ALPHABET A recipe for each letter of the alphabet by Francine LaBouquĂŠt
CORN CHOWDER Be careful to remove only the part of the corn kernel sticking out of the cob; cutting deeper will pull off fibrous material. Yukon gold potatoes can be substituted for the red potatoes, minced chives for the basil. Depending on the sweetness of your corn, the finished chowder may need to be seasoned with sugar.
☞
Serves 6
8 ears corn, husks and silk removed 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 onion, chopped fine 4 slices bacon, halved, cut into ¼ inch pieces 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme Salt and pepper ¼ cup all-purpose flour 5 cups water ¾ pound red potatoes, cut into ½ inch pieces 1 cup half-and-half Sugar 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1
Using chef’s knife or corn stripper, cut kernels from corn; transfer to bowl and set aside (you should have 5 to 6 cups kernels). Holding cobs over second bowl, use back of butter knife to firmly scrape any remaining pulp on cobs into bowl (you should have 2 to 2 ½ cups pulp). Transfer pulp to center of clean kitchen towel set in medium bowl. Wrap towel tightly around pulp and squeeze tightly until dry. Discard pulp in towel and set corn juice aside (you should have about ¾ cup juice).
2
Melt butter in Dutch oven over medium heat; add onion, bacon, thyme, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper; cook, stirring frequently, until onion is softened and edges are beginning to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Whisking constantly, gradually add water and bring to boil. Add corn kernels and potatoes. Return to simmer; reduce heat to medium-low and cook until potatoes have softened, 15 to 18 minutes.
3
Process 2 cups chowder in blender until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Return puree to chowder; add half-and-half and return to simmer. Remove pot from heat and stir in reserved corn juice. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and up to 1 tablespoon sugar. Serve, sprinkling with basil.
5
•
Do not use prepeeled squash in this recipe. Our favorite vegetable broth is Swanson Vegetable broth. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup right in the pot. In addition to sour cream, serve the soup with Fried Leeks (related), which provide nice textural contrast.
•
Serves 6 to 8
2 ½ pounds butternut squash, peeled & seeded 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 leek, sliced thin Salt and pepper 4 cups vegetable broth 1 - 2 cups water 2 sprigs fresh thyme 1 bay leaf Pinch cayenne pepper Sour cream
1
Place squash in bowl, cover, and microwave until paring knife glides easily through flesh, 14 to 18 minutes, stirring halfway through. Carefully transfer squash to colander set in bowl (squash will be very hot) and drain for 5 minutes; reserve liquid.
2
Melt butter in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add squash, leek, and 1 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until squash pieces begin to break down and brown fond forms in bottom of pot, 10 to 13 minutes.
3
Add 2 cups broth and scrape bottom of pot to loosen and dissolve fond. Add remaining 2 cups broth, reserved squash liquid, 1 cup water, thyme sprigs, bay leaf, and cayenne. Increase heat to high and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until leeks are fully tender, 6 to 7 minutes.
4
Remove and discard bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Working in batches, process soup in blender until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Return soup to clean pot and bring to simmer, thinning with up to 1 cup water to desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste; serve with dollop of sour cream (soup can be made up to 2 days in advance).
7
CREAM OF ROASTED CARROT SOUP Roasting the carrots brings out their natural sweetness and concentrates their flavor. If desired, add 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger with the garlic in step 2. This soup can also be served chilled.
Serves 4 1 ½ pounds carrots (about 8 medium), peeled and sliced ½ inch thick 1 medium onion, halved and sliced 2 teaspoons vegetable oil Salt 3 garlic cloves , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 tablespoon) ¼ cup dry white wine 1 bay leaf 1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth 1 ½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth ½ cup half-and-half Ground black pepper
1
Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 450 degrees. Toss the carrots, onion, 1 teaspoon of the oil, and ½ teaspoon salt on a rimmed baking sheet and then spread in an even layer. Roast until the vegetables are well browned and softened, stirring occasionally, 25 to 30 minutes.
2
Transfer the roasted vegetables to a large saucepan. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil, cover, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the carrots soften further, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the wine and bay leaf; cook until the wine has reduced by half, about 1 minute. Add the broths. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the soup is flavorful, about 5 minutes.
3
Puree the mixture in a blender (or food processor) until smooth, and return to a clean saucepan. Add the half-and-half and warm over low heat until hot, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (The soup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Warm over low heat until hot; do not boil.)
4
Per 1 1/2-cup serving: Cal 170; Fat 6 g; Sat fat 2.5 g; Chol 10 mg; Carb 24 g; Protein 5 g; Fiber 6 g; Sodium 740 mg
9
CAULIFLOWER SOUP WITH CORIANDER Either chicken or vegetable broth can be used in this recipe.
Serves 4 to 6 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, or the same amount of
1
Heat butter or oil in large saucepan over mediumhigh heat. Add onion; sauté until golden, about 5 minutes. Add sherry and cauliflower; stir-cook until sherry evaporates, about 30 seconds.
vegetable or olive oil 1 medium onion, 3 medium shallots or 1 medium leek, chopped 2 tablespoons dry sherry 1 medium head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), stems discarded and florets cut into bite-sized pieces 2 cups chicken broth low-sodium vegetable broth 1 teaspoon table salt Ground white pepper
2
Add stock, salt, pepper to taste, and coriander to saucepan; bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer; cover and cook until cauliflower is tender, about 12 minutes.
3
Ladle cauliflower mixture into blender. Add ½ cup milk; blend until very smooth. Return soup to saucepan; cook over low heat until warmed through. If soup is too thick, stir in additional milk to thin consistency. Adjust seasonings. (Soup can be refrigerated for 3 days and reheated just before serving.)
4
Ladle soup into individual bowls. Garnish with minced chives and serve immediately.
1 teaspoon ground coriander ½ - ¾ cup whole milk 2 teaspoons minced fresh chives, or minced parsley
11