Fish Soup with Fennel and Baby Potatoes

Bon Appétit calls this dish a Fish Stew with Fennel and Baby Potatoes, a perfectly acceptable name except that this fish concoction seemed at odds with the description “stew” especially after I had toyed with it and custom-made it to fit my wishes.  In the end, it turned out to be a gloriously light and meaty fish and broth mélange, something that nestled comfortably between a soup and a chowder.  Rachael Ray might name this fish soup a choup, meaning that it’s thicker than a soup but not quite a chowder, but I’ll simply call it a Fish Soup with Fennel and Baby Potatoes. 

Whatever you decide to call it, make sure you try this recipe!  It’s super easy and fast to whip up and the result is deliciously refined.  I first made this soup a couple of days after I laid my eyes on it in the April issue of Bon Appétit and more than half a dozen times since.  But the best part about this simple yet flavor-complex fish soup is that it instantly brings me back to Westport, MA and The Bayside Restaurant where I used to religiously devour their legendary Rhode Island style chowders (and the ridiculously stuffed lobster roll) on our regular trips to the beach every summer when we lived in Boston.  

Overall, this dish is so refreshing and summery, piled up with subtle flavors and silky fish.  The crème fraȋche gives the soup a pleasant richness while still keeping a thin and light broth.  The corn and potatoes add a tad of sweetness and that extra level of texture, the dill brings freshness and color, whereas the highly encouraged squeeze of lemon before serving brightens up the symphony of aromas.  It is so good, you’ll make this soup all summer long!    

Fish Soup with Fennel and Baby Potatoes

Adapted from Bon Appétit (April 2014)

Makes: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

·         ¼ cup olive oil

·         ½ lb. small waxy potatoes (such as baby Yukon Gold), scrubbed, sliced ¼” thick

·         ½ medium fennel bulb, finely chopped

·         2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

·         Salt

·         Freshly ground black pepper

·         ¼ cup dry white wine

·         1 cup frozen corn

·         Heaped ¼ cup crème fraȋche

·         1 ½ lb. skinless flounder or fluke fillet, cut into 2” pieces

·         2 Tablespoons fresh dill, chopped

·         Lemon wedges (for serving)

Instructions:

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add the potatoes and cook them, tossing occasionally, until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes.  Add the fennel and garlic, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fennel is soft, about 2-3 minutes.  Add the wine, bring to a boil, and cook until almost completely evaporated, about 4 minutes.  

Add the corn and 6 cups of water to the pot, season with salt, and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 10-12 minutes.  Stir in the crème fraȋche.  Add the flounder and 2 more cups of water, cover the pot, and reduce the heat.  Simmer until the fish is cooked through, about 5-7 minutes.  

Stir the dill into the soup; season with more salt and pepper if necessary.  Serve with lemon wedges.    

  

Poftă Bună! (Bon Appétit!)

Baked potatoes and Creamed corn

Potatoes don’t make me jump out of my seat with excitement.  I like them as much as everyone else, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t wake up in the morning thinking that “today, I’m in the mood for potatoes”.  When I think of potatoes I usually shrug my shoulders and see them as the bleak starch component on my plate.  I never give them much thought.  There’s nothing glitzy or fancy about potatoes in their natural state; they’re rarely the focus of a meal unless you’re talking about potato salad.  And so far I haven’t come across any potato dish that would constitute a full satisfying meal in itself (if you have, please report); for me, potatoes fall into the side dish category.  That’s why they need help or a partner of some sorts to really impress.  Perhaps I should just give them some credit. 

Sometimes, I do think that you could write volumes if you consider the thousands of varieties of potatoes out there; just their infinite color palette is worth novels.  Perhaps someone has already taken care of that (I’d have to check).  Bottom line, on their own, potatoes don’t bring much to the party, and most of the time I just wonder how I should cook them and make them shine.        

I was contemplating this very question when I stumbled upon David Rocco’s superb Patate al Forno recipe.  There are few good potato recipes, and even fewer truly fantastic ones.  But this one definitely makes the cut.  So, as you’ve been anticipating, potatoes are taking center stage today, and with Thanksgiving around the corner this recipe might make it onto your holiday table; it will surely make it onto mine!      

These potatoes are something special.  The spectacle of flavors is lip-smacking.  To tell you the truth, you couldn’t expect less from a hefty amount of thinly sliced starchy potatoes, showered with fresh, pungent herbs and garlic, and bathed in olive oil.  Once out of the oven, they are brown and crispy on the edges where they touched the pan dangerously resembling homemade chips, glossy, golden and tender throughout and speckled with herbs and garlic.  And let’s not forget that the heady aromas of rosemary and sage seep into every corner of the house.  One last thing about these scrumptious potatoes – I will not wait until Thanksgiving to make them again!

Baked Potatoes with Garlic and Fresh Herbs

Adapted from Patate al Forno by David Rocco

Serves:  4-6 servings

Ingredients:

·         2 pounds (1 kg) Yukon gold potatoes, washed, peeled, and thinly sliced

·         1 Tablespoon fresh sage, chopped

·         1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped

·         1 Tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped

·         Optional: 1 Tablespoon fresh dill, chopped

·         2 cloves of garlic, chopped

·         1 teaspoon kosher salt

·         ½ teaspoon black pepper

·         ½ cup (125 ml) olive oil

Instructions:

Preheat the oven at 400°F (200°C). 

Place the potatoes in a roasting pan.  Mix together the herbs and garlic, and sprinkle the mixture on the potatoes.  Season with salt and pepper.

 

Drizzle the potatoes with olive oil and put the roasting pan in the oven for about 45-50 minutes, or until golden brown and tender. 

And since we’re looking at this perfect trio, let me tell you more about this gorgeous, glossy, golden corn coated in butter, flecked with a palm full of fresh parsley (to brighten things up), and drowned in a sea of cream.  I know it sounds kind of scary, “drowned in a sea of cream” (and some milk…).  I know, I know; it’s not your go to diet meal but it’s creamed corn after all, comfort food at its best, and trust me this one will steal the show.  It’s savory and sweet, bright, fresh and pleasantly creamy.  And guess what, roasted potatoes, creamed corn and schnitzel belong together.  Enjoy!

Creamed Corn

Adapted from Creamed Corn by Giada De Laurentiis

Serves:  4-6 servings

Ingredients:

·         3 Tablespoons unsalted butter

·         1 pound frozen corn, thawed

·         Salt and pepper

·         1 Tablespoon flour

·         ¾ cup heavy cream

·         ¼ cup whole milk

·         2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions:

In a medium saucepan, heat the butter over medium-low heat.  Add the corn and season with salt and pepper.  Cook for about 5-7 minutes.  Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute.  Add the cream and simmer until the mixture thickens, about 2-3 minutes.  Add the milk and parsley and stir well.  Season with more salt and pepper, to taste, and serve.   

Poftă Bună! (Bon Appétit!)     

Quick and easy

I still have stories to share with you from my trip to Romania, but I’ve decided to intercalate this short posting and a quick and easy Bean and Corn Tomato Soup recipe.  

Our computer desk has been falling apart for the past six months, but for some inexplicable reason we kept postponing getting a new one.  I think it’s called procrastinating or we just thought that it would get fixed on its own.  It’s really beyond my comprehension.  Well, last weekend we finally agreed to get a new desk and stop holding the keyboard on our lap every time we used the computer.  Oh, I guess that by now you’ve realized that we use a desktop instead of a laptop.  Yes, we’re kind of old-fashioned and we prefer a big boring desktop. 

Anyway, after a week of staring at the new box in the middle of the house, last weekend we got our energy up and were ready to install the three piece professionally looking furniture.  There was only one problem – the Euro 2012 was on, too.  No, we couldn’t miss the soccer matches especially since the so-called group of death of the Euro 2012 was playing on Saturday.  And so, one eye was reading the instructions booklet, one was on the nails so that we didn’t nail our fingers, one was on fastening the screws, and one was watching the soccer game.  All in all, it only took us seven hours to put together the computer desk while also watching the Euro 2012 soccer games.  Long story short, by dinner time I was so tired and my knees were bloody red that I was in no condition to prepare anything fancy.  In fact, we were so exhausted that we couldn’t even find the energy to go out to dinner.  Bottom line, I fixed a quick and filling Bean and Corn Tomato Soup.

In the end, we didn’t need anything more than this quick and easy soup.  It was the perfect fix.  This soup has a full-bodied tomato flavor and a bite from the red pepper flakes, while the corn and carrots add a hint of sweetness to balance out the acid from the tomatoes; and the beans and pasta make it hearty and rich.  We love this fantastic soup and I’m sure that it will become one of your all-time favorites in no time!       

Bean and Corn Tomato Soup

Adapted from Quick and Spicy Tomato Soup by Giada De Laurentiis

Serves:  6 servings

Ingredients:

·         3 Tablespoons vegetable oil

·         1 small onion, chopped

·         2 carrots, peeled and chopped

·         1 clove garlic, minced

·         1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

·         ½ cup frozen corn

·         1 (25-ounce) jar marinara sauce

·         5 cups chicken broth or water

·         ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

·         ½ cup pastina pasta (or any small pasta)

·         Salt and black pepper

·         1 Tablespoon sugar

Instructions:

Warm the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.  Add the onion and carrots.  Season with salt and pepper and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Add the beans, corn, marinara sauce, chicken broth (or water), red pepper flakes, pasta and sugar, and stir well.  Bring to a boil, turn the heat down and simmer for 15-20 minutes.  Season with more salt and pepper to taste.  Ladle into bowls and serve.  

Poftă Bună! (Bon Appétit!)

The ultimate comfort food

Well…folks…the weather is getting windier and rainier here in Pittsburgh.  The sky is gray and the atmosphere is moist.  Shortly, we’ll have to adjust to the winter time, gaining one hour, but losing daylight.  The days will become shorter and shorter and the weather colder and colder.  Christmas will be here in no time, and soon we’ll see the first snowflakes comfortably laying themselves down on the ground for the months to come.  Wow…funny how time flies. 

Actually, it’s not that bad if you think about it.  I know that winter is fast approaching, but we can’t just overlook the holidays and the comfort food that they bring along, which always makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.  At the end of the day, the only thing, which you’ll want to do after a comfortable meal, is to sit by the fireplace with a cup of hot cocoa in your hands, totally ignoring the world outside.  I think that I’ve already started that pattern.  Although, the Pittsburgh hills are still multicolored, and the leaves on the ground have not been replaced by snowflakes yet, the rainy weather doesn’t give me the strength and energy to put a foot outside the door. 

The good thing about that is that over the past few days, I’ve been mastering the art of the ultimate comfort food – chili – with and without meat.  And by the way, these are not your usual suspects in terms of chili, but interesting versions of the classic.  Nonetheless, while I was passionately cooking as if I were stocking up on chili for the entire winter, something unexpected happened.  Someone knocked on the door.  I wasn’t expecting anyone and I can assure you that I wasn’t eager to answer the door while I was diffusing a delightful aroma of onion, garlic and chicken.  However, when I opened the door, the florist greeted me with an immense and superb bouquet of roses, lilies and gerberas.  My hubby does know how to make me smile!    

White Bean Chicken Chili

Adapted from White Bean Chicken Chili by Giada De Laurentiis

Yields 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

·         2-3 Tablespoons olive oil

·         1 large onion, chopped

·         4 garlic cloves, minced

·         2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in 1 inch cubes

·         Salt and black pepper

·         2 Tablespoons ground cumin

·         1 Tablespoon fennel seeds

·         1 Tablespoon dried oregano

·         2 teaspoons paprika or chili powder

·         3 Tablespoons flour

·         2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini or other white beans, rinsed and drained

·         1 pound frozen corn, thawed

·         4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

·         ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

·         Grated Parmesan cheese

·         Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Instructions

In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook until translucent, about 5-7 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for up to 1 minute.  Add the cumin, fennel seeds, oregano and paprika (or chili powder – I use paprika just because that’s what I always have on hand; in Transylvania it is mandatory to have paprika in your spice cabinet), and toast them for about 1 minute.  

Make some room in the middle of the pan and add a little bit more olive oil.  Add the chicken, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. (FYI:  Giada’s recipe calls for ground chicken, but I actually like it better with cubed chicken breasts.  You can also use turkey, beef, pork, or anything that satisfies your tummy.)   

Stir the flour into the chicken mixture and cook it for about 1 minute.  Add the beans, corn, red pepper flakes and chicken broth (if you are using beef, add beef broth – you can always just add water, but then make sure you carefully season everything).  Bring the mixture to a boil scrapping up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.  Turn the heat down and simmer, uncovered, for 65-70 minutes until the liquid has reduced by about half and the chili has thickened.  If you don’t want too much heat in your chili, add the red pepper flakes right at the end and simmer for 10 more minutes.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste. 

Ladle the chili into serving bowls.  Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. 

I have immediately fallen in love with this delicious chili.  It is so easy to make and the parsley at the end brings all the flavors back to life and gives freshness to the entire dish.  

Now, for those of you who prefer a vegetarian version, I have the perfect recipe. 

Vegetarian Bean Chili

Inspired by Melanie Fleck’s recipe of Vegetarian Bean Chili (Penzeys Spices, Fall 2011)

Yields 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

·         2-3 Tablespoons olive oil

·         1 large onion, chopped

·         1 carrot, chopped

·         1 red bell pepper, chopped

·         Salt and black pepper

·         4 cloves garlic, minced

·         1 Tablespoon ground cumin

·         1 Tablespoon fennel seeds

·         ½ Tablespoon dried oregano

·         2 teaspoons paprika or chili powder

·         1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice

·         1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

·         1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

·         1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

·         1 pound frozen corn, thawed

·         ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

·         2 - 2.5 cups water

·         Sour cream (optional)

·         Grated Parmesan or Cheddar cheese (optional)

Instructions

In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the onion, carrot and red bell pepper.  Season with salt and pepper and cook for 8-10 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Add the cumin, fennel seeds, oregano and paprika and toast them for about 1 minute.  

Add the tomatoes, beans, corn, red pepper flakes and water.  Season carefully with more salt and pepper, to taste.  Stir everything together and bring to a boil.  Turn the heat down and simmer, uncovered, for 50-60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are soft and the chili has thickened. 

Ladle the chili into serving bowls.  Add a dollop of sour cream on top and sprinkle with the cheese.  

Everything works so well together and you don’t even feel the absence of meat.  It is filling, colorful, a bit spicy, and the corn brings a hint of sweetness to the entire dish.  Besides, you know me, I like to add corn to almost anything because corn and I “go together like a wink and a smile”.  Enjoy!