lunaticsinge.com - Italian Cuisine Salads & Soups

Scallion and Asparagus Salad - (serves 6)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs. fresh asparagus

3/4 lb. scallions

1 teaspoon salt

3 1/2 extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Ground black pepper, to taste

3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled

1. Using a vegetable peeler, shave off the skin from the bottom 3 inches of each asparagus stalk, so they cook evenly. Snap off the hard stubs at the bottom - they will break naturally at the right point as you bend the bottom of the asparagus.

2. To prepare the scallions, trim the roots and wilted ends of the green leaves. Peel off the loose layers at the white end, so the scallions are all tight, trim, and about 6 inches long.

3. Bring 1 quart of water (or enough to cover the vegetables) to a boil in a wide, deep skillet, and add the asparagus and scallions. Adjust the heat to maintain a bubbling boil, and poach the vegetables, uncovered, for 6 minutes or more, until they are tender, but not falling apart, cooked through, but not mushy. To check doneness, pick up an asparagus spear by its middle with tongs: it should be a little droopy, but not collapsing.

4. As soon as they are done, lift out the vegetables with tongs and lay them in a colander (any fat asparagus spears may take a little longer, so leave them in a few minutes more). Hold the colander under cold running water to stop the cooking Drain briefly, then spread on kitchen towels and pt dry; sprinkle about 1/2 teaspoon salt over them.

5. Slice the asparagus and the scallions into 1-inch lengths, and pile them loosely in a mixing bowl. Drizzle the oil and vinegar over the top, and sprinkle on the remaining salt and several grinds of black pepper. Toss well, but don't break up the vegetables.

6. Quarter the eggs into wedges, and slice each wedge into 2 or 3 pieces; scatter these in the bowl, and fold in with the vegetables. Taste, and adjust the dressing. Chill the salad briefly, then arrange it on a serving platter or on salad plates.

Roasted Beet & Beet Greens Salad with Apples & Goat cheese - (Makes 2 servings)

Ingredients:

10 to 12 small yellow & red beets with green attached (3 lbs.)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/3 cup good-quality balsamic vinegar

Ground black pepper, taste

1 medium tart, crisp apple (Granny Smith)

4 oz. or so slightly aged goat cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Slice the greens off, leaving a tiny bit of stem on the top of the beets, then scrub the beets and poke each of them with a fork a few times. Put them all in a shallow baking dish, uncovered, with a 1/8 inch of water covering the bottom. Roast the beets, the water will actually steam them a bit first - until they are shriveled, dark, and m=caramelized outside, and tender all the way through (when poked with a knife), 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours, depending on size. Let them cool completely.

3. Rinse the beet greens well, trimming off the tough parts of the stems, and cut the softer stem pieces from the leaves. Bring a big pan of water to a boil, then drop in the stems and cook for 10 minutes; then add the green. Cook for 20 minutes more, or until the stems are quite soft. Drain in a sieve; sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt over the hot greens, and let them cool. Peel the cooled beets, removing all the skin, the stem base, and the root tip, exposing the gleaming flesh. Cut in wedges, and place in a big mixing bowl. Cut the greens (both leaves and stems) into 2-inch lengths, and toss with the beet wedges.

4. Whisk together the oil and vinegar, with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and some grinds of pepper. Drizzle the dressing over the beets, and toss to combine. Core and slice the apple into thin matchsticks. Arrange the dressed beets on a serving platter or portion them on salad plates; fold in the apple pieces, then crumble goat cheese on top just before serving.

Red Cabbage & Bacon Salad - (serves 4 to 6)

Ingredients:

1 small head red cabbage, very finely shredded

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 lb. sliced bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces

5 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Kosher salt

1. Shred the cabbage into a large serving bowl. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the bacon until crisp, 5 to 6 minutes, then remove to a paper-towel-lined plate. Pour off most of the fat, and return the pan to the heat.

2. Add the remaining olive oil and the vinegar to the skillet. Bring the liquid to an energetic simmer, and pour the hot sauce over the cabbage in the bowl. Mop out the skillet with a handful of the cabbage to get the crusty bits from the bottom of the pan, and add t the bowl. Season with the salt, and toss well so the cabbage doesn't stick together. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Rice and Potato Soup - (Makes 2 quarts - 8 servings)

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 large baking (Idaho) potatoes, peeled & cut into1/3 inch cubes

2 medium carrots, trimmed, peeled, & coarsely shredded

2 center stalks celery, trimmed & diced

Salt

2 teaspoons tomato paste

10 cups hot water

2 bay leaves

Leftover rind of the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, washed

Ground black pepper

1 cup long-grain rice

1/2 cup chopped Italian Parsley leaves

1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1. In a deep, heavy 4to 5 quart pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the potatoes, and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. (it's fine if the potatoes stick; just adjust the level of heat to prevent the bits of potato that stick from getting too dark.) Stir in the carrots and celery, and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the carrots are softened, 2 to 3 minutes.

2. Season lightly with salt, then stir in the tomato paste to coat the vegetables. Pour in the hot water and bay leaves, then bring to a boil, scraping up the bits of stick potato. Add the washed cheese rinds, adjust the level of heat to keep soup at a simmer, and season the soup lightly with salt and pepper. Cover the pot, and simmer until the potatoes begin to fall apart, about 40 minutes.

3. Stir the rice into the hot soup and let simmer, stirring well, until the rice is tender, but still firm, about 12 minutes. Remove the bay leaves. Sprinkle the parsley into the soup, and season with grated cheese, salt, and pepper to taste.

Tomato & Bread Soup - (Makes 2 quarts - 8 servings)

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the finished zuppa

1/2 cup yellow onion, finely died

6 cloves garlic, crushed & peeled

3 (28 oz.) cans whole San Marzano tomatoes

2 cups water

5 (1/2 inch) slices stale Italian bread, crusts removed, cut into1-inch cubes

Salt & black pepper, to taste

10 fresh basil leaves, washed

Freshly grated Parmigiana-Reggiano cheese

1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a deep, heavy 4 to 5 quart pot. Add the onion and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook until golden, about 6 minutes. Meanwhile, crush the tomatoes with your hands or a vegetables mill.

2. Add the tomatoes and their juice to the pot, add the water, and bring all to a boil, stirring occasionally. Once the tomatoes have boiled for 10 minutes, add the bread to the pot and bring back to a boil. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Add the basil leaves, and adjust the level of heat to maintain a simmer.

3. Cook, uncovered, whisking occasionally to break up the pieces of bread, until the mixture is dense and silky, about 40 minutes.

4. If desired, remove garlic cloves and basil leaves. Season the soup to taste with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Serve in warm bowls, drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil and shreds of fresh basil leaves, and sprinkled with the grated cheese.

Pasta & Beans (Pasta e Fagioli) - (Makes 5 1/2 quarts - 12 servings)

Ingredients:

1 lb. dried cannellini (white kidney) beans

6 quarts water

3 large Idaho potatoes (about 1 3/4 lbs.), peeled

3 sprigs fresh rosemary

3 dried bay leaves

12 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2 inch pieces (1 cup)

4 cloves garlic, peeled

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more drizzling over soup

1 medium onion, chopped (1 to 1 1/2 cups)

2 medium carrots, peeled & coarsely shredded (1 cup)

2 cups Italian plum tomatoes, crushed by hand, with their liquid

Salt & ground black pepper, to taste

1 lb. ditalini, or 3 cups elbow pasta

Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1. Cold-soak the beans in advance: Dump them into a 2 to 3 quart container, and pour in enough cold water to cover them by at least 4 inches. Let soak in a cool place at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours. Drain well.

2. Pour the 6 quarts water into a tall, large (at least 10-quart) pot. Add the drained beans, potatoes, rosemary, and bay leaves. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, then adjust the heat to maintain a gentle boil. Let cook while preparing the sautéed vegetables.

3. Process the bacon and garlic to a paste in a food processor, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then scrape in the bacon-garlic paste and cook, stirring, until translucent, about 4 minutes.

4. Stir in the carrots and cook until the onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

5. Pour two ladlefuls of the bean-cooking water into the skillet and bring to a boil, then pour the contents of the skillet back into the soup pot. Season lightly with salt and pepper, then bring to a slow boil. Cook until the beans are tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

6. Ladle about one-third of the beans, along with enough cooking liquid to cover them into shallow baking dish or other shallow container where they will cool quickly. Let the beans sit until no longer steaming. Process the beans and liquid in a food processor or blender until creamy. Return the pureed beans to the pot.

7. Fish out the potatoes to a plate, mash them coarsely with a fork, and return them to the pot. Cook the soup another 10 minutes to give the flavors a chance to blend. Let the soup rest off the heat, covered, 10 to 15 minutes.

8. While the soup is resting, cook the ditalini or elbow pasta in salted water until very al dente. Drain thoroughly, and stir into the soup. Let all rest for 5 minutes, then serve in warm soup bowls, with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Wedding Soup - (Makes 5 quarts - 12 servings)

Vegetable Soup Ingredients:

1 medium onion, cut into chunks

2 medium stalk celery with leaves, cut into chunks

1 small carrot, cut into chunks

4 plump cloves garlic, peeled

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

7 quarts cold water

1 head escarole (1 lb.), ct into 1/2 inch shreds

1 bunch Swiss chard (1 lb.), cut into 1/2 inch shreds

1 large fennel bulb, (1 lb.), trimmed & sliced 1/4 inch thick

1 lb. zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch pieces (3 small zucchini)

2 tablespoons kosher salt

Meatball Ingredients:

4 oz. stale country bread, crusts removed (4 to 5 slices)

1/2 cup milk, or more as needed

1 lb. sweet Italian sausage (without fennel seeds)

1 large egg, beaten

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Ground black pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley, plus more for serving

Freshly grated pecorino cheese ( or half pecorino and half Parmigiano-Reggiano), plus more

Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

1. Using the food processor, pulse the onion, celery, carrot, garlic, and basil until they form a smooth paste, or pestata. Heat the 1/3 cup olive oil in a large soup pot over high heat, and scrape in the pestata. Cook, stirring, until the pestata has dried out and just begins to stick to the bottom of the pan, about 5 minutes. Pour the cold water into the pot, stir well, then cover and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, and simmer the broth for 15 minutes, blending the flavors; then stir in the greens, fennel, zucchini, and salt.

2. Return to a simmer, and cook, covered for 45 minutes, until the greens are tender. Remove the cover, and cook at an active simmer for another 45 minutes or longer, until the soup has reduced a bit in volume and the flavors are concentrated.

3. While the soup simmers, prepare the meatballs; Tear the bread into chunks, put them in a small bowl, and pour in just enough milk to cover them. Let soak until completely saturated, then lift the bread out of the bowl and squeeze out the milk with your fists. Tear the moistened bread into shreds, and toss them into a large bowl.

4. Remove the sausage meat from the casing, and crumble it into the shredded bread, breaking up any clumps with your fingers. Pour the beaten egg over the meat, and sprinkle the salt, ground black pepper, and parsley on top. Fold and toss and squeeze all the ingredients through your fingers to distribute them evenly. Scoop up a small amount of the meat mix, about a heaping teaspoon, and roll it in your palms to form a 1-inch ball ( size of large grape). Continue to form balls until all the meat is used up.

5. Meanwhile, fill a 4-quart saucepan with 3 quarts of lightly salted water to poach the meatballs, and bring it to a boil. Drop in the meatballs, cover the pot, and return the water to a boil quickly. Adjust the heat to keep the water simmering gently, and poach the meatballs, uncovered, about 5 minutes, until cooked through.

6. Lift them out with a spider or strainer, let drain briefly, and drop them into the finished soup. Bring the soup to a simmer, and cook meatballs and soup together for about 5 minutes.

7. Ladle the soup into warm bowls. Sprinkle each serving with parsley and some of the grated cheese, and give it a drizzle of your best olive oil. Serve right away, passing more cheese at the table.