j-cat's balls

Wow, you have a dirty mind, I was just talking about matzo balls. I made the soup, J-Cat made the balls, we ended up eating it on Sunday instead of waiting until Passover actually began because I wound up sick. Good timing.

The key to great chicken soup is a great chicken stock, and there's really nothing to it. I had roasted a chicken earlier in the week, so the carcass made the stock, and stock made from a previously roasted chicken just always seems to have a deeper flavor than one made of a boiled whole chicken. If you plan ahead, I also recommend making the stock a day ahead, straining and refrigerating, then skimming off the fat that rises to the top the next morning. Use this fat to make the matzo balls and you will discover a whole new world of amazing balls. Recipe after the jump:



CHICKEN AND MATZO BALL SOUP

For the chicken stock:
1 small whole chicken, 3-3.5 pounds, or the leftover carcass and meat of a larger roasted chicken (I had the carcass and about half the meat of a 4.5 lb chicken)
2 medium carrots, cut in large chunks
2 celery stalks, cut in large chunks
1 medium onion, peeled and halved
10 black pepper corns

Place the chicken in a large stockpot and cover with cold water. If using a previously roasted chicken, remove majority of the cooked meat and set aside to add to the completed soup, adding just the carcass to the pot. Set heat on high and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer, add the remaining ingredients, and cover. If using a raw chicken, cook 45 minutes until the meat is cooked and easily comes off the bone. Remove the chicken, pull off majority of the meat and set aside to add to the completed soup. Return the carcass to the pot and continue to simmer for another hour. Strain the stock and discard the solids. At this stage you can let the stock cool completely, then refrigerate for later use. When the stock is fully cold, skim off the fat and use in the matzo balls.

For the matzo balls:
3 eggs
2 tbsp chicken fat
1/2 cup water
1 cup matzo meal
1/2 tsp baking powder
salt and pepper to taste

Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a large stockpot. Mix the eggs, fat, and water together. Add the matzo meal, baking powder, salt and pepper, and mix well. Let stand for 10 minutes. Form small balls with your hands (easiest if they're wet) and drop into the boiling stock. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover pot, and cook for 30 minutes.

For the soup:
2 medium carrots, cut into rounds
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 medium onion, diced
1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
leftover cooked chicken, shredded into bite-sized pieces
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

About 10 minutes into cooking the matzo balls, add the carrots, celery, and onion and continue cooking. About 5 minutes before the matzo balls are ready, add the chicken, fresh dill, and salt and pepper.

Continue Reading "j-cat's balls"

five ingredients or maybe one more: potato leek soup

Hey, I can do five ingredients or less, too. Take this delicious, creamy, hearty potato leek soup. Potatoes, leeks, shallots, butter, chicken stock, cream...damn. That's six. Of course, you could leave out the cream and not only meet the 5 ingredient requirement, but also feel a little bit better about eating giant troughs of this soup. I put it in because I'm weak, and it's goooood.

This is also an exceedingly simple little meal, impressive as a starter but filling enough for a lunch with a hunk of crusty bread. If you are serving it to company, you can even make it hours ahead of time, serve it cold, and call it vichyssoise. That should impress them. Recipe after the jump:

SIMPLE POTATO LEEK SOUP

3 medium leeks, white and light green parts only, rinsed well and chopped
2 shallots, thinly sliced
2 lbs medium wax potatoes, such as Yukon gold, peeled and diced
2 tbsp butter
4 cups chicken stock, or vegetable stock
1/2 cup heavy cream, or more to taste
salt and pepper, to taste

In a large stockpot, melt butter over medium heat. Add the leeks and shallots and saute until translucent. Add the potatoes and toss to combine. Pour of the chicken stock, bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook until potatoes are very tender, about 20 minutes depending on the size of your dice. Using an immersion mixer, blend the soup to an even creamy consistency. Add the cream and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Continue Reading "five ingredients or maybe one more: potato leek soup"

hocktacular

What. Is that? You might be asking. It does not look pretty. As always, slow cookers make everything look nasty but taste awesome. Then again, split pea soup is not really known for being attractive. What is attractive is the amazing smokey porky aroma that greets you when you get home after a long work day and your soup has been bubbling away for 10 hours. This is what it looked like in the morning:



Smoked ham hocks. Pure amazingness. I suspect they may have contributed to the brownish shade of the soup, when usually split pea soup is on the greener side. I don't really care what it looks like though, it was just tasty. It was also too easy, but you do have to be willing to chop onions first thing in the morning. Recipe after the jump:



SLOW COOKER SPLIT PEA SOUP

1 pound dry green split peas
2 smoked ham hocks
1 medium onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch coins
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bouquet garni consisting of parsley, thyme, and 1 bay leaf
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
6 cups hot water

Layer ingredients in slow cooker in the order given; pour in water. Do not stir ingredients. Cover and cook on HIGH 4 to 5 hours or on low 8 to 10 hours until peas are very soft and ham falls off bone. Remove the bones, skin, and bouquet garni. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if necessary. I do not add salt until the end of the cooking because the ham hocks will add a lot of saltiness to the soup and extra salt may not be necessary. Serve garnished with croutons. Freezes well.
Serves 8.

Continue Reading "hocktacular"

the upside of a thanksgiving chicken

Matzo ball soup, made from scratch. The carcass of our Thanksgiving chicken made a delicious soup that I believe has bone-healing properties. At least for my poor Jewish boy. He took one look at the soup and said "It looks just like my mom's!". I guess that's about as good a compliment as I could ask for from him. Recipe after the jump:

HOMEMADE CHICKEN MATZO BALL SOUP

For the stock:
1 chicken carcass
4 quarts water, or enough to completely cover the carcass
1 onion, halved
2 carrots, halved
2 ribs celery, halved
various fresh herbs, tied in a bouquet garni (I used thyme, sage, and rosemary. Use whatever you have on hand.)
salt and pepper, to taste

For the matzo balls:
1 cup matzo meal
3 eggs
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp seltzer, optional
salt and pepper

For the soup:
1 recipe chicken stock
2 carrots, cut into coins
1 onion, diced
3 tablespoons fresh dill
1 recipe matzo balls

To make the stock: In a large stockpot, cover the chicken carcass with water. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and bouquet garni. Bring to a boil, then lower to a rolling simmer. Simmer for at least 3 hours. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove the carcass and set aside to cool. Remove the aromatics and discard. Strain if desired.

For the soup: after straining the stock, pick the chicken meat off of the carcass and add back to the stock with the carrots, onion and dill. Bring to a boil and add the matzo balls.

For the matzo balls: Beat the eggs and oil together, then add the matzo meal, salt, pepper, and seltzer and stir just until it comes together. Shape into small balls about 1-inch in diameter and drop into the boiling stock. Cook for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Continue Reading "the upside of a thanksgiving chicken"

first soup of the fall

Chilly weather, my favorite. It's the season for soup! I broke in soup season with an appropriately hearty soup full of beans, greens, and winter squash.



I balanced the sweetness of delicata squash with the bitterness of broccoli rabe, and contrasted texture with cannellini beans. Sweet onions were the finishing touch, with fresh sage and a touch of nutmeg. And of course I threw in a rind from a wedge of parmiggiano-reggiano.



The flavors of fall, utterly healthy and hearty. Recipe after the jump:

PUMPKIN WHITE BEAN SOUP WITH BROCCOLI RABE
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, medium dice
4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
2 cups water
1 pound delicata or butternut squash, cut into 1-inch chunks (no need to remove peel)
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 bunch broccoli rabe, chopped
6 fresh sage leaves, minced
1 chunk peeled ginger
1 tbsp dried marjorm
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground nutmeg
rind from a wedge of good parmesan cheese
salt and pepper, to taste

In a large heavy stockpot, heat the oil on medium heat. Add the onions and a sprinkling of kosher salt and saute until just beginning to turn translucent. Add the squash and stir to coat with the oil. Add the stock and water, bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Add the ginger, herbs, spices, and wedge of cheese and continue to simmer until the squash is tender, about 10 minutes. Add the beans and broccoli rabe. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve topped with grated parmesan cheese and a chunk of crusty wholegrain bread.

Continue Reading "first soup of the fall"

sunday supper: the perfect summer soup

It's hot out, folks. So, in part one of my Hot Summer Sunday Supper from Spain, that classic Andalusian cold soup: Gazpacho. Throwing all caution to the wind, we ate us lots of raw tomatoes. This also served as a detoxifier of sorts, after a long weekend of gluttony that included fantastic BBQ and ginormous donuts. By the time that 3rd day of the weekend rolled around, we were juicing veggies and bemoaning our gustatory abandon.



Luckily, gazpacho is low on effort and high on flavor. I've spent some time in Spain, tasted dozens of gazpachos, and it varied so much from place to place that in all honesty I'm not sure what the absolute classic should really be like. But I tend to like a little bit of chunkiness, the bite from garlic and onion, the freshness of lots of cucumber. So here's my take. Recipe after the jump:

GAZPACHO ANDALUZ

2 pounds ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
1 1/2 cups cucumber, peeled and diced
1 cup red onion, diced
1 red pepper, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic
kosher salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 pound country style bread, crusts removed
1 cup water
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, preferably a fruity Spanish oil
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp ground cumin

Garnishes:
Chopped cucumber, tomatoes, red onions, parsley, bell pepper, or hard boiled egg.
Drizzle with olive oil.

1. Soak bread in 1 cup water for about 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in food processor or blender, process tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper and garlic until no large pieces remain.

3. Squeeze bread dry; crumble. Mix bread with oil, vinegar, salt and cumin. Add to vegetable mixture; blend. If gazpacho is too thick, add a little water. Taste for seasoning; if desired, add more salt and cumin.

4. Force gazpacho through strainer or food mill if desired. Refrigerate 2 to 4 hours or until very well chilled before serving.

5. Serve in glasses as a beverage or in bowls as a soup with desired garnishes.

Continue Reading "sunday supper: the perfect summer soup"

the last of stew

Spring has finally arrived today, so it's a good thing I snuck in one final stewy meal last night. This is a white bean and arugula stew, adapted from a Gourmet Magazine recipe that Smitten Kitchen recently featured. This is a super simple, very quick and hearty meal, but SK had noted in her post that it was a bit lackluster in flavor. So I decided to turn up the flavor a bit, and one of things I did was swap out the boiled ham for some beautiful pancetta.



I also added some onion, fresh thyme, and hot pepper to give it a kick, then threw in the leftover rind of a Spanish Idiazabal cheese. Yum, and yum. This is definitely a recipe that can be fiddled with to suit your tastes. I served it with some grilled Tuscan bread. Recipe after the jump:

WHITE BEAN AND ARUGULA STEW
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

1/3 pound pancetta, cut into small cubes
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dried red pepper flakes
1 15-ounce can stewed tomatoes
2 15-ounce cans canellini beans
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
3 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
rind of parmiggiano, pecorino, or other hard cheese, optional
salt and pepper, to taste
3 cups baby arugula

In a medium saucepot, heat pancetta cubes until just starting to crisp and give off fat. Remove from pot with a slotted spoon and set on paper towels to drain. If there is not enough fat in the pot, add enough olive oil to make about 2 tbsp total. Saute the onion in the oil until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute another minute. Clear a hot spot in the pan and add the pepper flakes, let sizzle for a few seconds, then mix with the onions and garlic. In the can, cut the tomatoes into pieces with kitchen shears then add to the onions and garlic with the chicken stock, thyme leaves, and cheese rind. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and let simmer until it just begins to reduce. Rinse and drain the beans and add to the pot along with the pancetta. Simmer for another 5 minutes or until beans are heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove the pan from the heat and add in the arugula, allowing it to wilt for about 1 minute. Serve with grilled Tuscan bread that has been rubbed with a raw garlic clove.

Continue Reading "the last of stew"

chowder, she wrote

Up in an idyllic little town on the coast of Maine, a lot of people get murdered. It's not Jessica's fault, even when it's death by New England Clam Chowder. Her recipe does not include Barbitals, just lots of clams and potatoes and cream and deliciousness. In Cabot Cove, Jessica is famous for her chowder, seafood bakes, and all things coastal and New England-y. Dr. Hazlitt can't get enough of her cooking (wink wink). So in honor of a truly great mystery show that I've been watching nonstop lately, this is my version of Mrs. Fletcher's Barbital-Free New England Clam Chowder.



It should have been thicker. Perhaps I didn't need two bottles of clam juice. Clam juice, doesn't that sound appetizing?



My ratio of half-and-half to milk was perhaps a little off, but the milk I used was creamy, delicious whole milk, and I thought it would be thick enough.



Despite the slightly runnier consistency, this was still wonderfully delicious and, of course, quite sassy. I think Jessica Fletcher would be very proud of it. I would never invite her over to dinner, though, I value my life. Recipe after the jump:



MRS. FLETCHER'S BARBITAL-FREE NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER
6 slices smoky bacon, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons flour
1 pound red potatoes, diced
2 8-ounce bottles clam juice
1 bay leaf
1 pound chopped sea clams, frozen or fresh (or 2 6-ounce cans)
2 cups half and half
1 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
salt and pepper, to taste

In a large, heavy stockpot or dutch oven, crisp the bacon over medium heat. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate. Saute the onion and celery in the rendered bacon fat until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute another 2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour evenly over the vegetables and stir to coat evenly. Add the potatoes, bacon, and clam juice. Bring to a boil and lower to a simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Add the chopped clams, half and half, milk, and thyme leaves and continue to simmer for another 5 minutes until it thickens and bubbles. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve with oyster crackers or crusty bread.

Continue Reading "chowder, she wrote"

sunday supper: nor'easter sunday

The grossest day we've had in a long long time. One of those days when you don't want to do anything but lay around, watch TV, read, and eat junk food. I certainly didn't have it in me to cook anything elaborate, and luckily the perfect dinner on a rainy, stormy day isn't elaborate at all. Chicken soup.



There is definitely no recipe for this soup. My soup is all about using up leftovers and jamming it full of veggies. I made the stock with the carcasses of those cornish hens from last week, simmering them with various veggies and herbs for about 4 hours. It made the apartment smell homey and delicious. Once the stock was complete, it was quick work assembling the soup. I sauteed some onion and garlic, added the stock and some barley, ginger slices, lemon juice, and any dried herbs I felt like throwing in. I simmered that for about 30 minutes, until the barley was almost cooked. That's when I added most of the veggies. I don't like super soggy veggies in my soup, and since the stock had been simmered for hours with carrots and celery and onions, the flavor was already there, no need to add them to the soup so early. I dumped in the carrots and celery, some fresh corn that I cut off the cob, chopped Lacinato kale, and finally, a bunch of leftover chicken that I had shreded into bite-size pieces. Just a few minutes of simmering the assembled soup, adjusting the salt, pepper and lemon juice, and throwing in any chopped fresh herbs that I had lying around and it was all done. This thick and hearty soup was more than enough for a meal on it's own, but I threw in some crusty baked bread so sop up some of the broth. We went from a chilly, soggy night, so warm and toasty and full.

Continue Reading "sunday supper: nor'easter sunday"