Delicata squash soup with parmesan croutons

Delicata squash, as its name implies, is a finely flavored, richly sweet winter squash with a nearly fibreless flesh. Cylindrical in shape, with elongated ridges, this squash has yellow to pale orange skin with green striations. Its beautiful yellow flesh and delicate flavor make it perfect for this puréed soup.

YIELD

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds delicata squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 (about 1 pound total) Granny Smith apples, halved lengthwise and cored
4 cups homemade chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy (whipping) cream
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 tablespoon sugar
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Parmesan Croutons

2 cups French or rustic white bread 1/2-inch cubes, crusts removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Brush the flesh of the squash with olive oil and place, cut side down, on a rimmed baking sheet. Place the apples, cut side down, on the baking sheet. Roast until tender when pierced with a fork, about 30 to 35 minutes.
Use a spoon to scrape out the flesh of the squash and apples, and put in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Discard the skins. Purée until smooth. Add 1 cup of the stock and continue processing until smooth. Put this mixture in a 3½- to 4-quart saucepan, add the remaining 3 cups of stock, the cream, nutmeg, and sugar. Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
To make the croutons: Place the bread cubes in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle the olive oil over, add the Parmesan, and toss the bread cubes until thoroughly coated. Spread in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until toasty brown, about 10 to 12 minutes. Set aside until ready to serve.
When ready to serve, ladle the soup into a warmed soup tureen or individual soup bowls, garnish with the croutons, and serve immediately.

COOKS NOTES

The soup can be made up to 3 days ahead. Cool and refrigerate, covered; rewarm just before serving. The croutons can be made 2 days in advance. Store in a covered container at room temperature.

Rustic butternut squash and cannellini bean soup

With all the heavy eating and entertaining around the holidays, I need to have a hearty, vegetable-packed soup on hand after the holidays as a digestive break from the rich foods, meats, and sweets. This is the thick, rustic soup I make. If I’m organized, I make this soup on a quiet Sunday, eating half of it for dinner and freezing the rest for a quick weeknight meal. Pass a bowlful of freshly grated Parmesan cheese as a generous garnish for the soup. Serve a loaf of crusty bread and a salad of spicy winter greens, such as the Radicchio Caesar Salad featured on page 63 in my newest cookbook, The Christmas Table.

YIELD

Serves 8

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 large cloves garlic minced
2 leeks white and light green part only, cut into thin slices
2 large carrots peeled, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch thick slices
3 ribs celery trimmed, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch thick slices
6 cups homemade chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
1 can (14.5 ounce) peeled, diced tomatoes in juice
1 1/2 cups butternut squash peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 can (15 ounce) cannellini beans drained and rinsed
1/2 cup small dried macaroni such as elbows or shells
2 small zucchini cut into l/2 inch dice
1 red bell pepper seeded, deribbed, and cut into l/2 inch dice
1 package (9 ounces) frozen Italian green beans thawed (see Cook’s Note)
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley minced
Kosher or sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons basil pesto homemade or store-bought, at room temperature
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano

INSTRUCTIONS:

In a 6-quart stockpot, heat the oil and garlic over medium heat, and allow the garlic to simmer in the oil until fragrant but not brown, about 1 minute. Add the leeks, carrots, and celery and sauté, partially covered, until crisp-tender but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock or broth and tomatoes, plus the juice from the can. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the winter squash, cannellini beans, and macaroni. Continue to cook, partially covered, 10 minutes longer. Add the zucchini, bell pepper, and green beans. Continue to cook until the squash is fork-tender and the macaroni is al dente, about 10 minutes longer. (The soup can be made up to this point and refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen up to 2 weeks).
Remove from the heat and add the parsley and pesto, stirring to distribute well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot, passing parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top.

COOKS NOTES

If you can’t find frozen Italian green beans, which are wider than regular green beans, use cut green beans instead. Do not, however, use French-cut green beans because they will cook away. You can, of course, use fresh green beans if they are reasonably priced and tender, though winter isn’t generally the best time of year to be buying fresh green beans.

Creamy mushroom soup with parmesan-and-herb croutons

Those oversized, dark, densely textured mushrooms you see sitting alongside the more delicate button mushrooms in the produce department are portobellos. They are delicious sliced and sautéed or grilled like a burger, and are perfect for a cold weather soup. Portobello mushrooms are rich and meaty which makes this soup aromatic and intensely flavored without the addition of a long list of ingredients. This is a perfect start to a Thanksgiving meal

YIELD

Serves 8

INGREDIENTS:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 leeks white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced
1 large (about 12 ounces) yellow onion chopped
3 large (about 1 pound) portobello mushrooms wiped or brushed clean, and chopped
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 cups homemade chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
1½ tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 cup heavy (whipping) cream
Parmesan-and-Herb Croutons (recipe follows)
Parmesan-and-Herb Croutons
5 cups fresh bread cubes (3/4-inch cubes), cut from a loaf of artisan bread, crusts removed
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup (2 ounces) Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
1/2 tablespoon minced fresh oregano

INSTRUCTIONS:

In a 6- to 8-quart saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Swirl to coat the bottom of the pan and sauté the leeks and onions, stirring constantly, until slightly softened and well coated with butter, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to very low, cover the pan, and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the mushrooms, stir to combine, cover, and cook 10 minutes longer. Raise the heat to medium, stir in the flour and cook 3 minutes. Add the chicken broth, thyme, bay leaf, salt, sugar, and pepper. Simmer, partially covered, 10 minutes longer.

Cool the soup for about 10 minutes; discard the bay leaf, and then purée the soup in batches in a blender or food processor fitted with the metal blade. (Alternatively, use an immersion blender and puree the soup right in the pan.) Return the puréed soup to the saucepan and add the cream. Cook over low heat until heated through, but do not let the soup boil. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Ladle the soup into a warmed soup tureen or individual bowls, garnish with the croutons, and serve immediately.

To make the croutons, preheat the oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, combine the bread cubes with the olive oil, Parmesan, and pepper and toss to coat evenly. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 6 minutes. Sprinkle the herbs over the bread cubes, toss to combine, and continue to bake until the bread cubes are crisp and golden, about 6 minutes longer.

The croutons can be made up to 2 days in advance. Store in a lock-top plastic bag or airtight container at room temperature.

Do Ahead
The soup can be made up to 3 days ahead. Let cool and refrigerate in a covered container. Rewarm gently just before serving, and garnish with the croutons.

Curry in a hurry

Warm curry paste in a pot, throw in some coconut milk, crunch up some ramen noodles, and you’re five minutes away from a Thai curry noodle soup. Have leftover chicken or veggies? Chop and toss in. Slivers of green onion or chopped cilantro leaves will add color and great flavor to the soup.

YIELD

Makes 2 huge or 3 regular servings

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon red curry paste (see Munchie Tip)
1 teaspoon yellow curry paste (see Munchie Tip)
1 can (13.5 ounces) unsweetened coconut milk
2 cups water
2 packages (3 ounces each) instant ramen noodle soup, roast chicken flavor
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

INSTRUCTIONS:

Place a medium saucepan over medium-low heat and add the oil and curry pastes. Stir to combine and cook until fragrant, less than a minute. Add half of the coconut milk and stir until smooth. Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the rest of the coconut milk and the water and bring to a simmer. Before opening the packages of ramen, crunch the noodles, breaking them into small pieces. Add the contents of 1 flavoring pack to the soup and stir to blend. Discard or save the other pack for another use. Add the noodles and cook until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the lime juice. Now is when you would toss in any chicken or veggies and top with green onions or cilantro. Serve immediately.

COOKS NOTES

Red, yellow, and even green curry paste is available in small jars and cans at supermarkets or Asian food stores. Red curry paste is made of ground red chiles, herbs, and spices and packs a punch. Use more (or less) to please your taste buds. Keeps forever in the fridge.

Curried fish soup

Fall ushers in lots of favorite sights and sounds: mounds of bright orange pumpkins in the market, a fresh crop of apples for munching or bobbing, and parents cheering along the sidelines at a soccer field. A few years ago, I was one of them: I qualified as a full-fledged soccer mom with my two teenagers both playing soccer. As the cleats came off, there were moans and groans for fast food coming from the back seat of the car. I whizzed by the taco and burger outlets giving assurances that dinner would be ready in 20 minutes, because I knew I had leftovers at hand.
With leisure time on the weekend, I poached halibut fillets and steamed baby red potatoes for dinner, and intentionally cooked extra. Instead of buying 1½ pounds of halibut to serve four, I bought a generous 2 pounds. I steamed 28 little potatoes, served 4 per person, and set aside 12. I dressed up this meal by tossing the potatoes to be served with butter, minced parsley, salt and pepper. For the halibut, I made a quick sauce by mixing together: 1 teaspoon paprika, 4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, ½ cup mayonnaise, and added 2 tablespoons drained and rinsed capers, plus 2 tablespoons minced scallions, and a little freshly ground pepper to taste. A market-fresh vegetable completed the plate. Two leftover containers went into the refrigerator, one containing halibut, the other with potatoes, ready for an after-soccer-one-pot-meal.

YIELD

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small (about 3 ounces) yellow onion cut into thin wedges
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 1/2 cups water
1 bottle (8ounces) clam juice
1 can (13½ ounces) unsweetened coconut milk
12 baby red potatoes steamed, quartered
2 jalapeño chilies seeded and finely sliced
1 large tomato cut in half vertically, cored, seeded, and cut into thin wedges
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 1/4 cups halibut poached, flaked
Salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

In a 3 1/2- to 4-quart saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Swirl to coat pan, add onion and sauté until soft and lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add curry powder and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the water, clam juice, and coconut milk. Stir to blend. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to maintain a low simmer, and cook for 5 minutes.
Add potatoes, jalapeños, tomato, and lime juice. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add fish and heat through. Taste and add salt.

Chicken hominy soup

YIELD

Serves 6 to 8

INGREDIENTS:

1 10-ounce can chicken broth
1 1/4 cup water
1 15-ounce can (white or yellow) hominy drained, liquid reserved
1 whole or two half chicken breasts skinned and boned
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup onion diced
1 1/2 inch piece carrot diced
2 cloves garlic thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon paprika
1 cup heavy cream
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 medium tomato peeled, seeded and diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped

INSTRUCTIONS:

Place the chicken broth, water, and hominy liquid in a medium saucepan. Add the chicken breast(s) and bring the liquid to a simmer. Cook the chicken just until it is barely cooked, about 155° on an instant read thermometer. Remove the meat from the liquid and set it aside to cool. Turn off the heat under the poaching liquid.

In a 5-quart saucepan, heat the olive oil, then add the onion, carrot, and garlic and sauté until the vegetables are soft but not browned. Add the chicken poaching liquids, cayenne, hominy, using some of the soup liquid, then add the puree to the soup. Simmer about 10 minutes. Add the cream, and taste the soup. Then add salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
Cut the chicken into pieces about 1-inch long and 1/4 -inch wide. Add the chicken, tomato, and cilantro to the soup just before serving

Holiday detox vegetable soup

Not-So-New New Year’s Resolutions

Why does it take a new year to begin resolutions? Does January 1st magically signal our psyche to begin anew? Or is it the debauchery and sugar overindulgence of the holidays that forces this reckoning? Knowing that we can’t keep downing the cocktails and champagne, eating the ham and turkey plus leftovers, and lifting yet one more cookie off the holiday tray puts us in a somber, get-it-together mood once the clock strikes midnight and the New Year begins. OK. Maybe we wait until noon on New Year’s Day to strike this peace accord with ourselves and willingly surrender our excesses.

For me, the reckoning began later. I arrived home on January 6 from a two-week family vacation in Argentina. New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, at Posada Puerto Bemberg near Iguazu Falls on the border between Argentina and Brazil, came and went with nary a thought to resolutions. I was having too much fun and it wasn’t going to stop until I arrived home. I didn’t dare step on the bathroom scale until the 9th of January, giving myself plenty of time to lose any water weight I may have retained from the flight home.

The truth hurts, though it could have been worse. An addition of a few pounds on my frame means my clothes are tight and my jeans barely zip. I was sure all that sweating in the northern Argentina jungles was worth a pound or two. Looks like not. I think those thick and juicy Argentinean steaks, along with bottles of Malbec (notice the plural), would require days of jungle trekking, and that we did not do.
So … out comes the big soup pot. This is my diet plan. Using only a couple tablespoons of olive oil, just enough to slick the bottom of the pot, I sweat garlic, leeks, carrots and celery. To that I add low-sodium, fat-free chicken broth along with a large can of peeled, diced tomatoes, including the juice from the can. With the liquid at a simmer, I add one-inch chunks of butternut squash, zucchini, red bell pepper, and green beans. When those are fork tender, I toss in a can of drained and rinsed cannellini beans and a small handful of fresh herbs. After ten minutes of simmering I have a pot full of hearty, nutritious, low-calorie goodness that fills and warms me up, satisfies my taste buds, and keeps me going. It would probably be delightful with a glass of Malbec, but that would require another resolution, and my psyche just isn’t ready for that.

Spicy pecans

INGREDIENTS:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 teaspoons Tabasco
1 pound whole pecans
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350°. Place butter on a large cookie sheet with sides. Place in oven for about 5 minutes to melt the butter. Remove from oven and stir in the Tabasco. Add the pecans to the pan and sprinkle them with the sugar and salt. Stir well to coat all the pecans. Place back in the oven and bake for 30 minutes stirring two to three times during the baking. Remove from the oven and drain in a colander. There will be some excess butter. Save it if you like – it is great for sautéing. Allow pecans to cool. Serves 10 to 12 armchair quarterbacks.