A Formula for Soup

This is basically from Pan Anderson's "How To Cook Without A Book," one of my FAVORITE cookbooks. Using one set of instructions, and a "pick and choose" method for ingredients, you can make as many soups as your imagination allows.

Start by sautéing an chopped onion, then add a pound of diced vegetables, some sort of starch (diced potatoes, rice or pasta), a pound of meat (ground or cut into bite sized pieces), and a quart of broth. You just bring it to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes or so.

Basic Recipe

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a soup pot. Saute the onions until slightly soft. Add 1 lb. vegetables, and 1 lb. meat (unless using shrimp or pork tenderloin--add them in the last 5 minutes of cooking), the starch of your choice (1 lb. potatoes, 32 oz. beans, 4 oz. wide noodles, or 1/2 cup rice), 1 cup canned tomatoes, 32 oz. chicken broth, and dried herbs and spices of your choice. Simmer until veggies are tender and flavors have blended, about 20 minutes. Add fresh herbs and salt & pepper to taste. Delicioso!

Here are a few combo suggestions (there are more in her book):

1 lb. ham, 1 lb. red potatoes, 2 small leeks, halved lengthwise and sliced thin, 2 diced carrots and 3/4 cup peas, seasoned with 1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 lb. ham, 8 oz. chopped escarole, 2 sliced carrots, 2 (16 oz.)cans drained and rinsed white beans, and 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, removed after 10 minutes of simmering and shredded before returning to the pot; 2 diced carrots, 2 diced celery ribs, 3/4 cup frozen peas, 4 oz. wide egg noodles, and 1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, removed after 10 minutes of simmering and shredded before returning to the pot; 10 oz. washed spinach, 1 diced zucchini, 1/2 cup long- or medium-grain white rice, and 3 tablespoons lemon juice, squirted into finished soup

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, removed after 10 minutes of simmering and shredded before returning to the pot; 1 diced zucchini OR 8 oz cut-up cauliflower, 2 diced carrots, 1 diced red potato OR 1 (16 oz.) can rinsed and drained chick peas, and 1 tablespoon curry powder

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, removed after 10 minutes of simmering and shredded before returning to the pot; 1 diced zucchini, 2 diced turnips, 1 each diced red potato and sweet potato, and 1/4 teaspoon firmly packed saffron threads (available real cheap from Hispanic and Middle Eastern Grocers)

Buon Apetito!

Authentic Pasta e Fagioli (NOT Pasta Fazool!)

My mother always made this for us as kids (along with Pasta e Lentichie--lentils) and I crave it all throughout the winter months. My seventh child, born in the dead of winter, was grown in utero almost entirely on Pasta e Fagioli and milk--he weighed 11.5 lbs at birth! My mother learned to make this from her mother who is from Naples. I learned to make it from my mother with no measurements, but I've tried to approximate the measurements for you--give or take a little. We like to serve it sprinkled with fresh diced onions, and, of course, thick slices of buttered Pane Rustica!


Authentic Pasta e Fagioli (pronounced fah-jo-lie, like Angelina)

1 lb. dry cannellini, navy or great northern beans (I usually use navy beans)
2 stalks celery (optional)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2-3 tomatoes, diced for 1-1/2 cups
2-3 cloves garlic (usually I just use the whole stinking blub!)
2-3 quarts water
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup olive oil

You can soak the beans in water and 1 tablespoon baking soda for 8-10 hours, drain and proceed with the recipe, of you can throw it all in a pressure cooker like I do. If you soak them, then drain them, place them in a large stock pot and add the remaining ingredients except for the salt and pasta.
Boil for 1-2 hours with lid on, checking to make sure the beans don't lose their boil, and stirring frequently.

If you pressure cook them, then just place the rinsed and picked over beans in the pressure cooker with all the other ingredients except the salt and pasta, and bring to full pressure. Lower the heat to medium low and cook for about an hour, adding salt after the beans are tender, but not mush.

Now for the pasta--you can either cook it separately, ladeling the beans over them in each individual bowl, or just throw the pasta into the boiling beans before serving. It's better when you cook it separately, but if you don't want to take up another burner on the stove, then just throw them in with the beans and cook until al dente, about 8-10 minutes, depending on the quality of the pasta. I like to use the small to medium shells because the bens get cupped inside. I hope you enjoy this old family recipe as much as we do!

Buon Apetito!

Indian Lentils With Coconut

We're trying this recipe today in honor of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta's feast day (San Lorenzo Giustiniano of Venice on the traditional calendar--maybe we'll have Past'é Fagioli for dinner!)
Mother Teresa travelled all over the world and helped the poorest of the poor, rescuing the dying from the gutters of India (Hinduism teaches that the suffering deserve to suffer for their transgressions and we will be punished for helping them) and nursing the sick and suffering for almost all her life. However, she said that throughout all her travels the one thing she has seen that saddens her more than anything else in the world is communion in the hand.

I fully concur.



Indian Lentils With Coconut



Prep: 5 minutes; Cook: 45 minutes.

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
4 cups water
1 pound dried small red lentils, washed and picked over
1 (13.5-ounce) can light coconut milk
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion; sauté 5 minutes or until just beginning to brown. Stir in the water, lentils, coconut milk, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, 40 minutes or until the lentils are soft.

2. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Then stir in salt and pepper.

Yield: 10 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup)

CALORIES 196 ; FAT 3g (sat 1g,mono 0.0g,poly 0.0g); PROTEIN 13g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 25mg; SODIUM 129mg; FIBER 7g; IRON 3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 30g

Health, MARCH 2006

Legumes for Breakfast?

Lentils are so delicious and considered one of the healthiest foods in the world (along with olive oil, yogurt, soy and kimchi)! We grew up on Past'e Lenticchie (especially Fridays in Lent), which is a soup of lentils, parsley, tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil--Heavenly! After I got my grain mill I started grinding everything I could think of, and lentils eventually topped the list of favorites. We cook this up mostly for breakfast, but it could be done for dinner, too. It's great for babies, expectant (and pre-expectant) mothers, due to its high iron and folate content, and is perhaps the most economical source of protein on the market. If you don't have a grain mill, it grinds up very nicely in the blender on "grate."

For Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Lentils:

2 cups ground lentils
8 cups water
2 tablespoons chicken bouillon
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together and cook on low until thick and creamy. Serve into bowls and top with another drizzle of olive oil, diced tomatoes, fresh parsley, minced onion or anything that strikes your fancy! The whole meal can feed a family of 8 for about $1! My oldest daughter likes to add ground split peas and cracked buckwheat to this recipe, which is always very nice.

Buon Apetito!

Pasta Caprese

Seems I'm just full of recipe ideas this week! Today my Mom reminded me of a recipe she used to make once in a while when we were kids and it's such the perfect summer, exploding garden recipe that I just had to share it. This isn't exactly Mom's recipe and she'll be mad at me if I don't mention that. I added a few optional ingredients that sounded good to me, but of which Mom may not approve.

Pasta Caprese



For 1 lb. of pasta like ziti, pene or rigatoni, start with:

Insalata Caprese

7 or so ripe but firm tomatoes
1 lb. mozzarella cut into about 20 cubes
12 or so basil leaves
3/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Optionally add:

1-2 cloves minced or chopped garlic
1/2 large vidalia onion, finely sliced in slivers
3-4 oz. black or calamata olives, pitted
2-4 tablespoons capers
3-4 oz. marinated artichoke hearts, halved or quartered
3 anchovy filets, chopped
1 cup red-leaf lettuce, finely shredded

Mix the tomato ingredients with any of the optional ingredients and allow to marinate for an hour or so. (If you're including the lettuce don't add it until just before tossing the pasta in with the tomatoes.) Boil the pasta just until al dente. Drain, run under cold water to stop cooking, and toss with the Insalata Caprese. Serve in deep plates and sprinkle with grated parmigiano cheese. A glass of wine, a slice of bread and you're in Heaven!

Buon apetito!