LunaCafe » Let It Snow

Cannellini Bean Soup with Italian Sausage, Fingerling Potatoes & Broccoli Raab

Susan S. Bradley — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 04:05:13 +0000

I know it is officially spring, but the weather is still stubbornly variable–bone-chilling rainy days alternating with spirit-lifting balmy days two to one. Thus, until the local field rhubarb and early strawberries arrive at the Portland Farmers Market, I continue to rely on winter ingredients and hearty, comforting dishes.

When it comes to hearty and comforting, does anything surpass the humble bean soup? Not for me. But unfortunately, many otherwise fine cooks don’t give bean soups the respect and care that they deserve. We throw a ham hock and bag of beans into a pot and expect magic at the end of the cooking process. When the result is bland and thick as glue, we blame it on the beans.

I am here to defend the beans. It is not their fault! Beans require just as much thoughtful consideration and care as any other ingredient. They are at their toothsome best when hydrated slowly in cold water for at least 8 hours before cooking, and of course, that takes–yes I will say the dreaded word–PLANNING.

In addition to planning ahead, it’s important to understand the characteristics of each bean you use. When most beans are cooked properly, they hold their shape and have just a bit of resistance when bitten into. Some beans, however, irrespective of all your care, dissolve into a mush when cooked, and should thus be reserved for dishes in which that quality is an asset rather than a liability.

Of all the beautiful heirloom beans now available, cannellini beans are quite possibly my favorites. They are also the darlings of Italian cuisine and for good reason. Elegantly large and pearly white with a gentle curvature, they have a mild, nutty taste and creamy texture. As a bonus, they hold their shape exceedingly well, making them suitable for dishes in which the beans are to play a starring, rather than supporting, role.

As with most dried beans, cannellini beans are not digestible until hydrated and cooked. There are at least three basic hydration methods, and depending on the dish, you can choose whichever method suits your fancy or time requirements. Because I often cook spur of the moment, I hydrate and cook large batches of cannellini beans in advance and freeze them in 2-cup increments. It’s a real time saver.

Method 1: Slow, Cold Hydration

Put rinsed and sorted beans into a large bowl and cover with cold water. Soak for 8-24 hours. Drain beans and discard soaking liquid. (This method is claimed to remove 60% of the complex bean sugars that contribute to indigestion.)

Method 2: Fast, Hot Hydration

Put rinsed and sorted beans into a soup pot and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil and boil for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover, and soak for 1 to 4 hours. Drain beans and discard soaking liquid. (This method is claimed to remove 80% of the complex bean sugars that contribute to indigestion.)

Method 3: No Hydration

Put rinsed and sorted beans into an overproof casserole and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil and boil for 2-3 minutes. Cover casserole and put into a 350° oven. Bake for about 75 minutes, until beans are tender, adding additional water at the halfway point if necessary. Although many cooks swear by this method, if you are prone to bean-induced indigestion, you might want to use another method. Also, textural quality is diminished somewhat with is method.

NOTE The soaking process removes some of the complex carbohydrates that are partly responsible for indigestion. The longer the soak, the easier the digestion. On the other hand, this only applies to folks who don’t eat beans often. The more you eat beans, the better your body will be able to digest them.

Now that you have hydrated beans, let’s make this wonderful soup. I decided to build the flavor profile based on savory Italian sausage, creamy fingerling potatoes, earthy broccoli raab, and toothsome cannellini beans.

I wanted the soup to be hearty, yet also light enough that each component would retain its individual integrity. Thus we have a soup that is very much a bridge between winter and spring, hearty and light at the same time. Between-season dishes this good almost make me wish that summer would delay just a little while longer.

Cannellini Bean Soup with Italian Sausage, Fingerling Potatoes & Broccoli Raab

The taste of the spicy Italian sausage really comes through in this homey, hearty soup, as do each of the other individual flavors and textures. Unlike so many bean soups, this soup is not a thick “porridge.” The broth is light and refreshing, with only a bit of the tender, toothsome beans mashed at the end to give the soup a luscious body.

NOTE You must hydrate the beans before making the soup. You can choose the 8-24 hour method or 2-hour method.

1 pound dried cannellini beans, rinsed (2½ cups) (makes 4 cups cooked beans)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound premium-quality Italian sausage, loose or casing removed (mild or hot; I used 4 Isernio’s Hot Italian Sausages)
3 cups chopped yellow onion (1 large onion)
6 cloves garlic, peeled, and minced or pressed
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
8-10 cups chicken or vegetable stock

10-12 fingerling potatoes or baby new potatoes, cut into ½-inch dice (4 cups)
2-3 carrots, peeled, and chopped or sliced (1 cup chopped)
2-3 celery stalks, trimmed, and chopped or sliced (1 cup chopped)
2 Anaheim chiles, stemmed, ribbed, seeded, and chopped (1 cup chopped)
small handful broccoli raab or Lacinato kale, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
fine sea salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Garnish
¼ cup chopped parsley

Slow Hydration: At least 8 hours before you plan to make the soup, put the cannellini beans in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Hydrate for 8-24 hours. Drain the beans and discard the water.
Fast Hydration: Alternatively, in a soup pot, cover beans with water, bring to a boil, and boil for two minutes. Remove from the heat, cover, and let hydrate for 2 hours. Drain the beans and discard the water.
To cook the sausage, in a large soup pot, over brisk heat, heat the olive oil, and then pinch marble-sized pieces of sausage into the pot. Stir often with a wooden spoon to brown the meat evenly. If there is more than ¼ cup of fat and oil in the pan after browning the sausage, drain off the excess.
When the sausage is well browned, reduce the heat to medium-low, and add the onions and garlic. Sauté slowly until the onions are tender and translucent, scraping up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
Add the bay leaves, thyme, and chicken stock, and stir to combine.
Add the beans and bring to a slow simmer. Partially cover the soup pot and simmer slowly for 1½ to 2 hours, until the beans are almost tender. Remove ½ cup of the beans and reserve.
Add the potatoes, carrots, celery, and chiles. Simmer just until tender.
Mash the reserved ½ cup of beans and add back to the soup. This will thicken the broth slightly.
Just before serving, stir in the broccoli raab or kale, and simmer for 2 minutes.
Add lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.
Ladle into bowls, and garnish each serving with parsley.

Serves 6-8.

More LunaCafe Winter and Early Spring Soups

More Cannellini Bean Recipes

Resources

I Love Hearing from You!

Please leave a comment. Include your blog URL so CommentLuv will automatically link to your most recent blog post. And join me at LunaCafe on Facebook for daily adventures in the OtherWorldly Kitchen. Let’s get cooking! …Susan

Golden Raisin Mostarda with a Kick

Susan S. Bradley — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 04:12:16 +0000

Mostarda has been showing up with some frequency on restaurant menus of late and after tasting it for the first time with a succulent grilled pork chop at Nel Centro a couple of years ago, I was smitten. It was LOVE at first bite.

Imagine fresh or dried fruit glazed in a sweet, tangy syrup with a subtle or not so subtle mustard kick. As good as that pork chop was, I could have eaten an entire plate of the mostarda.

Of course, I would need a creamy chevre or nutty white cheddar to go with. Plus maybe a few artisan crackers. And several slices of Olympic Provisions spicy coppa.

This is why I am rarely out of homemade mostarda in the OtherWorldly Kitchen. It’s super easy to make and with a few well-chosen accompaniments, it’s the perfect afternoon snack or simple supper.

Mostarda is an Italian condiment that falls in the chutney or conserve family. It’s made by cooking whole or sliced fruit in a vinegar, sugar, and mustard-infused syrup. The mustard flavor is derived from mustard seeds, mustard powder, or mustard oil.

After you have the basic concept in hand, give your culinary muses full reign. The addition of fresh herbs and hot chile make good sense to me. And the raisins?

Well, it is winter after all, the season of dried fruit. And MauiJim is crazy about raisins. Faced with several bags of Trader Joe’s golden raisins in the pantry and a raisin-hungry man, this lovely mostarda was inevitable.

Golden Raisin Mostarda with a Kick

A tangy, chewy, soul satisfying mélange of plump raisins swimming in a spicy mustard syrup. Nestle a spoonful next to grilled pork, duck, or almost any cured meat; add to a sandwich; or serve alongside a full flavored cheese.

½ pound (1½ cups) plump golden raisins (or half golden and half Thompson seedless raisins)
1 jalapeno chile, halved lengthwise, stemmed, seeded, ribbed, and minced (use disposable gloves)
1 sprig rosemary
½ cup natural process apple cider vinegar
½ cup water
¼ cup wildflower honey
¼ cup sugar
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon mustard powder

In a medium saucepan, add all ingredients and bring to a simmer.
Simmer slowly until liquid is thickened somewhat and the harsh bite of the vinegar has softened. Don’t go too far though or the syrup will be too thick after it is chilled.
Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
Remove rosemary before serving.
Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Makes about 1½ cups.

Resources

Mexican Tortilla Soup with Frizzled Tortillas

Susan S. Bradley — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 02:33:20 +0000

Over the years, I have eaten this much-lauded soup in every restaurant and café I could find it.

I love the concept—toasted chiles, tomatoes, garlic, corn tortillas, and cumin soup base with fried tortillas, avocado, and sour cream embellishments—but not always the execution. Restaurant renditions vary considerably, as do recipes in American Southwest and Mexican cookbooks.

Some recipes use a soup base that is more tomato than stock. Some reverse that with hardly any tomato at all. Others use a variety of chilies, both fresh and dried, but no cumin. Others use cumin, but no chilies.

Some tortilla soups are silky purees, while others are rustic chowders. Some are thick stews, while others are watery broths.

In my favorite version, there is a silky puree with subtle taste and aroma of corn tortillas (the result of cooking these into the soup base), heady aroma of toasted cumin, and textural play of garnishes, such as crispy-fried shredded tortillas, crumbled cotija cheese, avocado, tomato, and sour cream.

When prepared with care and thoughtfulness, tortilla soup is an extravaganza, a completely magnificent meal-in-a-bowl.

From numerous tortilla soup adventures in the OtherWorldly Kitchen over the years, I have hit upon a soup base of caramelized onions, which is the distinction that sets this version apart from all others I have tried. The preparation for this soup begins in exactly the same way as for French Onion Soup.

For a fun evening with foodie friends, serve this soup with this movie or this music.

Mexican Tortilla Soup with Frizzled Tortillas

This lovely soup has a rich, complex flavor and gorgeous silky texture. I sometimes add cooked chicken to the garnishes, but this is unnecessary and even extraneous.

Because this soup requires time and effort to produce, and because it is so singular and satisfying, I always serve it as a main course. As a first course, it’s a hard act to follow.

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 pounds onions, peeled, cut in half vertically, and sliced
1 teaspoon sugar

3 dried ancho chilies

6 garlic cloves, peeled and minced or pressed
½ cup brandy, optional
½ cup dry red wine, optional

six, 6½-inch diameter corn tortillas, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 jalapeno chilies, stemmed, seeded, ribbed, and minced

1 tablespoon ground cumin (tastes even better if you lightly toast the seeds in a dry saute pan and then grind them yourself)
2 bay leaves

6 cups vegetable or chicken stock, plus more as needed
3 pounds fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped (or three 14.5-ounce cans chopped tomatoes)

fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

½ cup canola oil
three, 6½-inch diameter corn tortillas, cut into narrow strips

Embellishments
1 cup grated or crumbled cotija cheese, optional
½ cup green onion, chopped, optional
1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped, optional
1 avocado, peeled, seeded, chopped or sliced, and quickly tossed with fresh lime juice, optional
½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped, optional
1 cup sour cream, whisked to smooth, optional
6-8 lime wedges

Melt the butter, add the onions, sprinkle with sugar, and slowly sweat the onions, partially covered, until they are deep brown. This takes 45-60 minutes, sometimes even longer, depending on the heat level and onions. You will need to stir only occasionally during the first 30 minutes, more often during the next 15 minutes, and frequently in the final 15 minutes. NOTE I can’t overemphasize the importance of this step. If the onions are cooked too rapidly, they will burn; if too briefly, they will not lend the necessary color and depth of flavor to the finished soup. So take your time, cover partially, and sweat the onions until they are deep brown, translucent, and soft.
While the onions are browning, put the ancho chiles into a small, dry sauté pan set over medium heat. Toast for 2 to 3 minutes, turning often and pressing flat against the pan with a wooden spoon. The chiles will soften, puff slightly, and give off a lovely fragrance. Remove from the heat, cool briefly, remove the stem and seeds, and tear into small pieces. Put the chiles in a mixing bowl and cover with boiling water. Let hydrate for 30 minutes, and then drain, reserving 1 cup of the water.
When the onions are brown, stir in the garlic, and then carefully add the brandy and reduce to about 2 tablespoons. Add the red wine and reduce by half.
Add the toasted, hydrated ancho chiles, cut tortillas, jalapeno chiles, cumin, and bay leaves. Heat, stirring, for 2 minutes.
Add chicken stock, reserved 1 cup ancho chile water, and tomatoes. Stir, cover partially, and simmer slowly for 30 minutes.
Fish the bay leaves from the soup. Then, either puree the soup with an immersion blender, or for a super silky texture, in batches in a blender.
Adjust the consistency of the soup by adding additional stock if necessary. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
If you have time, cool and refrigerate the soup overnight to develop the flavor more fully. (Highly recommend as it makes a big difference.)
Before serving, heat the oil in a small sauté pan until a drop of water sizzles when flicked on the surface. Fry the tortilla strips, turning with tongs, until crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain. Prepare the other embellishments as indicated above.
When ready to serve, reheat the soup if necessary and adjust seasoning if necessary. Ladle soup into individual, wide rimmed soup bowls, and top each serving with cooked chicken and fried tortillas. Add some or all of the embellishments. Serve with lime wedges.

Serves 6-8.

Resources

Check out Gojee Potluck

Gojee is having a potluck and this dish is on the table! Starting on Thursday, January 26, check out the other potluck dishes fellow gojee contributors shared. Go to gojee.com and enter “gojeepotluck” into I Crave. You can also follow #gojeepotluck on Twitter.

I Love Hearing from You!

Spicy, Creamy Mulligatawny Soup

Susan S. Bradley — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 04:18:50 +0000

Do you remember that Seinfeld episode where Elaine and Kramer were kibitzing about Mulligatawny Soup?

Elaine: “Do you need anything?”
Kramer: “Oh, a hot bowl of Mulligatawny would hit the spot.”
Elaine: “Mulligatawny?”
Kramer: “Yeah, it’s an Indian soup. Simmered to perfection by one of the great soup artisans in the modern era.”
Elaine: “Oh. Who, the Soup Nazi?”
Kramer: “He’s not a Nazi. He just happens to be eccentric. You know, most geniuses are.”

I bet that episode sent thousands of people to the web in search of the recipe. The name alone is an inducement. As it happens, the name Mulligatawny derives from what was originally Mullaga (pepper) Thanni (water). In the eighteenth century, during the British Raj in India, Brits inspired its creation by insisting on a soup course, which before that time was not part of Indian cuisine. Then, they brought the concept back to Britain and forgot how to spell it. Okay, I made that last bit up, just to see if you’re paying attention. The spelling “evolved.”

There are so many different recipes for this most English of Indian soups that it was difficult to get a clear sense of the essential elements. Nevertheless, my arduous two hours of research (while simultaneously surfing the web, drinking tea, and watching the food channel) revealed that Mulligatawny Soup frequently consists of chicken stock, sundry veggies, rice or lentils, curry spices, chile pepper, garlic, fresh ginger, and something creamy (coconut milk or cream).

Sometimes it is presented as a silky smooth cream soup and other times chunks of veggies and chicken are bobbing in a creamy base. Mulligatawny Soup can be rather thin or lightly thickened with pureed veggies or flour slurry. Occasionally, tomatoes are part of the mix and lamb may take the place of chicken. (It can also be meat free.) The soup is often enhanced with lentils or rice. It is usually golden yellow, brick orange, or russet red.

But no matter how many recipes for Mulligatawny Soup I encounter on the web and in cookbooks, the version that has a permanent place in my heart is one that was presented at a long ago wedding reception of a good friend and culinary associate.

On a long vegetable-and-herb bedecked table, she presented a silky smooth, lightly thickened, curried soup redolent with fresh ginger, garlic, and garam masala. The aroma was intoxicating. And the entire table was covered with mountains of embellishments: shredded chicken, basmati rice, chopped cilantro, sliced green onions, raisins, toasted coconut, roasted chopped peanuts, roasted sunflower seeds, diced chiles, diced red and green bell peppers, and at least a dozen other goodies. It was simple, yet stunning, and more satisfying and memorable than any grand feast I have experienced since.

Part of the appeal of this soup is surely the do-it-yourself aspect. So, if you plan to wow and entertain your guests, be sure to make a big do-to about the embellishments—the more the better.

Spicy, Creamy Mulligatawny Soup (with Vegetarian Option)

This golden yellow meal-in-a-bowl is as festive as soup gets. A dozen crunchy, spicy, chewy, crispy, salty embellishments compete for attention in this exotically spiced, chile-hot, lightly thickened, silky smooth soup. For simpler meals, you can include only a few embellishments or forgo them altogether. The rice seems essential to me, however.

1 whole chicken, cut into 10 parts (2 breast halves, 2 thighs, 2 legs, 2 wings, 1 back, 1 neck) (makes about 3 cups cooked, shredded chicken)
1 yellow onion, cut into 8 pieces (with skin)
2 large carrots, coarsely chopped
2 large stalks celery, coarsely chopped
2 quarts chicken or vegetable stock
1 quart cold water

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, chopped (3 cups chopped)
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrot
2 tablespoons peeled and minced fresh ginger
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced or pressed
1 serrano chile, stemmed and minced (use disposable gloves)
1 tablespoon LunaCafe Garam Masala (or store-bought curry blend)
1 teaspoon turmeric (skip if using store-bought curry blend that contains turmeric)

8 cups chicken stock from above, plus more if needed

2 cups coconut milk (13.5 ounce can) (Chaokoh brand is good)
fine sea salt, to taste
freshly ground white pepper, to taste
½ cup cream, optional

6-8 wedges of fresh lime

Optional Embellishments
3 cups cooked shredded chicken, from above, heated briefly in a microwave
6 cups cooked brown or basmati rice, heated briefly in a microwave
diced red apple
diced green apple
plump currants or raisins
chopped cilantro
sliced green onions
toasted coconut flakes
roasted chopped peanuts
roasted sunflower seeds
diced poblano chile
diced red bell pepper

In a large stock or soup pot, arrange the chicken pieces, onion, carrot, and celery. Cover with chicken stock and water, and slowly bring to a simmer. Simmer slowly, partially covered for 30 minutes, replenishing water as it evaporates. Remove from the heat, and let cool for at least an hour or until cool enough to handle the chicken.
Remove the chicken to a platter and separate the skin and bones from the meat. Tear the meat into small bit-size pieces and reserve.
Add the skin and bones back to the stock and simmer, partially covered, for an additional hour, replenishing water as it evaporates.
Strain the stock into a large bowl. You should have at least 8 cups of stock after evaporation. If not, add additional chicken stock. Discard the depleted chicken.
In a large soup pot, melt the butter and sweat the onions until tender but not browned, about 15 minutes. Add the celery, carrot, ginger, garlic, Serrano chile, Garam Masala, and turmeric and cook for ad additional 5 minutes, stirring a few times in the process.
Add 8 cups of chicken stock and simmer, partially covered until the celery and carrots are very tender. Add the coconut milk and stir to blend.
Using an immersion blender, puree the soup. Pour the pureed soup through a triple mesh strainer in a large bowl. Transfer the remaining solids to a blender, add a little of the strained soup and blend until velvet smooth. Add back to the soup.
Taste the soup for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper. At this point, the soup may taste a little harsh. It will mellow dramatically if you have time to frig it overnight. If you must proceed, and if necessary to soften the flavor, simmer the soup for another 10 minutes or so. You can also soften the flavor by adding ½ cup of cream.
To serve, arrange embellishments in small bowls on the dining table. Mound ½ cup cooked, heated rice in the center of each large soup bowl and top with heated shredded chicken. Ladle the hot soup around the rice and chicken, and serve with a wedge of lime. Let guests help themselves to the embellishments.

Makes about 2 quarts, excluding embellishments; serves 6-8.

Spicy, Creamy Vegetarian Mulligatawny Soup

This meatless version is as good as the original, some say even better.

In Step 1, eliminate the chicken and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
Skip Step 2.
Skip Step 3.
In Step 4, use vegetable broth instead of chicken stock.
In Step 6, eliminate the chicken.

Resources