Vichyssoise

Merry Christmas!  I got to try out my new stick blender today.  “Food Network” brand, feels pretty wimpy, but it definitely got the job done.  This potato and leek soup came out smooth and tasty. A classic vichyssoise has only leeks and potatoes, no fennel or bacon.  But why not add fennel and bacon? The stick blender makes it easy to puree the soup, which is very necessary for texture.  This would not be the same as a chunky homestyle soup.  I served it warm for dinner with a half-ounce of blue cheese melted in, but the classic presentation is cold as an appetiser.  I’ll have to try that tomorrow with some of the leftovers.

Calorie Estimate: 1400

Ingredients

• 1 lb leeks, sliced 1/4 inch rounds, white and green
• 1 lb yukon gold potatoes (or other waxy potato), coarse dice
• 1 fennel bulb, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, mashed
• 1 T butter
• 1 oz bacon/prosciutto/pancetta, diced
• 4-6 cups water (optional, and not necessary: chicken stock)
• salt (a few t)
• pepper (about 1-2 t)
• parsley or chervil (1-2 t dried, 2 T + garnish fresh)
• 1 cup heavy cream (could use less, could use half-and-half)
• optional, but awesome: 1/2 oz blue cheese per bowl

Alternate Version (1000 Calories)

• minus cream (I have my reasons!)
• plus parsnip
• 6 oz of bacon

Preparation

1. Over medium high heat, start to brown the butter and render the pork.
2. Add the leeks, garlic, and fennel, and sweat but don’t brown for a few minutes.
3. Add the potatoes and the water (enough to just cover completely) and bring to a boil, then turn to a simmer.  At a teaspoon or so of salt at this point and some black pepper.  Cook for about 30 minutes until the potatoes are cooked.
4. Take the soup off the heat and let it cool for a minute or two.  Add the cream and parsley.  Take the stick blender and blend until somewhat smooth.
5. At this point, adjust the seasoning.  I needed quite a bit of salt and some more pepper to make it pop, but that’s just me.  As you add seasoning, blend it a bit more, and keep tasting until it’s right.
6. If you’re serving it warm, an awesome tip I picked up from a comment in Mark Bittman’s blog Bitten is to place a small piece of blue cheese at the bottom the bowl.  It’ll rapidly melt, so stir it into the soup before you eat.  This adds a really nice touch of complexity that would otherwise be missing and really made the soup feel special.

Spanish Rice

In a stroke of genius, my friend Benji decided we should combine experimental culinary forces and cook a lunch together.  He made a tasty chicken molé which I can say very little about, other than that it was tasty, and I took my first shot at spanish rice, and it came out quite good, with a little of his help on the seasoning.  All spice amounts are estimated–start small and add slowly until things seem about right.  Useful tip–taste and smell often, adjusting seasoning as you go.

Calorie estimate: 2000

Ingredients

• 1/4 lb prosciutto end (or other fatty pork), diced as finely as you have patience for
• 1-2 T olive oil
• 1 C long grain white rice
• 1 medium onion, diced rather finely
• 1 big clove of garlic, minced
• 3/4 can diced tomatoes, slightly drained
• 1.5 C frozen peas and carrots
• 1.5 C chicken broth
• 1/2 t cumin
• 1.5 t salt
• 1/4 t cinnamon
• 1/2 t ancho chili powder

Preparation

1. Get a large skillet with a cover (or find something that can cover your largest skillet).  Over medium-high heat, warm the oil and render the prosciutto bits for 5-7 minutes.  The pork fat should disappear into the oil and the meaty bits should darken and start to get crispy.
2. Add in the rice and the cumin, coat it with the oil, and toast it for 5-8 minutes, until it browns a bit.  Stir occasionally.
3. Add in the onion and garlic, stir around, and cook for 2 or so minutes more.
4. Add in the tomatoes, veggies, and broth.  If you use fresh peas and carrots, steam them in the microwave first.  Stir thoroughly, cover, and lower the heat to let it simmer for 15 minutes.
5. After 15 minutes, taste, add in the other spices and salt, slowly and always tasting and smelling.  When you think you’ve got it about right, let it sit for 5-10 minutes, ideally covered although we didn’t have that sort of restraint.

Piselli al Prosciutto

Peas and prosciutto

Calorie Estimate: 750

Ingredients

• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1-2 oz diced prosciutto (ends work and are cheaper)
• 2 cloves garlic
• twice as much chopped shallot as garlic
• 1 T butter
• 1 label servings pasta (bowtie/spaghetti)
• salt and pepper to taste
• possible extras: dollop of ricotta, grape tomatoes, parmigiano

Prep

1. Boil pasta water and place pasta in.
2. When you start the pasta, start a hot pan.  Melt 1/2 T of butter.  Add in garlic and shallot for a minute or two.
3. Add in prosciutto (small dice) for a minute or two.
4. Add in peas, turn down heat to medium.  Cook for a few minutes.
5. Drain pasta.
6. Toss everything together and add 1/2 T more of butter.  Salt (maybe) and pepper to taste.

I like this type of dish with a dollop of ricotta in the center of the bowl.  The savory dish goes great with the cool cheese.

Half a puttanesca

This is a quick, satisfying recipe that mixes salty, tangy pasta with cool, creamy ricotta.  A little fresh (well, it’s Seattle, supermarket fresh) mozzarella and prosciutto on the side and perhaps a glass of red wine, and you’re a happy man.

Estimated calories per my serving: 750

Ingredients

• pasta
• capers
• anchovy paste
• olive oil
• garlic and parsley (dried mixed)
• italian seasoning mix (red pepper, oregano, basil, salt, etc)
• dollop of ricotta
• mozzarella ball
• prosciutto

Preparation

1. boil the pasta, drain when al dente
2. warm a splash of olive oil in a skillet, add garlic and simmer.
3. Dump in pasta, add seasonings, anchovy paste, and capers to taste.  Toss well and plate.
4. Drop a hearty dollop of ricotta cheese in the center.