15 minute read
comfort food recipes
Warm up your winter with these comfort food recipes. Whether it's tomato soup with grilled cheese croutons (let's hear the "oohs" and "aahs"), chicken barley stew, or vegan sweet potato chili, we're confident you will find at least one new recipe here to amp up your cooking repertoire.
Signature Butternut Squash Soup
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From Chef John Dykeman at Meadow Ridge in Redding, Connecticut MeadowRidge.com; 203-544-7777
We love sharing this resident favorite with visitors who tour our community in the cooler months. Everyone goes home with a thermos full of this savory soup.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups medium diced butternut squash - 1/2 small yellow onion, large dice - 3 cups cold water - 1/2 Tbsp of vegetable base - 1/2 tspn dried sage - 1/4 tspn cinnamon - 1/2 cup heavy cream DIRECTIONS
Add all ingredients except for the heavy cream into a large sauce pot. Bring to a boil, lower and allow to simmer until squash is very soft. Puree with a hand blender or in a standing blender and then add the heavy cream. Adjust seasoning with salt if desired and serve. Serves 4.
Tuscan White Bean Soup
From Chef Richard Venezio at The Chelsea at Greenburgh On Dobbs Ferry Road in Greenburgh ChelseaSeniorLiving.com; 914-275-0010
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tspn olive oil - 24 oz. Italian sausage - 1 1/2 cups white onion, diced - 3 stalks celery, thinly sliced - 3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped - 3 tspn garlic, minced - 1 1/2 tspn Italian seasoning - 8 cups chicken broth - 18 oz. fresh diced tomatoes - 3 15-oz. cans white beans, drained and rinsed - 4 1/2 cups baby spinach - 3 Tbsp chopped parsley - salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the sausage to the pan; cook for 5 minutes and use a spoon to break up the sausage into smaller pieces. Add the onion, celery and carrots to the pan and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until just softened. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the Italian seasoning, diced tomatoes, chicken broth and white beans. Bring to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in the spinach and cook for 10 more minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Chicken Barley Stew
From Richard Lipari Culinary Institute of America-Trained and Executive Chef at The Osborn in Rye TheOsborn.org; 914-925-8000
INGREDIENTS
- 3 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, diced - 5 cloves garlic, sliced - 1 small onion, large dice - 1 cup barley - 4 cups chicken stock - 1 small pepper – any color, large dice - 1/2 zucchini, large dice - 1/2 yellow squash, large dice - 2-3 large carrots, big slices - 1 28-oz. can stewed tomatoes - 1 14-oz. can small white beans - 1 12-oz. bag spinach - 1 tspn thyme - 1/4 tspn black pepper - 2 Tbsp oregano Optional: 1/2 tspn salt, 1/4 tspn black pepper, 1 tspn chili flakes
DIRECTIONS
In a stock pot, bring chicken stock to a boil and place carrots and barley; simmer until tender, 4 to 5 minutes. In a skillet, sauté chicken thighs, garlic, onion, zucchini, yellow squash, sweet pepper, just until aromas are pronounced, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, beans, oregano, salt, pepper, chili flakes and thyme, and simmer until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. When barley is cooked but firm, place spinach on top of stew. Cook covered for an additional 10 to 15 minutes Mix well and serve with crusty bread and a green salad. Serves 4. (For a vegetarian option, replace chicken with mushrooms and replace chicken stock with vegetable stock or water.)
Creamy Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons
From Giulia Capicotto, Social Worker, DOROT Westchester Located on Westchester Avenue in White Plains; Dorotusa.org; 914-485-8356
INGREDIENTS DIRECTIONS
FOR SOUP ONLY:
- 1 Tbsp olive oil - 3 carrots, diced - 1 onion, diced - 3 stalks celery, diced - 2 cloves garlic, diced - 1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes DIRECTIONS DIRECTIONS - 2 Tbsp tomato paste Heat oil in a soup pot. Once hot, add carrots, onion, celery, and garlic and Heat oil in a soup pot. Once hot, add carrots, onion, celery, and garlic and - 4 cups chicken broth sauté for a few minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, broth, wine, oregano, sauté for a few minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, broth, wine, oregano, - 1/4 cup red wine and dried basil. Bring to a light boil and cook a few minutes 'til veggies are tender.and dried basil. Bring to a light boil and cook a few minutes 'til veggies are tender.- 1 tspn dried oregano Ladle soup into blender (or use immersion blender) and puree until it reaches your Ladle soup into blender (or use immersion blender) and puree until it reaches your - 1 tspn dried basil desired texture. Add it back to the pot. In a separate pot make a roux by melting desired texture. Add it back to the pot. In a separate pot make a roux by melting - 1/2 cup butter butter on medium low heat then adding the flour and whisking until the roux is golden butter on medium low heat then adding the flour and whisking until the roux is golden - 1/2 cup flour brown. Add a ladle of soup to the roux and mix to form a thick paste. Add a few more ladles brown. Add a ladle of soup to the roux and mix to form a thick paste. Add a few more ladles - 1/2 cup grated of soup and stir until it is smooth. Add the roux to the soup pot and stir. Add Parmesan cheese, of soup and stir until it is smooth. Add the roux to the soup pot and stir. Add Parmesan cheese, Parmesan cheese half and half, salt, pepper, and fresh basil. Cook a few minutes until it is warmed through. half and half, salt, pepper, and fresh basil. Cook a few minutes until it is warmed through. - 1/2 cup half and half For the grilled cheese, spread butter on two slices of bread. Add to a hot pan butter side down and top both slices with cheese, then cover. For the grilled cheese, spread butter on two slices of bread. Add to a hot pan butter side down and top both slices with cheese, then cover. (or whole milk) Once cheese begins to melt, flip one slice of bread onto the other to form a sandwich. Cook until crispy, flip and do the same on the other side.Once cheese begins to melt, flip one slice of bread onto the other to form a sandwich. Cook until crispy, flip and do the same on the other side.- salt and pepper Cut the grilled cheese into cubes and put them on a lined baking sheet. Place under the broiler on low for 2 minutes to crisp them up.Cut the grilled cheese into cubes and put them on a lined baking sheet. Place under the broiler on low for 2 minutes to crisp them up.- 1/4 cup fresh basil Ladle soup into a bowl and top with croutons and more fresh basil if desired. Ladle soup into a bowl and top with croutons and more fresh basil if desired.
Heat oil in a soup pot. Once hot, add carrots, onion, celery, and garlic and sauté for a few minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, broth, wine, oregano and basil. Bring to a light boil and cook a few minutes 'til veggies are tender. Ladle soup into blender (or use immersion blender) and puree until it reaches your desired texture. Add it back to the pot. In a separate pot make a roux by melting butter on medium low heat then adding the flour and whisking until the roux is golden brown. Add a ladle of soup to the roux and mix to form a thick paste. Add a few more ladles of soup and stir until it is smooth. Add the roux to the soup pot and stir. Add Parmesan cheese, half and half, salt, pepper, and fresh basil. Cook a few minutes until it is warmed through. Prepare a grilled cheese sandwich as you like it, then cut it into cubes. Ladle soup into a bowl and top with the croutons and more fresh basil if desired.
Sweet Potato Chili
From Kelly Walker, Executive Sous Chef Phelps Hospital/ Northwell Health in Sleepy Hollow Phelps.Northwell.edu; 914-366-1150
INGREDIENTS
- 2 Tbsp olive oil - 1 medium red onion, diced - 2 green bell peppers, diced - 1 1/2 lbs. sweet potatoes, cubed - 6 garlic cloves, minced - 2 28-oz. can diced tomatoes - 3 15-oz cans black or pinto beans - 1 cup corn (fresh or frozen) - 2 cups vegetable broth - 4 Tbsp chili powder - 1 tspn ground cumin - 1/2 tspn cayenne pepper - 1 Tbsp cocoa powder - 1 tspn kosher salt - 1/2 tspn black pepper - 1/4 cup masa harina - Garnishes: hot sauce, sour cream (or vegan or cashew sour cream), sliced scallions, shredded cheese
DIRECTIONS
In a large Dutch oven or stockpot (at least 5 quarts), heat the olive oil. Sauté onion, peppers and sweet potatoes on medium-high heat for 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Then turn down the heat to medium low. Add the garlic, tomatoes and their liquid, beans, corn, vegetable broth, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, cocoa, kosher salt, and black pepper. Mix, cover and cook for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. After the 25 minutes, mix the masa harina with 1/2 cup water and stir it together in a small bowl. Add the mixture to the chili to thicken it. Cook 10 minutes more. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve and garnish with hot sauce, sour cream, green onions. (Leftovers can be refrigerated or frozen for up to three months.)
Cavatelli with Broccoli Rabe
From Rose Cappa-Rotunno, Vice-President of Institutional Advancement at Wartburg in Mount Vernon; Wartburg.org; 914-513-5178
INGREDIENTS
- 4 Tbsp olive oil - 1 clove garlic, sliced - 1 lb. broccoli rabe or par-boiled broccoli - 1 lb. cavatelli pasta - salt and pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS
In a medium saucepan, over medium high heat, heat the oil. Brown the garlic slightly. Add the broccoli rabe and lower the heat. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the pan and steam the vegetables and oil for about five minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. In the meantime, cook the cavatelli according to package directions. Drain. Mix the vegetables into the the cavatelli and serve. Serves 4. I cannot tell you how many times in my life I have eaten this dish. An everyday weekday meal and also for occasions. Consider adding chopped sausage or even chicken to the oil to brown... adding another dimension to this winning recipe. - Rose Cappa-Rotunno
Grilled Chicken Pesto
From Chef Luis Arista at The Greens at Greenwich in Greenwich TheGreensAtGreenwich.com; 203-531-5500
INGREDIENTS
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts - 30-40 fresh basil leaves - salt and black pepper powder to taste - lemon juice for drizzling - olive oil - 1 red and 1 yellow bell pepper - 1 large zucchini - 1/2 cup fresh cream - 3 to 4 garlic cloves - 3 Tbsp Pine nuts - 4 to 5 black peppercorns - 1/4 cup ground Parmesan
DIRECTIONS
Slit chicken and sprinkle with salt and pepper powder, drizzle on lemon juice. Set aside for 5 to 10 minutes. To make pesto, grind basil leaves and garlic. Add pine nuts, 2 Tbsp olive oil, peppercorns. Transfer to a bowl, add Parmesan cheese and salt, Mix well. Spread pesto (reserving some) over marinated chicken and set aside for 10 to 15 minutes. Cut bell peppers and zucchini into wide strips. Heat 6 Tbsp olive oil in grill pan, add the peppers and zucchini, cook until wrinkled. Remove and set aside. Place marinated chicken in the same pan and cook through until grill marks appear on each side. To make pesto sauce, heat cream in a small non-stick pan, add some reserved pesto and mix. Add salt and pepper powder and mix well. Drizzle pesto sauce on a serving plate, place grilled chicken over it and veggies alongside. Garnish with reserved pesto and serve immediately.
Supercharged Roasted Winter Vegetables
From Sharp Again Naturally SharpAgain.org; 914-281-1404
INGREDIENTS
- 5 cups winter vegetables such as carrots, beets, acorn and butternut squash, kabocha, celery root, parsnips, rutabaga, brussels sprouts, cut into diagonals or bite size pieces - 2 Tbsp olive oil - salt and pepper to taste - 1/2 Tbsp thyme, cumin or sage - whole garlic cloves, quartered onions, or sliced ginger root (optional) DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a large roasting pan with parchment paper. Place all ingredients into the pan and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper, coating the pieces thoroughly. Bake for 30 minutes or until vegetables have softened but still have some bite, turning a few times during cooking. Add thyme, cumin or sage toward the end of cooking. Serves 4.
Note: If desired, you can roast chicken thighs in the pan with the vegetables. Toss bone-in skin-on organic chicken thighs in a bag with olive oil, salt, and pepper and lay on top of the veggies to cook. Roasted root and winter vegetables are not only comfort foods during the cold months, they are nutritional powerhouses for mind and body! Roasting with an assortment of fresh or dried herbs brings out their rich flavor and beneficial vitamins.
Black Bean Hummus
From Chef Norm Fintz at The Kensington White Plains TheKensingtonWhitePlains.com 914-390-0800
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cloves garlic, minced - 8 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed - 8 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed - 2 Tbsp lemon juice - 2 Tbsp tahini - 1/2 tspn ground cumin - 1/2 tspn sea salt - 1/4 tspn cayenne pepper - 1/4 tspn paprika
DIRECTIONS
In a food processor bowl, mix together all the ingredients except the paprika. Puree the mixture until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl. When the mixture is smooth and free of lumps, place in a serving bowl. Garnish with paprika. Serve with pita chips or veggies.
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