Kids Dish

Sam and I are both suffering through a virus right now. Our symptoms include runny noses, hurty coughs, and low (but high enough make us feel like crap fevers. The other day, after not eating much of anything for more than 24 hours I decided to suck it up and make some chicken soup.

I used to save every last bit of vegetable I didn’t feel like eating. That half of an onion I’d forgotten in the fridge, the sprouting garlic cloves, the wrinkled carrots long past their prime, the broccoli stalks Bob turns his nose up at, and the tips of green beans all made their way into freezer bags which I’d save to make stock with. Depending on the other contents of the freezer- if I’d been saving chicken parts as well- I’d use the bags to make either veggie stock or chicken stock.

Since I started composting over the summer the contents of my freezer have reduced accordingly. There are far fewer veggies making their way into the freezer, which sadly results in less flavorful stock. To make up the difference, I decided to give the bouquet garni a bit of an Asian twist. I threw in a hunk of ginger, a hot pepper, some whole cloves, allspice and mustard seed.
I used the general recipe I posted a while ago, only instead of a whole chicken I used chicken carcasses, backs, necks and wings I’ve been saving the past few months and threw in a whole chicken breast in the last forty minutes of cooking. I thought about adding rice noodles, but thinking of my sick little boy I threw in some regular noodles that he’s more used to instead. Honestly, I couldn’t taste a thing. But Sam loved it and Bob seemed to enjoy it too.

If you don’t already and you like to reduce, reuse and recycle, give the stock bag a try. You’ll use vegetables and/or chicken parts that would otherwise go to waste, and you’ll always have something on hand to make a big pot of soup with when you just don’t feel like eating anything else.

This recipe isn’t exactly quick- it takes about an hour start to finish- but it is definitely easy and for the most part it’s hands off. All you need are some carrots, onions, a couple of cloves of garlic, salt, pepper, olive oil and a carton or some cans of chicken stock.

Roasting vegetables gives them a richer, sweeter taste. Carrots, which are sweet to begin with, are less cloying and more grown up when roasted with onions and garlic. Without any extra fat or dairy, Roasted Carrot soup is rich, creamy, healthy and simple. You can make the flavors more complex by adding a bit of ginger (fresh or powdered) or you can make it even creamier by serving with a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt. If you prefer a vegetarian (vegan, actually) version, use vegetable stock.

Last night, with a pathetically empty refrigerator I had no choice but to keep it simple. With a fussy toddler tugging on my legs and a husband who had to work late I had neither the time nor the inclination to defrost anything from my freezer stash or run to the store for extra ingredients. We had Roasted Carrot Soup and half a loaf of French baguette for butter with dinner. There were no complaints, though Sam did insist on eating his soup with a fork.

Roasted Carrot Soup

Let the vegetables cool slightly. If you have an immersion blender add the vegetables to the stock and blend directly in the pot. Otherwise, remove the veggies to a blender and puree, adding stock as needed. (Don’t add all of the vegetables at once- do two batches. If the vegetables are too hot and the blender is too full it can cause pressure to build up and blow the top right off the blender. I’ve done it. Now I blend in two batches) Put the vegetable puree in the stock and stir to combine and reheat. Serve hot.

My husband’s family tradition is to eat Pasta e Fagioli, also called Pasta Fazool, on Christmas Eve. I believe the tradition started because the dish, a hearty bean and pasta soup is quick and easy to make before mass and heat up when you get home. We don’t go to mass, but now that we’ve had his family over for Christmas Eve dinner the past two years we’ve kept the tradition going and made a big pot of soup.

My father in law prefers the soup the way his mother made it- with tomato sauce, just a few beans, spaghetti, and no onions, garlic or herbs (other than a shake of dried oregano) to speak of. I prefer a more flavorful, heartier version using smaller, bite sized pasta that fits on a spoon. Either way you make it, both recipes are quick, easy and healthy. Serve with warm Italian bread.

Pasta e Fagioli

Cook the onion in the olive oil until softened, about five minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook about a minute more. Add the tomatoes and the juices, the chicken broth and the beans and simmer about 10 minutes. For a heartier soup, add the pasta and cook in the soup for about 10 minutes, checking often to see if it’s al dente. For a more soup like soup, cook the noodles separately and add just before serving. Add the herbs, salt and pepper and serve with freshly grated Parmesan.

Escarole is a variety of chicory with bitter, bright green leaves. Similar to kale and spinach, it’s packed with nutrients. It’s eaten raw in salads but I usually prepare it by steaming or braising. I love escarole and beans, but my absolute favorite way to eat escarole is in Italian Wedding Soup, where escarole is cut into thin strips and cooked in broth.

Italian Wedding Soup is appealing for a variety of reasons. It has little meatballs, pastini, and a chicken broth base. It’s a perfect soup for little mouths and the escarole adds vitamins and nutrients. Even if the escarole is overcooked or your picky eater picks it out, you’re cooking it in the broth so any lost nutrients will just be absorbed by the soup and pasta. It’s a win, win situation.

Italian Wedding Soup

Soup: Bring the broth to a boil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs, pasta and escarole and simmer until the meatballs are cooked through, pasta is al dente, and the escarole is tender. Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper.

A few notes. If you have time, precook the pasta. That way you can add the cooked, drained, pasta to the soup and it won’t suck up all the broth. If you’re so inclined, brown the meatballs before adding them to the soup. It’s not necessary, but it adds a nice flavor. If you’re trying to sneak veggies past your picky eater kids you can grind them in the food processor and add them to the meatballs. If you brown the meatballs before adding them they probably won’t notice.

Thanksgiving is only a week away and I still haven’t done much planning. I did decide that this year I’m serving soup. I’ve got 4 butternut squashes, and though they store pretty well they won’t last forever so this recipe should use up at least two of them. Sam seems to like sweet, roasted vegetables so if he doesn’t touch anything else I can set aside some of the veggies pre-puree and he can eat some of them.

Instead of peeling and cubing the butternut squash uncooked, which is a huge pain, I’ll roast all of the vegetables with the garlic. I’ll definitely make this a day in advance so the flavors have time to meld and then if it seems a bit bland I can add extra seasonings. I’m thinking an apple or two might be a nice addition to the soup as well. I may omit the cream since Thanksgiving dinner is heavy as it is. And I made a huge pot of chicken stock the other night in preparation for the holiday. Homemade is almost always superior to canned.

Butternut Squash and Roasted-Garlic Bisque
Bon Appétit | November 2000

2 heads of garlic, halved crosswise
1 teaspoon olive oil 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
3 cups chopped onions
3/4 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
4 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon whipping cream

Preheat oven to 350°F. Rub cut surfaces of garlic with oil. Put halves back together to reassemble heads. Wrap each tightly in foil; bake until tender, about 40 minutes. Cool garlic in foil.

Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onions, carrots and celery; sauté until onions are beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add squash, broth and 2 tablespoons sage. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered until squash is tender, about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, unwrap garlic. Squeeze from skin into small bowl. Discard skin. Mash garlic with fork until smooth.

Stir garlic into soup. Working in batches, purée soup in blender until smooth. Return to pot. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Refrigerate uncovered until cold. Cover and keep refrigerated. Bring to simmer before continuing.) Stir in 1/2 cup cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer soup to tureen. Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon cream.

Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon sage.

This is a hearty winter soup that’s fairly quick to make and has room for endless variations. Most importantly, the toddler will eat it. When I’m pressed for time I make the recipe as written. The rest of the time I’ll add other veggies and herbs or bacon to jazz it up. Here’s the basic recipe using veggies from my CSA. I’ll add some variations at the end.

Potato Soup

In a large heavy saucepan cook the leeks in the butter with salt and pepper to taste, covered, over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until they are softened but not browned. Add the broth and the potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice, and simmer the mixture, covered, for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Use an immersion blender to blend a portion or all of the soup depending on your preference. Mix in the herbs and add salt and pepper to taste.

Variations:
If you like bacon in your soup, fry five or six strips of bacon in the large heavy saucepan. Drain the bacon on a paper towel lined plate reserving one tablespoon of bacon grease. Add the leeks to the bacon grease and cook for two minutes. Add the butter and cook until softened, 6 or 8 minutes more. Follow the recipe as written then crumble the bacon on top of each bowl of soup. Rosemary works especially well with the bacon.

Like your soup creamy? Add ½ teaspoon of nutmeg and a cup of yogurt, sour cream or heavy cream to the soup just before serving. Use chives instead of the other herbs. If you’re feeling especially daring, serve the soup chilled and call it Vichyssoise.

Feel like it’s just not soup without onion or garlic? Chop a small onion and mince a few cloves of garlic and sauté them with the leeks.

Yesterday at Nursing Your Kids I wrote that The New York Times reports that the FDA plans to ban over the counter multi-symptom cough and cold medicines marketed to kids. The drug hasn’t been tested children under the age of six yet it’s marketed to kids as young as two. This ban could effect 800 different medications including Toddler’s Dimetapp, Triaminic Infant and Little Colds.

Since Sam’s too little for cough and cold medicines I’ve got to get ready for a germ-infested winter in other ways. In preparation for cough and cold season here’s a recipe for good old-fashioned chicken soup. While there’s no real proof that chicken soup has medicinal effects, my Jewish grandmother and millions of other grandmothers will swear otherwise. This recipe is the real deal. It’s 100% homemade without a single boullion cube or can of stock in sight. So make a big batch and freeze some for later.

Chicken Soup

1. Put the water, chicken and giblets (not the liver) in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Skim off the froth.

2. Make a bouquet garni with the herbs, reserving two tablespoons of dill, tying them together in a piece of cheesecloth.

3. Add onions, garlic, celery, turnip, parsnip, 4 carrots, parsley, bouquet garni , salt and pepper to the pot. Return to a boil, cover and simmer for 2 1/2 hours. Adjust the seasonings to taste.

4. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside. Strain the soup, discarding the vegetables and bouquet garni, and refrigerate the liquid until the fat solidifies at the top. (If you want to eat the soup immediately, skim as much as you can and refrigerate the unused portion.) Remove the skin and bones from the chicken and cut the meat into small pieces or shred it.

5. Remove the fat from the soup. Just before reheating cut the remaining carrots into bite sized pieces. Add the carrots and chicken to the pot and cook until the carrots are tender, about 15 minutes. Serve with the remaining dill sprinkled on top. If you like, you can add cooked noodles or rice to the soup as well.

This soup is darker than the stuff that comes in a can, so if you like it lighter peel the onions- the dark color (and some of the flavor) comes from the skin.

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Well, if you consider two days of my son eating what we’re eating “on a roll” then we’re on one. Today I finished the Ribollita I mentioned earlier in the week. Ribollita is a Tuscan bread and vegetable soup that takes three days, yes three days, to prepare. Recipes vary, but the beans, tomatoes, onion and black cabbage seem to remain no matter which recipe you use. While it may seem like three days is an awfully long time to wait for soup (especially since Bob had to go back to work in the evening and I didn’t even finish the soup correctly!) I have to tell you it’s worth it. And watching Sam eat it and dip his bread into the soup made it even more worthwhile

Ribollita

1/2 pound dried cannellini beans (about 1 cup), picked over and soaked overnight in cold water to cover generously, drained and rinsed
3 or 4 fresh or dried sage leaves
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons
extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely minced (about 1 cup)
1 whole pepperoncino (I used a mystery hot red pepper from my garden)
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
4 fresh tomatoes, peeled, cored and quartered
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup finely chopped, fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 bunch of cavolo nero (black kale), tough center stalks removed, coarsely shredded (about 7 cups) ( I used regular kale)
3 medium carrots, peeled and coarsely diced (about 2 cups)
3 celery stalks, coarsely diced (about 2 cups)
1 large boiling potato, peeled and coarsely diced (about 2 cups)
1/2 small head Savoy cabbage, cored and coarsely chopped (about 2 1/2 cups)
1 bunch Swiss chard, green leaves only, coarsely chopped (about 7 cups)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
5 thick slices 1- to 2-day-old crusty Italian bread

Put the beans in a medium pot with sage leaves, cover by 2 to 3 inches with cold water, and bring to a bubble over medium heat. As soon as the water begins to bubble, reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until the beans are tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring from time to time. The beans can be cooked a few hours ahead of time.

Heat 1/3 cup oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and whole pepper and stir until the onion is pale yellow and soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and parsley, and stir a minute or two. Remove the pepper. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to break down the tomatoes. Add the kale, carrots, celery, potato, cabbage and chard. Stir for a couple of minutes, then add the beans and their cooking water. If needed, add enough cold water to cover the vegetables by about 2 inches.

Season with salt and pepper to taste, and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan partially, and cook, stirring from time to time, until the vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes.

Turn off heat and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, before serving, put the soup back on low heat and simmer for another 30 minutes, stirring often with a long wooden spoon to prevent sticking. At this point, the soup will have “reboiled” twice (thus ribollita) and will have a thick consistency.

Preheat the broiler. Put a slice of italian bread toasted and rubbed with a clove of garlic at the bottom of an ovenproof soup crock (I use french onion soup crocks) and fill the bowl with soup. Cover the soup with a sliced onion round and drizzle with olive oil. Broil on the lowest broiler setting (away from the flame) until the onion is browned.

Even though it takes days to prepare you can probably skip day one- the soaking of the beans overnight- if you use canned beans. My only hesitation about using canned is that you lose the flavorful sage and bean water though you could add vegetable stock in its place. You can also eat the soup, which is just plain minestrone on day two and it will be delicioius. But make sure you save enough for day three, when it’s been reboiled and the flavors have had time to sit and meld overnight. It’s one of the best things I’ve eaten in along time, and I don’t generally rave about soup

recipes, ribollita, three day soup, vegetarian soups

By request, this week’s “L” food is lentils, a quick cooking legume. Lentils come in several different varieties and are generally sold dried in bags. Unlike other dried beans lentils don’t need to be pre-soaked and cook pretty quickly. The brown and green colored lentils tend to hold their shape the best after cooking and the red and yellow varieties cook down to what’s almost a puree. No matter what color you choose, lentils are non-fat, low calorie, and full of fiber and iron.

The iron portion is key for me. When his iron was tested at his one year appointment we learned that Sam was slightly anemic. We had to give him iron supplements twice a day for three months which tasted just like iron. He fought the supplements so I tried to slip iron into his self-imposed vegetarian diet as often as I could. He resisted most of my efforts, but every so often he’d forget to be ornery and eat something full of naturally occurring iron. I won’t lie. He didn’t eat lentils. But I’ve heard from other moms that their kids love them so it’s worth a try. I haven’t given up yet.

I’ve only ever cooked green lentils, but I’d love to try this red lentil soup recipe or this red lentil and sweet potato curry. Since I’m familiar with them, here’s a quick prep (15 minutes prep, 75 minutes total) recipe from cookthink.com that uses green lentils and chard since it’s in season.

Chicken, Lentil and Chard Soup
2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 whole breast), cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
2 teaspoons fresh chopped thyme
3 cloves garlic, minced
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 cup green lentils, rinsed and picked through
1 bunch chard, stemmed and thinly sliced
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1. Prep all the ingredients. Season the chicken cubes with a sprinkling of salt and pepper.

2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. When the foam subsides, add the onion, carrot and thyme, and sprinkle them lightly with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, 6-8 minutes. Add the garlic and stir 30 seconds.

3. Add the broth, bay leaf and lentils and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently until the lentils are almost done, 20-30 minutes.

4. Stir in the chicken and chard, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, 10-15 minutes.

5. Take the pan off the heat, discard the bay leaf and stir in the lemon juice.

lentil, recipe, iron, low iron at one year, soup, red lentils

Kale is a super veggie. It’s full of fiber, iron, potassium, vitamins K, A and C, and studies have shown it has cancer fighting properties and promotes lung health. As a bonus it is very much in season right now, judging by the myriad varieties offered through my CSA.

To prepare kale before cooking, rinse it several times in very cold water to wash away any remaining dirt or sand. It can be eaten with or without the ribs, depending on what your recipe calls for.

If you’re looking for a quick recipe, you can saute kale, ribs removed, until tender (about 10 minutes) and add to cooked pasta with feta, olive oil and pine nuts. Sam picks around the cheese and pine nuts, but he eats the greens and pasta.

If you happen to have a kid like mine who needs to gain some weight, you can also add sauteed kale to mashed potatoes. It’s wonderful, which is a shame since I do not need to gain any weight and it’s currently taunting me from the kitchen.

My all-time favorite kale recipe is White Bean, Kale and Roasted Vegetable soup. It’s also my favorite soup recipe. It’s a bit time consuming, but it’s well worth the effort because the soup is amazing. The roasted vegetables give the soup a creamy sweetness which complements the kale well. The recipe calls for butternut squash, but yams make a good substitute.

White Bean, Kale and Roasted Vegetable Soup

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
3 medium carrots, peeled, quartered lengthwise
2 large tomatoes, quartered
1 large onion, cut into 8 wedges
1/2 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 cups (or more) canned vegetable broth
4 cups finely chopped kale
3 large fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
1 15-ounce can Great Northern beans, drained

Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray rimmed baking sheet with oil spray. Arrange carrots, tomatoes, onion, squash and garlic on sheet. Drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Bake until vegetables are brown and tender, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes.

Transfer carrots and squash to work surface. Cut into 1/2-inch pieces; set aside. Peel garlic cloves; place in processor. Add tomatoes and onion; puree until almost smooth. Pour 1/2 cup broth onto baking sheet; scrape up any browned bits. Transfer broth and vegetable puree to large pot. Add 5 1/2 cups broth, kale, thyme and bay leaf to pot; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered until kale is tender, about 30 minutes.

Add beans and reserved carrots and squash to soup. Simmer 8 minutes to blend flavors, adding more broth to thin soup if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to simmer before serving.)

recipe from Epicurious

kale, soup, recipe, super veggies

Ham can be found in a number of types of soups - especially bean soups - since it adds so much flavor.

One of my favorites is ham and bean soup. It’s easy to make and inexpensive. Give it a try!

Ham and Bean Soup

1 lb. Great Northern white beans
1 medium onion, chopped
1 T. butter
1 ham hock or if you can’t find decent ham hocks, used diced ham
Salt and pepper to taste

Rinse beans and pick out any stragglers (you know, dark or withered beans). Soak in water for at least 4 hours or overnight to soften beans - be sure and check the water level from time to time and add more water if necessary. Rinse thoroughly.

Bring 8 cups of water to a boil in large Dutch oven and add beans and ham. Meanwhile, saute onion in melted butter. Remove onion from saucepan with slotted spoon and add to beans and ham. Reduce heat under soup mixture and simmer for approximately 2 hours. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

ham, beans, soup