season your broth with a little soy sauce, mirin and (if necessary) salt. This should be enough broth for 2-3 servings.

Noodles
I couldn't find packages of just ramen noodles, so I bought an instant ramen package (making sure first that the seasoning was in a separate packet) and used just the noodles, following the instructions on the side - boil for 3 minutes.

Protein
This is really up to you. You could go vegetarian and use tofu. You could use meat, seafood or a mix. I used shrimp (which I poached gently in the broth until cooked through), salmon (cut into small pieces and poached in the broth until cooked through), mussels (steamed in a little water until they open - I chose to remove them from their shells), scallops (seared in a very hot pan until a crust formed, then flipped and cooked for a very short while on the second side) and squid (sliced as for calamari then poached in broth for about 1 minute).

Garnish
I used a hard cooked egg (I cooked mine just short of hard - cover with cold water, bring to a boil, remove from the heat, cover and allow to sit for 12 minutes, then cool in cold water. Remove the shell and cut in half). I also used some bean sprouts, hijiki seaweed (dried - soak in cold water 30 minutes; drain) and sliced scallions.

Assembly
Put noodles in heated bowls. Add cooked seafood to warm broth to heat through. Divide between bowls, pouring broth over the noodles. Sprinkle garnish over the top. Serve.

Variations
Besides varying the protein ingredients and garnishes, you could use a different broth, or turn your dashi into a miso broth (follow instructions in my next post - 'miso soup') - if you do this, do it before seasoning the broth, as miso is salty. You could also use different noodles. I tried rice noodles (soak in boiling water 15 minutes; drain) and udon noodles (boil in unsalted water until tender). The following pictures show two other soups, both with a miso broth, one with rice noodles, the other with udon noodles.



Note 1 - Kombu, bonito flakes and hijiki can be found in a well-stocked Asian market or high-end supermarket.

Note 2 - If hijiki cannot be found, you can use wakame or nori seaweed in its place.

Note 3 - You can buy instant dashi granules if you wish (although it is better when you make it yourself). Just follow the instructions on the packet.

Note 4 - Metric info: 5 cups = 1.2 litres; 1 oz = 28g.

Moroccan Lamb Soup

The other night I attempted a recipe from the cookbook 'Artichoke to Za'atar' by Greg and Lucy Malouf - 'North African Couscous Soup'. Great cookbook on Middle Eastern food by the way...

The first step is to soak chickpeas in water the night before starting the recipe. The following day, start by searing chunks of lamb stewing meat in olive oil. Remove and set aside. Sweat diced onion until soft, then add garlic (crushed with salt - use the side of your knife blade), cumin (toasted and ground) and coriander seed (also toasted and ground), a little allspice, chili powder and paprika. Saute for a couple of minutes, then return the lamb to the pan and add crushed tomatoes, a little honey and a jalapeno pepper (deseeded and shredded), followed by chicken broth, water and chickpeas. Simmer until the chickpeas are cooked through and the lamb is tender. When almost ready to serve, add couscous, stir and cover, and allow to sit a few minutes to cook through. Finish with plain yogurt, fresh parsley and mint, lemon juice and pita bread.

It didn't turn out perfectly. My chickpeas could have used a little longer, and the soup was a little gritty. I think this was due to the fact that I ground the seeds roughly with a mortar and pestle - they probably would have benefited from being put through a sieve (or from the use of an electric grinder, which I have yet to buy). I also was unable to find fresh mint at my local Weis supermarket, and so I added dried mint at the beginning of the simmer. Not as good but at least there was some mint flavor. The lamb came out very tender (I simmered for about an hour and a half) and the liquid had a nice flavor, although I would have liked more heat.

Note that soaking the chickpeas the night before is not strictly necessary. However, they will take a lot longer to cook if you do not do this. You can begin them in salted water (the notion that you should not cook beans in salted water because they will toughen is a myth, according to food science legend Harold McGee - see 'On Food and Cooking') at least an hour before starting the recipe.

Next time I think I would like to try this recipe as a stew, with less liquid, and served over the couscous instead.