Potato and green garlic chowder
Total time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Servings: 4 to 6
Ingredients
1/2 pound green garlic
1 1/2 pounds fingerling potatoes
2 Tbsps. butter
1 onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 tsp. salt, or to taste
1/2 to 3/4 tsp. sherry vinegar
Black pepper
Good olive oil
Grated pecorino Romano
1. Trim the root ends of the green garlic and the very tips of the green leaves if they are dried out. Cut the green garlic crosswise in thin pieces. Slice the potatoes in half lengthwise and then into about half-inch pieces. Place them in a bowl of water to prevent coloring.
2. In a large saucepan, combine the butter and onion and cook over medium heat, stirring roughly until the butter melts and the onions turn soft and creamy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and the green garlic, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the mixture is fragrant, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the potatoes and turn them in the garlic mixture. Add the broth and salt, increase the heat to medium and bring to a simmer. Loosely cover and cook at a quick simmer until the potatoes are soft enough to be smashed with a fork, about 20 minutes.
4. Coarsely puree the potatoes and garlic. This is most easily done with an immersion blender but can also be done in a food processor or blender if you're careful to pulse quickly. The mixture should be chunky, not a smooth puree.
5. Add one-half tsp. sherry vinegar and a generous grinding of black pepper. Taste and add more salt, pepper or vinegar if necessary. Return to the pan and simmer another 5 minutes. This makes about 7 cups of soup.
6. Stir briskly just before serving. Ladle into warm serving bowls, drizzle with a thread of olive oil and sprinkle over 1 to 2 Tbsps. grated pecorino Romano.
Each of 6 servings: 196 calories; 9 grams protein; 25 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams fiber; 8 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 21 mg. cholesterol; 853 mg. sodium.
Shrimp and artichoke soup with spring herb gnocchi
Total time: 1 1/2 hours
Servings: 6
Ingredients
Fresh herb gnocchi
1/2 cup ricotta
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 tsp. minced tarragon
1 Tbsp. minced parsley
1 tsp. minced chives
5 to 6 Tbsps. flour, plus extra for rolling gnocchi
1. In a medium mixing bowl, beat the ricotta, egg yolk, Parmigiano-Reggiano, tarragon, parsley and chives until smooth. Beat in the flour 1 Tbsp. at a time until the mixture forms a ball that holds together. It may still be slightly sticky.
2. Flour your hands. Tear off a small piece of the dough and roll it between your palms to form a small ball roughly one-half-inch across. Set aside on a lightly floured towel and repeat, using up all of the dough. You should have about 30 gnocchi. Refrigerate on a tray, lightly covered in plastic wrap, until needed. The gnocchi will keep for 2 days, uncooked.
Soup and assembly
Ingredients
1/3 pound medium shrimp, shell on
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 1/2 tsps. salt
1 tsp. whole black peppercorns
1/2 lemon
1 Tbsp. mixed chopped herbs (chives, tarragon, parsley), plus a handful of reserved stems
2 Tbsps. olive oil
2 large artichokes (or 4 medium or 6 small), trimmed to hearts and cut in rough 3/4 -inch pieces
Fresh herb gnocchi
1. Peel the shrimp, collecting the shells in a saucepan. Cut the meat in half crosswise. To the shells, add the onion, garlic, salt, peppercorns, lemon and a handful of herb stems. Add 6 cups water and bring to a simmer. Cook 30 minutes.
2. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat. When quite hot, add the chopped artichokes and cook, stirring, 4 to 5 minutes. Pour the shrimp stock through a strainer over the artichokes and simmer until the artichokes are tender enough to cut with the back of a knife, about 10 minutes. Add the shrimp and continue cooking over low heat. (The recipe can be prepared to this point up to 4 hours in advance and refrigerated tightly covered; reheat gently.)
3. Carefully drop the gnocchi into the boiling water. Just cook a handful at a time. Stir gently to keep them from sticking to the bottom and cook until they float to the surface, about 45 seconds to 1 minute. Remove from the pot with a skimmer and add to the soup pot. Repeat, cooking all of the gnocchi.
4. Ladle the finished soup into six warmed soup or pasta bowls, sprinkle with fresh herbs and serve immediately.
Each serving: 196 calories; 10 grams protein; 16 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams fiber; 10 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 87 mg. cholesterol; 762 mg. sodium.
Chilled sweet pea bisque with Dungeness crab and mint
Total time: 1 hour
Servings: 4
Ingredients
1 3/4 pounds English peas in their shells
1 onion, chopped
1 3/4 tsps. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. butter
1 leek, chopped
1/4 cup rice
3 ounces Dungeness crab meat (a little more than 1/2 cup), preferably leg and claw meat
1 Tbsp. slivered mint
1 to 2 tsps. lemon juice
1. Shell the peas, collecting them in a bowl (you should have about 2 cups) and putting the pods in a large saucepan. Rinse the pods under running water, and then add the onion and 8 cups of water, the salt and the sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook until the pods are fairly soft and quite fragrant, about 15 minutes. Strain into a measuring cup, discarding the cooked pods. You should have about 6 cups of broth.
2. Rinse out the saucepan and heat the butter and leek in it. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until the leek softens, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat well. Add 5 cups of the broth and bring to a simmer. Cook until the rice is quite soft, about 20 minutes. The kernels should be soft enough that they're beginning to split at the ends and should offer very little resistance when tasted.
3. Add the peas and increase the heat to high. Cook just until their color brightens and they soften, 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Ladle about half of the brothy pea and rice mixture into a blender. Cover the top with a towel to prevent any splashing and pulse once or twice on low speed to get the mixture started. Once the mixture has been chopped, blend at low speed about 30 seconds, and then raise the speed to high for about 10 seconds, until the mixture is a smooth puree.
5. Strain the mixture into a pot, stirring it and rubbing it against the bottom and sides of the strainer with a rubber spatula until all that is left is a fairly dry mixture of broken rice and pea skins to be discarded. Repeat with the remaining soup. You should have about 3 cups of soup; if necessary, add a little more of the broth to make that amount. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Refrigerate, tightly covered until chilled. (The recipe can be prepared to this point up to 4 hours in advance.)
6. When ready to serve, gently stir together the crab and the mint in a small bowl, being careful not to break up the crab meat. Whisk lemon juice into the pea soup and taste and add more salt or lemon if necessary. Ladle about three-fourths cup of soup into each of four shallow soup plates or pasta bowls. Carefully spoon about 2 Tbsps. of the crab mixture into the center of the soup and serve.
Each serving: 182 calories; 10 grams protein; 28 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams fiber; 4 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 23 mg. cholesterol; 1,104 mg. sodium.
from the chicago tribune
Nuts for pizza
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 12 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
2 Tbsps. extra-virgin olive oil
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 (12-inch) prebaked pizza crust, see note
1 tsp. Italian herb blend
3 Campari tomatoes, thinly sliced, or 8 cocktail tomatoes, halved
1 package (about 2 1/4 ounces) sliced almonds
1/2 package (about 1/2 ounce) fresh tarragon, minced, or 1 Tbsp. dried
1 package (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella
1. Heat oven according to crust directions. Heat 1 Tbsp. of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook, stirring, until just beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in 1/8 tsp. of the salt and pepper to taste; remove onion and garlic from pan. 2. Brush remaining 1 Tbsp. of the oil on the crust. Sprinkle crust with the herb blend, remaining salt and pepper to taste. Add the onions, garlic, tomatoes, almonds and tarragon. Cover pizza with the cheese. Bake according to crust directions, 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven; cool 5 minutes.
Note: If using premade pizza dough, follow directions on package.
Nutrition information per serving: 538 calories, 44% of calories from fat, 28 g fat, 7 g saturated fat, 36 mg cholesterol, 54 g carbohydrates, 25 g protein, 979 mg sodium, 5 g fiber.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 12 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
2 Tbsps. extra-virgin olive oil
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 (12-inch) prebaked pizza crust, see note
1 tsp. Italian herb blend
3 Campari tomatoes, thinly sliced, or 8 cocktail tomatoes, halved
1 package (about 2 1/4 ounces) sliced almonds
1/2 package (about 1/2 ounce) fresh tarragon, minced, or 1 Tbsp. dried
1 package (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella
1. Heat oven according to crust directions. Heat 1 Tbsp. of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook, stirring, until just beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in 1/8 tsp. of the salt and pepper to taste; remove onion and garlic from pan. 2. Brush remaining 1 Tbsp. of the oil on the crust. Sprinkle crust with the herb blend, remaining salt and pepper to taste. Add the onions, garlic, tomatoes, almonds and tarragon. Cover pizza with the cheese. Bake according to crust directions, 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven; cool 5 minutes.
Note: If using premade pizza dough, follow directions on package.
Nutrition information per serving: 538 calories, 44% of calories from fat, 28 g fat, 7 g saturated fat, 36 mg cholesterol, 54 g carbohydrates, 25 g protein, 979 mg sodium, 5 g fiber.
Deviled eggs
Adapted from Michael Schwartz of Michael's Genuine Food & Drink restaurant in Miami. For a richer filling, he uses all of the egg yolks, but fills only 12 of the cooked white halves. Use the remaining whites chopped into a salad or sandwich filling.
Ingredients
8 hard-cooked eggs
1/2 cup regular or light mayonnaise
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 tsp. minced parsley
1/2 tsp. paprika
1. Peel eggs; cut in half crosswise (or lengthwise, if you prefer). Carefully scoop out yolks; reserve. Arrange 12 of the white halves on a platter or tray; reserve remainder for another use.
2. Puree the yolks, mayonnaise and lemon juice in a food processor until smooth; season with the salt and pepper to taste. Transfer mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a large plain or star tip; pipe carefully into egg halves. Alternately, you can spoon the filling into the eggs.
3. Sprinkle with parsley and paprika. Cover eggs loosely with plastic wrap; refrigerate until ready to use, up to 3 hours.
Note: Yolk mixture may also be seasoned with 1 tsp. minced thyme, parsley, chives or dill; 1 tsp. Dijon mustard; 1 1/2 tsps. sherry vinegar and/or, for a more "deviled" flavor, 1/4 tsp. ground red pepper.
Nutrition information per serving: 119 calories, 84% of calories from fat, 11 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 145 mg cholesterol, 0 g carbohydrates, 4 g protein, 171 mg sodium, 0 g fiber.