Chestnut and Kale Soup or a cure for holiday over-eating

naomi — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 11:15:11 +0000

We touched down in Newark at 6:00 Saturday morning and were in our double-wide matchbox of an apartment in Brooklyn by 7:30. After a breakfast of turkey sandwiches we settled in for a long winter’s nap. . . . that lasted two hours.

I went through the rest of the day feeling like I had a hangover without having had any of the fun that usually leads to one (unless a red-eye flight from L.A. to New York is your idea of a good time). Both Amir and I agreed that we were in need of a detox.

I had bookmarked this recipe before we went away because it seemed like a perfect post-thanksgiving meal, and it was. It was worth dragging myself to the market to get kale and a big bottle of chestnuts. It was worth soaking the beans. It was worth chopping the onions that always make me cry. It is surprisingly creamy, tangy, rich, nutty and sweet. It will cure what ails you, even if it’s just too much turkey and too many tacos.

Kale and Chestnut Soup
adapted from Gourmet, December 2003

I am so glad I chose this delightful recipe for the first (!) Gourmet Unbound*. It made three dinners for us and seemed to get better every day. I added a little water when I reheated it, and I added a little leftover rice on the last day, which made a nice addition.

I made some changes, which are reflected below. I cut out the pancetta, because I felt like it, and added butter, because it’s always a good idea. This soup was really perfect, tasty, healthy, and hearty.

1/2 pound dry white beans (I used cannellini), picked over and rinsed
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 (14-15 oz) can whole tomatoes in juice, drained, juice reserved, tomatoes chopped
3-1/2 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1 piece Parmesan rind (you save your Parmesan rinds don’t you?)
1-1/2 cups (8 oz) roasted, peeled whole chestnuts, cut in half (or smaller, if you like)
1/2 pound kale, stems and center ribs discarded, ripped into bite-sized pieces (they suggest using Tuscan kale, but I used White Russian Kale because it’s what I could find, it worked splendidly)
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
salt and pepper, to taste
grated Parmesan cheese

Soak the beans overnight or quick soak them. To quick soak beans: place them in a pot and cover with about 2″ of water. Bring to a boil and let boil for two minutes, cover the beans and let soak for one hour. Drain and rinse.

Heat butter and olive oil in a large (and I mean large, all that kale takes up a lot of space) 6-8 qt. stockpot over medium-high heat until butter is melted. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 8 minutes. Add the beans, tomatoes with juice, broth, water, cheese rind, and salt and pepper, and simmer, uncovered, until the beans are tender, about 45 minutes to an hour. Once beans are tender, remove the cheese rind and stir in the chestnuts.

Transfer two cups of the soup to a blender and purée until smooth, then return to pot. Stir in kale and simmer, uncovered until the kale is tender, about 10-15 minutes. Stir in thyme. Served topped with grated Parmesan.

*I’m looking forward to seeing what everyone else cooked up for the month of December!

Spaghetti Carbonara

naomi — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:25:04 +0000

This is what I cook for myself when Amir is out. It is one of the rare recipes that is designed to serve just one person and that’s exactly how it should be eaten. Sure, you could double it to share with another person, but why? This is the kind of dish that is best enjoyed completamente da solo.

Spagetti Carbonara
adapted from Gourmet

Sure this isn’t an “authentic” carbonara, but it is so enjoyable to break into the poached egg, and then stir the yolk into the pasta, so who really cares?

2 bacon slices, cut in half (if using thick-cut bacon, you only need one)
3 oz spaghetti
1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1 large egg
salt and pepper, to taste
chopped parsley or tarragon, if you have it

Set a pot of salted water to boil.

Fry the bacon until cooked but not too crispy. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain.

Cook spaghetti until just al dente. Reserve 1/3 cup of the cooking water. Remove the pasta with tongs and keep the pan on water simmering.

Pour off all but 2 tsp of the bacon fat, then mix the bacon fat with the butter over medium-high heat. Add the Parmesan, reserved cooking water, pasta, and a healthy dose of ground pepper and cook until the sauce is thickened and almost completely absorbed, about 2-3 minutes. Add bacon and herbs, if using. Transfer to a plate.

Crack the egg into a cup and gently slide it into the simmering water. Poach for about 2-3 minutes. With a slotted spoon, place the poached egg on top of the pasta. Enjoy!

*I’m sorry about the photo, but it gets dark here sometime around 4:30 and seeing as I’m rarely home (or at least cooking dinner) by then, getting a good photo is becoming harder and harder to do.

the honey eater » dinner

Chestnut and Kale Soup or a cure for holiday over-eating

Spaghetti Carbonara