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Soup

Roasted & Spiced Butternut Squash Soup

Spring is almost here—and while I am thrilled about the weather warming up, the longer days, and the return of birds and squirrels and chipmunks, I’m not quite ready to stop enjoying hearty, comforting winter fare quite yet. So today I made this soothing soup with roasted butternut squash, a hint of ginger and nutmeg, and a swirl of sour cream. The flavors are rich and deep, but the soup itself very low in fat and calories, and quite filling.

Be careful with the amount of ginger you use, as it really lends the soup an unmistakable spicy note; too much will take the soup from soothing to jarring!!


Serves 2

For the squash:

  • ½ pound peeled butternut squash, cut into ½-inch cubes
  • 1 large shallot, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3/4 cup water, plus extra as needed
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon minced ginger
  • 2 sage leaves, chopped
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

To serve:

  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • ½ cup 2% milk, plus extra as needed
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons sour cream

Make the squash: Preheat the oven to 350° (preferably set on convection bake). Toss all the ingredients for the squash on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast in the preheated oven until the squash is tender, about 30 minutes, stirring once in a while. Add a bit of water if the squash is drying out or browning too much before becoming tender.

When the squash is tender, puree the squash, shallot, and ginger (along with any liquid on the baking sheet) until very smooth using a blender or food processor. Slowly pour in the broth and milk. Season with the salt and pepper and puree again.

Transfer to a pot and heat over a medium flame until the soup thickens to the consistency you like and the flavors are blended, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.

To serve: Ladle the soup into 2 bowls. Garnish each with dollops of sour cream and drag a toothpick through each sour cream dollop to swirl a pretty pattern through it. Serve immediately.

butternut-squash-soup

Appetizer

Spaghetti Frittata with Onions, Pancetta, and Parmigiano

Frittata is an amazing food: main course, appetizer, finger food, snack… whatever time of day, it works, it satisfies, and it is easy to make. Best of all, frittata is an ideal way to use up leftover ingredients. You can add chopped roasted vegetables, diced Prosciutto, bits of runny or firm cheeses, even boiled pasta. Below is a frittata with the flavors of carbonara sauce, a delicious combination of Pancetta, Parmigiano, and black pepper. I add sauteed onions for a delicately sweet note. For a vegetarian version, omit the Pancetta and add 1/2 pound of diced button mushrooms to the onions.

Serves 2 as a main course, 4 as a side dish

  • 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 pound spaghetti
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, minced
  • 1/4 pound Pancetta, defatted and cut into 1/4-inch dice
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of the salt and the spaghetti. Cook, stirring often, until al dente. Drain and place in a bowl.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat the eggs vigorously for 2 minutes with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper; the longer you beat the eggs, the fluffier and lighter your frittata will be.

Add the boiled spaghetti before it cools off and starts to stick together, and stir quickly to prevent the eggs from scrambling, as the spaghetti is hot.

In a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat, place 1 teaspoon of the olive oil, the onion, and the Pancetta. Set over medium heat and cook, stirring once in a while, until soft and golden, about 10 minutes, adding a bit of water if needed to prevent scorching. Add to the eggs and spaghetti in the bowl, stirring quickly to prevent the eggs from scrambling, as the Pancetta and onion are hot. Stir in the Parmigiano.

At this point, I usually taste for seasoning and adjust as needed; if you are concerned about eating raw egg, you can certainly cook a small portion of frittata first before tasting.

Place the same skillet on a medium flame and brush with 1 teaspoon the olive oil. When the skillet is hot, after about 1 minute, pour in the frittata mixture. Cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes, or until the bottom is golden and the top is set.

Using the lid for easy flipping, invert the frittata onto the lid. Place the empty skillet back on the heat and brush with the remaining teaspoon of olive oil. Slice the frittata back into the skillet, uncooked side down. Cook, uncovered, for 5 more minutes, or until golden and set on the bottom as well.

Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

frittataspaghetti_DSC2466

Main Course: Meat, Pasta Sauce

Tagliatelle with Beef Braciole in Red Wine and Tomato Sauce

This is Sunday food: beef is pounded thin and rolled around Pancetta, parsley, garlic, and grated Pecorino, then braised with red wine, aromatic vegetables, and tomatoes until succulent. The Pecorino melts inside the bundles, making the sauce even richer and ensuring the bundles hold together. In typical Italian fashion, the stuffed beef bundles (known as braciole in southern Italy, involtini in northern Italy) should be served as a second course, their rich cooking juices tossed with pasta as a first course.

Serves 4

For the bundles:

  • 1 and ½ pounds beef round tip steak, cut into 4 pieces and pounded thin with a mallet (about ¼-inch thick)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ pound Pancetta, finely minced
  • 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • ¼ cup coarsely chopped Italian parsley
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano


For the sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, minced
  • 1 carrot, minced
  • 1 celery stalk, minced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon minced Italian parsley
  • ¼ teaspoon chili flakes
  • 1 cup dry red wine
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 cups chopped San Marzano canned tomatoes
  • 1 cup cool water, plus extra as needed

To serve:

  • 2 tablespoons salt
  • 1 pound fresh tagliatelle pasta
  • 1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano, plus extra for passing at the table
  • 1 tablespoon minced Italian parsley

bracioleingredients_DSC3908

Make the bundles: Line a counter with a sheet of aluminum foil or parchment paper and place the two slices of steak on the foil or parchment in a single layer. Season evenly with the salt and pepper. In a bowl, combine the Pancetta, garlic, parsley, and Pecorino. Following the natural grain of the meat, and roll into tight bundles. The meat will be more tender once cooked if you roll with the grain instead of against the grain, so that when you slice the braciole later, it will be against the grain.

braciolerolling_DSC3913

Make the sauce: Warm the olive oil in a deep, wide saucepan large enough to accommodate the pasta later. Add the bundles and cook over medium heat, turning as needed, until the bundles brown evenly on all sides, about 10 minutes. (Don’t worry if a bit of the stuffing pops out while searing; it will add richness to the sauce.)

Stir in the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, parsley, and chili, and cook until the vegetables are translucent and lightly golden, about 5 minutes.

braciolepan2_DSC3928

Deglaze with the wine and cook until it almost fully evaporates, about 3 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to release any bits and pieces that have stuck. Add the salt and pepper and stir in the tomatoes and water. Bring to a gentle boil. Cover and cook over low heat for 1 to 2 hours, or until the bundles feel tender when poked with a fork, adding a bit of water as needed to prevent scorching and to keep the sauce pleasantly moist and turning the bundles once in a while to promote even cooking. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning. Keep warm.

braciolesimmered_DSC3946

When you are ready to serve, make the pasta: Bring 5 quarts of water to a boil. Add the salt and the tagliatelle, and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving 2 cups of the pasta cooking water.

Remove the bundles from the sauce, and place the bundles on a platter; to serve the bundles as a second course, spoon on some of the sauce and tent with aluminum foil to keep warm.

To serve: Thin out the braciole sauce in the pan with enough of the reserved pasta cooking water to obtain a flowing consistency; taste again and adjust the seasoning if needed. Add the tagliatelle to the sauce, sprinkle with the Pecorino, and toss vigorously to coat. Serve the pasta hot, sprinkled with the parsley. Serve the braciole as a second course.

pastabraciolesauce_DSC3963

Soup

Tuscan Cannellini Bean Soup with Spinach and Potatoes

This recipe takes me back to Lucca, a medieval walled city in Tuscany where my husband and I always stop to eat a lunch of thick, hearty soups. I say soups because frankly we skip the main course and order three soups instead: a farro soup; a lentil or bean soup such as this one; and a vegetable soup. Last week, craving the flavors of the soups we have savored in Lucca over the years, I came up with this simple, soothing recipe for lunch. A drizzle of raw olive oil just before serving and a sprinkling of freshly ground black pepper bring all the flavors in perfect balance.

You can use dried cannellini beans if you prefer, but in that case, you will need to allow for overnight soaking and longer cooking. Use 1/4 cup dried cannellini beans, soak overnight in cool water to cover, drain, and cook in fresh water to cover until tender, then proceed with the recipe below.

To make this soup the starter to a perfect meal, serve with thick slices of garlic-rubbed grilled bread for dipping. Follow the soup with a simple salad of greens tossed with grated carrots, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper, and the crazy delicious wild rice fritters above.

Serves 2

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, minced
  • 1 small carrot, minced
  • 1 small celery stalk, minced
  • 1 medium Yukon Gold potato, peel on, cut into 1/4-inch dice
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cups water or chicken broth, plus extra as needed
  • 1 cup canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for serving
  • 1/2 pound fresh spinach leaves, washed and dried

cannellinisoupingredients

In a heavy-bottomed 2-quart pot, place 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, the onion, carrot, celery, potato, and garlic. Set over medium-low heat and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Cook about 10 minutes, stirring once in a while and adding a tablespoon or so of water as needed to prevent scorching, until the vegetables are starting to soften and the potato has lost its raw look.

Add the drained beans and season with the salt and pepper. Pour in the water or broth and cover again. Bring to a gentle boil and cook until the potato is completely tender and the beans have started to break down a bit, about 15 minutes. Using a fork, crush some of the beans against the side of the pot to thicken the soup.

Stir in the spinach, cover again, and cook 10 more minutes, or until the spinach is very silky. Taste for salt and adjust as needed. Serve hot, drizzled with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkled with freshly ground black pepper.

Cannellini-soup

Soup

Barley and Swiss Chard Soup

It’s supposed to be spring already, but today was a drizzly day after a long and snowy winter… soup was in order. I craved the silky texture of flash-cooked Swiss chard and the toothsome texture of barley, so here is the soup I came up with.  If you have escarole or spinach in the refrigerator, they work well in place of the chard.

Variation: To make this soup creamy in texture and a bit spicy, whisk together 2/3 cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt, 1 grated garlic clove, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon Aleppo pepper, and 1 teaspoon crumbled dried mint, then stir into the soup just before serving.

Serves 2

  • 1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion, minced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1/3 cup pearl barley
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • leaves from 1 large bunch rainbow Swiss chard, thinly sliced (4 cups packed)

Place 1 teaspoon of the olive oil in a saucepan and add the onion and garlic. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook over medium-low heat until the onion is soft and barely golden, about 8 minutes, stirring once in a while to prevent the garlic from burning.

Add the broth, and bring to a gentle boil. Drop in the barley and season with the salt and pepper. Cook, covered, stirring once in a while, until the barley is fully cooked but not mushy, about 30 minutes.

When you are ready to serve, stir in the chard leaves, and cook until they are soft and wilted, about 3 minutes. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust as needed.  Serve hot, drizzled with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. For extra richness, sprinkle with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

swiss-chard-and-barley-soup

 

Soup

Creamy Cauliflower Soup with White Truffle Oil & Crispy Bacon

This amazing soup takes little active work, is very low in fat and calories, but delivers incredible depth of flavor. The trick: sweating the vegetables in a covered pot slowly, then adding just a bit of flour to thicken up the base for a velvety mouth-feel. While an immersion blender may be easier to use than a blender, I prefer the latter to obtain a rich, creamy texture.

Feel free to omit the bacon for a completely vegetarian dish;  garnish with a few roasted cauliflower florets instead in this case, to provide visual contrast.

Serves 4

  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, minced
  • 1 celery stalk, minced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon thyme leaves
  • 4 cups (1 medium head) cauliflower florets, tough stems removed
  • 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra to serve
  • 3 cups 2% or whole milk
  • 1 cup water, plus extra as needed
  • 2 slices bacon, cut into tiny dice
  • 2 tablespoons white truffle oil

Place the olive oil, onion, celery, garlic, and thyme in a 3-quart pot with a tight-fitting lid. Cover and set over medium-low heat. Cook until the vegetables soften, about 10 minutes, stirring once in a while as needed to prevent scorching.

Uncover, add the cauliflower, stir well, and cover again. Cook until the cauliflower softens, about 10 minutes, stirring once in a while and adding water if needed to prevent scorching.

Uncover, stir in the flour, and cook for 3 minutes, stirring often; the flour should lose its raw smell and the cauliflower and vegetables should become coated with the flour. It is fine if the cauliflower and vegetables take on a little color; this will only deepen the flavor of the soup.

Season with the salt and pepper. Pour in the milk, stirring to avoid lumps forming. Add the water and cover. Bring to a gentle boil. Simmer for 30 minutes, or until the cauliflower is very soft (it should fall apart when poked with a spoon) and the flavors have melded. Be sure not to cook the soup over too high a flame, as the milk may curdle (even if it does, the soup will be blended later, so it is fine).

Transfer to a blender, being careful as the soup is quite hot. Cover the blender lid with a towel to prevent splashing and puree the soup  until thick and smooth, about 2 minutes. If the soup is too thick for your taste, add as much water as needed to dilute to a consistency you like; the soup should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Return to the pot and keep warm. Adjust the seasoning as needed.

When you are ready to serve, place the diced bacon in a skillet and cook over medium heat until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels.

Serve the soup hot, drizzled with the truffle oil, garnished with the crispy bacon, and sprinkled with freshly ground black pepper.

 

Fresh Pasta

Garganelli with Red Wine and Two-Meat Ragu

This simple, savory ragu combines my favorite elements of a classic Bolognese ragu (the milk and red wine) with my favorite elements of a southern Italian-style ragu (the spicy sausage and garlic).

If you have a rind from a hunk of Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano on hand, throw it into the ragu pot to lend additional richness, then remove it before tossing with the pasta.

See our recipe for handmade garganelli

Serves 4

For the sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, minced  (1/4 cup)
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 12 basil leaves or 2 tablespoons minced Italian parsley
  • ¾ pound spicy Italian sausage, casings removed
  • ¾ pound ground beef chuck
  • 1 cup dry red wine
  • 2 cups chopped canned Italian plum tomatoes (preferably San Marzano)
  • 1 cup whole or 2% milk
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Rind from Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano (optional)

For the pasta and to serve:

  • 2 tablespoons salt
  • 1 pound garganelli (see recipe below)
  • ¼ pound freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano

Make the ragù: Place the olive oil, onion, garlic, and basil in a 10-inch sauté pan over medium-high heat. Cook 5 minutes, or until softened. Stir in the sausage and beef, and cook until browned all over, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Be sure to let the meat develop a deep brown color at this stage, or the ragu will taste flabby instead of rich.

Add the wine and then, after 5 minutes, the broth, tomatoes, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. If you have a cheese rind, add it at this point and make sure it is fully submerged in the liquid.

Cover and cook over medium-low heat 1 and ½ hours, making sure the sauce never scorches and adding a bit of water as needed to the pan. Discard the bay leaf and the cheese rind. Adjust the seasoning and keep the sauce warm. (The sauce can be made up to this point 2 days in advance; refrigerate until needed, then warm gently before proceeding.)

Make the pasta: Bring 5 quarts of water to a boil. Add the salt and the pasta, and  cook until al dente; drain, reserving 2 cups of the pasta cooking water.

Add the pasta to the sauce and sauté over high heat for 1 minute. Stir in the Parmigiano, and add some of the reserved pasta cooking water if needed to thin out the sauce. Adjust the seasoning and serve hot.

Main Course: Vegetarian

Pasta Gratin with Swiss Chard, Fontina, and Nutmeg


reginette gratin in plate

Our good friend Bill Bateman just came back from Val d’Aosta, where he goes every winter to ski and enjoy the food and scenery, and we were once again the lucky recipients of some fabulous Fontina cheese he bought while there. What an amazing cheese! It melts incredibly well, and the aroma is subtle, milky, nutty, grassy. Of course I wanted to incorporate the Fontina in as many dishes as I could while it was still fresh from Italy, so here is one recent creation, based on a recipe I found in Gourmet Magazine a few years ago and doctored to my taste.

I used homemade egg pasta cut into curly pappardelle for this dish; but you can certainly use store-bought, as long as the pasta is fresh and thin. And while I made this dish to showcase Bill’s Fontina, you can use Raclette or Gruyere instead, as these are often easier to find.

For ideas of how to use your Swiss chard stems (do not throw them out–they are delicious and nutritious!), see our post on chard stems.

Serves 2 as a main course, 4 as an appetizer

  • 1 large bunch Swiss chard, preferably rainbow, ribs removed and reserved for another use (see note above), leaves coarsely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ pound fresh egg pasta (ideally Pappardelle or tagliatelle)
  • 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing the pan
  • 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced (1 and ½ cups)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ cup whole or 2% milk
  • 2 ounces Mascarpone (preferably imported Italian)
  • 2 ounces Fontina from Val d’Aosta, rind removed, grated
  • 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

reginettegratin-ingredients3521

Preheat the oven to 350° (preferably set on convection).

Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil. Add the coarsely chopped chard leaves and 2 tablespoons of the salt, and cook 5 minutes, or until soft; remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl of cool water and keep the water boiling. Drain the chard, cool under running water, and squeeze out as much water as possible with your hands. Chop finely and set aside.

reginettegratinboilchard3528

Add the fresh pasta to the pot of boiling water and cook, until al dente, about 2 minutes; drain and toss with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil and set aside.

Meanwhile, place the remaining teaspoon of olive oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet. Add the onion and garlic, and sauté over medium heat until golden and lightly caramelized, about 10 minutes.

Stir in the chard and sauté another 5 minutes, or until the chard is warmed through and wilted. Season with ½ teaspoon of the salt and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper. Set aside.

reginettegratin-saute3534

Brush an oven-to-table roasting pan with olive oil; I find an 8-inch square or 9-inch x 4-inch pan works well.

Place the drained pasta and chard mixture in the pan and mix with your hands or tongs.

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In a bowl, beat the eggs with the milk and Mascarpone; add the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon of pepper. The mixture will be lumpy, which is fine; the lumps will dissolve once the pasta is placed in the hot oven. Stir the egg mixture into the pasta and chard.

Scatter the Fontina on top of the pasta, and sprinkle with the Parmigiano.

reginettegratin-precook3556

Bake in the preheated oven 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown on top. You can slip the pasta under the broiler for 5 minutes for extra crunch on top. Serve hot.