Winter 2004: Hearty Soups

Here are some of my most favorite dishes—enjoy! Oh by the way—OO is my quick way of typing olive oil—extra virgin, of course!

What could be more delicious and satisfying on a cold winter’s day than a hot bowl of hearty, homemade soup. It soothes winter-weary souls with its fragrant rush of warmth and vapor.

These thick, comforting soups are substantial and balanced enough to be meals in themselves for family or for entertaining. They can be served lukewarm or hot and are even better reheated the next day. Enjoy!

MINESTRA D'ORZO

This typical Tirolese soup is made in any season. It is thought to be highly nutritive and is always on hand for children and those with digestive problems. This soup can be kept for a long time in a tightly covered crock.

2 L. cold water
5 1/2 oz. barley grains
3 1/2 oz. speck or lean smoked bacon
3/4 lb. potatoes, peeled
2 ribs celery
2 carrots
1 large onion
1 leek
2 cloves garlic
handful of parsley
1 bay leaf
beef broth (broth made with good beef bouillon cubes are OK)
S & P

Soak the barley in cold water for 3-4 hrs., drain and place in a soup pot containing 2 Liters of cold water.
Cut the speck into small sticks, the potatoes into small chunks and all the other vegetables into thin slices. Put them all into the pot with the beef broth and barley. Cook over a med-low flame for about 1 1/2 hrs.
Season to taste with S & P. Serve hot.

OPTIONAL: use vegetable or chicken broth instead of beef; stir in light cream and Parmesan cheese before serving

LA JOTA

"La Jota" is part of an extremely ancient tradition of the Carnic Alps and is also one of the many examples of a single dish that can make a whole meal. It originated as a dish of the poor but nowadays this "peasant" dish can be found on the menus of most fashionable restaurants in Trieste.

There are numerous versions and it is difficult to provide a recipe that takes into account all the local variations. This recipe is from the area of Trieste. Since it is a bit time-consuming to make, and tastes even better the second day, you may as well make a big pot of it!

2 C. red kidney or cranberry beans, soaked in water overnight
1 lb. smoked pork loin (lean chops), cut into bite size pieces
6 oz. piece slab bacon, cut lean part into bite size pieces, reserve fat
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 med. onion, chopped
3 bay leaves
6 C. broth
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 1/2 lbs. sauerkraut, rinsed once (only if very acidic)
4 med. starchy potatoes (russets), peeled and coarsely diced
1 T. caraway seeds
3 T. flour
S & P

Drain the beans and put them in a large stock pot with the smoked pork loin, lean bacon, bay leaves and 6 C. broth. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 1 hr. or until the beans are almost tender.

In a food processor mince the bacon fat with the garlic, to form a paste. Sauté the paste over low heat for about 5 min., then sprinkle with the flour. Cook for about 2 min. until barely beginning to color. Add to the beans.

Add the sauerkraut, potatoes, caraway seeds and more water if necessary; and cook over med. heat until the potatoes are tender. Add S & P to taste. Discard the bay leaves and serve very hot.

OPTIONAL: If you want a thicker soup, remove some of the potatoes with a slotted spoon, mash them and return them to the pot.

MINESTRONE ALLA CONTADINA

This standard Tuscan "country" minestrone usually includes such vegetables as Savoy cabbage, kale, and cannellini beans. The ingredients should cook long enough for flavor and body to develop. It is often served over slices of day-old Tuscan bread with grated Parmigiano, OO and freshly diced raw red onion on top. It is always made in large quantity so that there will be enough left over to make "ribollita" the next day.

8 oz. dried cannellini beans
3 oz. chunk of prosciutto (bone or end), and/or a thick slice of pancetta
1 large red onion
2 ribs celery
3 cloves garlic, peeled
2 carrots
8 sprigs parsley
6 T. OO
1/2 small head Savoy cabbage
1 1/2 bunch kale
2 potatoes
1 C. tomatoes, peeled and chopped, or 7-8 oz. canned tomatoes with their liquid
1 small bunch Swiss chard

garnish: Parmigiano, freshly grated
OO
red onion, coarsely chopped

Soak the beans overnight in an abundant amount of water. The next day, drain the beans and cook in 2 qts. of water with the prosciutto. Bring the water to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. As the beans absorb water, keep adding more water to retain the 2qts. of broth. Remove from the heat when the beans are tender.

Coarsely chop the onion, celery, garlic, carrots and parsley. Sauté these vegetables in OO for about 12-15 min. Transfer to a large soup pot.

Finely slice the cabbage; remove the stems from the kale and cut the stems into small pieces. Peel the potatoes and cut into small cubes. Add the cabbage, kale, potatoes and tomatoes to the soup pot. Cover and simmer for 15 min., adding just enough water (or preferably broth that the beans have cooked in) to keep the vegetables wet. Then add the Swiss chard, stems cut up.

Remove the prosciutto from the beans. Puree 2/3 of the beans into the stock pot and simmer together until the greens are almost cooked (about 30 min.). Drain the remaining beans and reserve. Add the bean broth to the stock pot little by little until all of the broth is used. When the greens are tender, add the reserved whole beans.

Season to taste. Serve hot with a grating of Parmigiano, a drizzle of OO and some freshly sliced raw red onion.

IMPROVISING YOUR OWN MINESTRONE

Minestrone does not really need a recipe. Farmhouse cooks use whatever vegetables are available to create supper for the family. Cook the vegetables until soft, add a filler such as beans, rice and/or pasta and finish with a final seasoning of olive oil, cheese or herbs.

THE VEGETABLES: start with the soffrito (sauté) of finely chopped carrots, celery & onions and add shell beans, green beans, squash, potato, leafy greens, cabbage of some sort and herbs.

THE STARCH: Shell beans such as borlotti, pinto, kidney, fave etc. can be canned but be sure to drain and rinse before adding. Puree half of the beans in a food mill or just mash with a fork before adding. Any small pasta such as ditalini, orzo shape, stelle or broken spaghetti can be cooked into minestrone (about 15 min.). Rice, farro, wheat berries or non-traditional barley can also be simmered into the soup (30-40 min.). More liquid may be required for these starches to cook.

WATER OR BROTH: water is traditionally used but broth will enrich the flavor.

HOW LONG TO COOK: simmer for 45 min. to 1 1/2 hours- until all the flavors have come together. Keep tasting. Minestrone is better the second or third day. Store covered in the refrigerator. Reheat slowly.

TO ADD MORE FLAVOR: sauté some vegetables and herbs (garlic, sage, rosemary, bay leaves, marjoram, basil) in OO and add later in the cooking. Any leftover vegetable can be added- onions, broccoli stems, lettuce. Cured meat such as pancetta, coppa, or salami can enrich the flavor, or add finely chopped prosciutto skin or pork rind. Add a generous pinch of dried red pepper flakes. Be generous with herbs and add some in the beginning and stir more in during the last 10-20 minutes of cooking.

AT THE TABLE: drizzle with fresh olive oil, add a fresh chopped garden tomato, stir in pesto (made from basil, sage, rosemary or marjoram), add coarse sea salt and freshly ground pepper, top with chopped fresh red onion, top with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

RIBOLLITA: Layer the minestrone in a tureen with Tuscan style bread, cover and allow to stand refrigerated overnight. Reheat and serve.

BAKED MINESTRONE: Line a casserole or baking dish with slices of coarse bread that have been toasted, rubbed with garlic and drizzled with OO. Top with leftover minestrone, cover and refrigerate overnight. The next day, top with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or pecorino, drizzle with OO and bake in a 350°F oven until hot and bubbling (about 40 min.). Cut into squares and serve hot with extra cheese.

ZUPPA ALLA VALPELLEUNENTZE

Two elements are basic to Aosta cooking: bread, the basis of the peasant diet; and the stock pot, always simmering on the back of the stove. Zuppa alla Valpelleunentze begins with a brodo, but by the time the soup is done, the brodo has practically disappeared and the word soup seems hardly appropriate. This mountaineers’ dish consists of layered bread, cabbage, Fontina and broth.

1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium-sized cabbage, preferably Savoy
3 liters of brodo (broth)
8 oz Fontina cheese (150g), sliced thin
1/2 C Parmigiano Reggiano, grated (100g)
4 T butter (60g)
S & P
10 slices hearty, rustic bread, toasted and crusts removed

Sauté the onion and garlic in 2 T. of butter over med/low heat until translucent; reserve.

Cut the head of cabbage in quarters; cut out and discard the core. Slice the cabbage into thin strips and rinse in cold water. Bring 1 liter of the broth to a boil, add the cabbage and cook until al dente, not mushy. Season with a liberal amount of salt and freshly ground pepper.

Line an ovenproof dish with a layer of toasted bread slices, cover with a layer of cabbage, then a layer of slices of Fontina cheese and a sprinkling of Parmigiano. Repeat until all the ingredients are used, finishing with a top layer of cabbage. Pour the rest of the stock over all, sprinkle with the remaining Parmigiano and cover all with melted butter. Bake for about an hour in a moderate oven. Serve hot.