THE FIX: ROASTED TOMATO SOUP WITH RICE AND PARMESAN PARSLEY TOAST

Ciao'd over ticking another Oscar-nominated movie off my list. 

It’s raining or snowing somewhere. Roasted Tomato Soup with Rice, accompanied by Parmesan Parsley Toast, is just the ticket for keeping you warm and your stomach happy. Canned fire-roasted tomatoes make the soup quick and easy.

You’ll spend most of your time (and not a lot) making the soffritto. Soffritto is the Italian version of the French mirepoix. Both are a combination of aromatics such as celery, carrot, and onion that form the flavor foundation for the soup. The vegetables in the soffritto should be finely chopped so they cook, or should I say, almost melt into the oil.  Begin with a cold pan and an ample amount of olive oil. Add the vegetables, turn the heat to medium, and cook slowly. It’s perfectly fine to add complementary flavors to the soffritto such as garlic and herbs.  A splash of white wine never hurt either.

One of my favorite and most accomplished Italian cooks, Emiko Davies, has a great piece about soffritto on her blog. It’s informative and fascinating. Check it out here.

One more thing about making deeply flavored, satisfying soup: the pot you cook it in counts. I am partial to enameled cast iron for its ability to hold the gentle heat that facilitates a meltingly rich soffritto and a soft simmer. Plus, it looks great, goes from stovetop to table, and YES! enameled cast iron is super easy to clean. I am partial to the Staub 5-quart Cocotte. The lid fits snugly and the wide handles make it easy to grip with dishtowels (what I use) or oven mitts. This is not a plug for Staub. Well I guess it is, but it’s on me. No $$ changed hands. If you want to learn more, visit Staub.

RECIPE

ROASTED TOMATO SOUP WITH RICE AND PARMESAN TOAST

This is a chunky tomato soup with pleasing textures gleaned from the diced tomatoes and rice. The fire-roasted tomatoes add a pleasant depth of flavor. 

Serves 4

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, about 3 inches each
3 large leaves fresh sage
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 cup red wine
one 14-ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes
Dash or two of red pepper (optional)
4 cups chicken stock
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup rice
Handful chopped fresh parsley or chopped fresh basil

Parmesan Parsley Toast
4 slices Italian bread, about 1/2-inch each
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place the olive oil, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, rosemary, and sage in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. 

Increase the heat to high. Add the tomato paste and red wine. Once the red wine has just about evaporated, add the tomatoes and chicken stock. Bring to boil, lower the heat, add the rice and simmer until the rice is just tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, use a fork to mash the butter, Parmesan cheese, parsley, and black pepper. Spread evenly on each slice of bread. Place on a baking sheet and bake on the middle rack of the oven until the edges are crispy and the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes. 

Remove the rosemary sprigs and sage leaves from the soup. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the parsley or basil (and a splash of wine, if you like) and serve along with the Parmesan Parsley Toast. If not serving with the toast, pass Parmesan at the table.

MARCELLA MONDAY: PAN-ROASTED SPARERIBS, TREVISO STYLE

Ciao'd while watching Moonstruck and sipping Amarone. Cuz, yeah, Italian.

Marcella Hazan was a master (mistress) at transforming a few, simple ingredients into remarkably good food. This recipe, published in 1978 in her book More Classic Italian Cooking, may be even more relevant in these crazy, time-pressed times. 

Marcella described this recipe as "succulent and expansive." The ribs are quickly browned in olive oil, then showered with sage and garlic, and drizzled with white wine. They are pan-roasted which translates to a slow cook in a covered pan without additional liquid. Once the ribs are removed from the pan, pour the cooking juices over mashed potatoes or polenta and serve along with the ribs.

The recipe, which was given to Marcella by her assistant, is a specialty of la cucina trevigiana, hence the "Treviso Style" descriptor. In Marcella's words, the ribs are "deeply warming and most satisfying." They are! 

RECIPE

PAN-ROASTED SPARERIBS, TREVISO STYLE

To develop the golden-brown color and light crust that seals the moisture in the spareribs, dry them well and do not crowd them in the pan. 

Serves 4

1/4 cup vegetable oil (I use olive oil)
3-pound rack of pork spareribs, cut into single ribs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced very thin
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage, or 2 teaspoons dried sage
1 cup dry white wine

Choose a saute pan large enough accommodate the spareribs without crowding. Put in the oil and turn the heat onto medium-high.

Season the spareribs with salt and pepper. When the oil is hot, put them in the pan and brown them on all sides. Add the garlic and sage. When the garlic becomes lightly colored, add the wine, raise the heat and let the wine bubble away for a few seconds.

Turn the heat down to moderate and cover the pan. Cook, turning the ribs from time to time, until the fleshiest part of the ribs is tender, about 40 minutes. 

Transfer the ribs to a warm platter. Tilt the pan and remove about one-third of the fat. Add 1/2 cup water, turn the heat to high, and scrape the residue from the bottom of the pan while boiling away the liquid. You should end up with a dark, dense sauce. Pour it over the spareribs (use a strainer if you wish to remove the garlic and sage). Serve immediately. Loosely adapted from More Classic Italian Cooking, Marcella Hazan, Knopf, 1978.

LOOKING FOR SIGNS (AND CHICKEN WITH RICE AND CHICKPEAS)

Ciao'd while watching the weather report. More rain. For days. 

A few days ago, plagued by a fit of indecision and doubt, I asked a question of the universe, “Let me know if what I am thinking (hoping) is the right way to proceed?” I asked for three signs. 

This morning, gazing out my kitchen window at the birds as I usually do, I saw five woodpeckers perched like soldiers in formation on my fence.  Their garnet heads bobbed and glowed above the squadron of  little mushroom-brown wrens pecking on the lawn.  Woodpeckers are known for their temerity. A sign? And, p.s., in a 5-plus expression?

Later in the morning, a squirrel flew from the Blue Spruce tree to the terrace outside the den. He (she?) hopped from planter to planter, pausing in each one to gaze, dare I say stare, at me. Even my Carolina dog, slung across a club chair to better see out the window, could not growl or bark him away.   Alighting on the last planter, the squirrel flicked his tail and, I swear to God, fixed a “let’s roll” expression on his face and launched himself at the window. Squirrels are light, swift, and agile. And clearly, determined. A sign?

So far today, the third sign has not availed itself. Maybe the moon (or a nightingale, wouldn’t that be nice?) will wake me with a message. Perhaps an owl will hoot a bon mot of wisdom from the top of the tree. Nature has an uncanny way of whispering to us if we are open to listening.  

Please enjoy this simple and satisfying Chicken with Rice and Chickpeas. It’s a one-pot meal that expresses itself honestly and deliciously. Why tackle the complex when you can cook the comforting?

RECIPE

CHICKEN WITH RICE AND CHICKPEAS

Every culture has a version of chicken with rice, led, I think, by the Spaniards. They, after all, govern the realm of paella. This dish is inspired by that savory history. In Spain, you would not likely come upon chickpeas in this dish while in Italy, you may. I like the nutty flavor and crunch they add. 

Serves 4 to 6 

4 bone-in chicken thighs
4 bone-in drumsticks
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 ounces pancetta, diced
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 ½ cups canned tomatoes, drained and chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
one 14-ounce can chickpeas, drained
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup long-grain rice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley

Pat the chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. In a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Add the chicken and cook, turning occasionally until well browned, about 8 minutes total. Transfer to a plate. Remove. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the pan.

Reduce the heat to moderately low. Add the pancetta and onion to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and becomes translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more.

Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, smoked paprika, chickpeas, a generous dash each of salt and pepper, and broth, and bring to a simmer. Stir in the rice and arrange the chicken in an even layer. Cook, partially covered, over medium-low heat until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve.

THE FIX: TORTELLINI WITH LEMON-BASIL SAUCE

Ciao'd while trying not to eat my son's Valentine's Day chocolate.

RECIPE

TORTELLINI WITH LEMON-BASIL SAUCE

I like to serve this sprightly pasta dish with its bright, sunny flavor when the day is rainy or snowy or grey. It’s a pick-me-up in the most delicious way. Tortellini can be had in many flavors. Choose your favorite.

Serves 4

1 pound (16 ounces) fresh or frozen tortellini
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large lemon, zested and juiced
¼ cup minced fresh basil
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for passing at the table

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the tortellini according to package directions.

As the tortellini cooks, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the lemon zest and basil and stir to mix. Drain the tortellini and add to the butter mixture along with the lemon juice. Toss to coat.  Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with the Parmesan.

MARCELLA MONDAY:BAKED SLICED POTATOES WITH MOZZARELLA AND PARMESAN

Ciao'd after what seems like 40 days of rain. Cue Noah

Revelation. Even Marcella Hazan, the doyenne, the principessa of Italian cooking, plucked recipes from others. Marcella, like me, routinely inquired of both friends and strangers, "What did you cook last night?" "What are you cooking tonight?" I ask these questions at the meat counter, in front of the tomato stall at the farmer's market, on the tennis court, and when I'm texting with friends. It is an illuminating exercise.  Some cooks will engage rhapsodically with whispers of spices (usually curry or cilantro) and the other I-need-to-cook cooks will shrug and nod to the chicken or ground beef. 

When Marcella asked the "what did you" and "what are you" question to her mom's cleaning woman, Elisa, the cleaning woman exclaimed, " Patate maritate."  Married potatoes. Marcella said, "Married to whom?" And Elisa, God bless her, said "Mozzarella." 

RECIPE

BAKED SLICED POTATOES WITH MOZZARELLA AND PARMESAN

If you're doing the meatless Monday or any day meatless thing, this recipe is an ideal main course. If you prefer to serve the potatoes as a side, this dish marries well with roast or grilled poultry and meats. The potatoes should be sliced thinly. Either use a mandoline or a sharp knife. 

Serves 4

1 pound boiling potatoes
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
Freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt
5 tablespoons fine, dry, unflavored bread crumbs
10 ounces whole-milk mozzarella, chopped fine or grated on a grater's largest holes
 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Cut the potatoes into very thin slices. Put the slices in a bowl and toss them with two tablespoons of the olive oil. 

In a small bowl, mix the garlic, parsley, a generous dash or two of pepper, and the Parmesan. Sprinkle the potatoes with salt and toss them to mix. 

Grease the bottom and sides of a 2-quart baking dish and sprinkle 3 tablespoons of the bread crumbs on the bottom. Cover the bottom of the baking dish with one-quarter of the potatoes, overlapping them slightly. Spread one-third of the Parmesan mixture over the potatoes, and over this sprinkle one-third of the mozzarella. Repeat two more times, ending with a layer of potatoes. Top with the remaining bread crumbs and drizzle with the remaining olive oil. 

Bake until the potatoes are tender, about 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Adapted from Marcella Hazan, Marcella's Italian Kitchen, Knopf, 1986. 

VALENTINE'S DAY PORK WITH A BLACKBERRY BALSAMIC KISS

Ciao'd while listening to Van Morrison in a downpour. Oh, the water. 

“It doesn’t look like vinegar, it looks like hair tonic.”  Chuck Williams, founder of Williams-Sonoma, uttered these auspicious words when he happened upon balsamic vinegar (aceto balsamico) on a visit to Italy in the mid-1970s. His curiosity besting the form is function message of the bottle, Chuck found his way to Modena. The town, tucked into the Emilia-Romagna region, not only lays claim to Ferrari and Pavarotti but balsamic vinegar, too. Chuck finagled an introduction to Fini, one of the top balsamic vinegar producers at that time. One thing led to another and Chuck introduced balsamic vinegar to the American public in 1977. And presto! The vinegar has been a denizen of pantries ever since.

I suppose one could say balsamic vinegar flows through the veins of the Modenese. Families make their own balsamic vinegar, aging it in the eaves where the scorching summer heat promotes aging and the cold winter helps with setting and clarity.  These zealously guarded recipes are passed from generation to generation. Often, the vinegar “mother” enriches a daughter’s dowry. I know, right? In this day and age!

When I traveled with Chuck to Modena, we visited acetaias resonating with sweet-sour aromas laced with the mottled woodiness of barrels (some hundreds of years old) crafted from mulberry, acacia, cherry, juniper, and oak. We tasted the vinegar from spoons – balsamic vinegar has historically been employed as an elixir, and most lovely of all, drizzled on Parmigiano-Reggiano, another glory of the region. 

While there are as many balsamic vinegar recipes as there are families in Modena, commonalities thread through them. True balsamic vinegar starts with Trebbiano and Lambrusco grapes from Modena vineyards. The grape must, a fresh-pressed juice of grapes, skins, stems, and seeds is cooked and poured into barrels. To start the aging process, the juice is mixed with a little of last year’s balsamic. This is the “mother” I referenced above. The mother, well, shall we say gives birth to the vinegar process. But, wait, wait! The best part is that as the vinegar ages, it is decanted into a series of varietal wood barrels in different sizes, starting from large to small. The various woods imbue the vinegar with roundness and balance and the vinegar’s signature sweetness, bestowed by the ripe grapes, wafts through the acidity.  The result: a lush lucidity suspended in dark, rich, syrupy goodness.  

My friend, Liz Tagami, knows more than anybody I know (except, maybe, Chuck) about balsamic vinegar. Colleagues at Williams-Sonoma, we traveled with Chuck to Modena many times. Now, Liz is the general manager for Lucero Olive Oil, an acclaimed grower and producer of extra-virgin olive oil in Northern California. While Lucero’s olive oils are out of this world (that story another time), their balsamic vinegar, imported from Modena, natch, is superb. In a lovely nod to the perfection of balsamic vinegar on its own (which Lucero offers, too), Liz and company infuse the vinegar with fruit. Let’s just say, this technique adds even more love to the lushness.

Thinking about Valentine’s Day recipes, I experimented with Lucero’s Blackberry Red Balsamic Vinegar. The result is this super simple and #dolcevitadelish Pork Tenderloin with Blackberry Balsamic Compote. If food is the way to the heart, this is the most direct route. And p.s. why not make extra compote to bestow as Valentine gifts?

RECIPE

PORK TENDERLOIN WITH BLACKBERRY BALSAMIC COMPOTE

The sweet-tart flavor delivered by the blackberry balsamic compote complements the mild pork. Easy to prepare as a weeknight meal, this dish is pretty enough for a dinner party, too.

Serves 4 to 6

1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 pork tenderloins (1 to 1 ¼ pounds each), trimmed
2 teaspoons olive oil
Blackberry Balsamic Compote

Preheat oven to 450ºF.

In a small bowl, blend the oregano, garlic, salt and pepper.  Rub the spice mixture into the pork, pressing gently so the seasoning adheres to the tenderloins.

Brush the oil in a baking dish large enough to hold the pork without crowding and place it in the oven for 5 minutes. Remove the baking dish from the oven and place the pork in it. Return to the oven and roast 10 minutes. Turn. Roast until lightly pink in the center (internal temperature 140º to 145ºF), 10 to 15 minutes more.

Remove the pork from the oven and let the meat sit 10 minutes before cutting into ½-inch slices. Serve with the warm blackberry balsamic compote.