You are currently browsing the tag archive for the ‘Comfort food’ tag.
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You want to know what is REALLY hard to make look delicious?
That would be, a bowl of this here soup.
I mean, it’s freaking tasty stuff, this soup, but it will definitely be filed under the category of what I like to call, ugly food. Don’t get me wrong, ugly food is almost always tasty – we’ve been over this before – it’s just that you’re going to have to convince your guests/spouse/disbelieving children of that fact before they’ll even sit down to the table. I tried to be all Ina-like and add “a garnish that reflects the flavors present in the dish” – that’s why the rosemary spring is just hanging out over there on the left – because honestly, brown soup is just a wee bit unappetizing.
Okay, so we’ve been over the basics of why you probably WON’T want to try this soup. But this is a food blog, so its not like I’m going to post horrible recipes. So let’s go over the reasons why you should try this, non?
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1. It’s a recipe from Ina Garten, whose every recipe is a foodgasm in the making, and who is only second to God in our foodie world next to Martha Stewart. (But is actually first in God’s eyes because Ina hasn’t been to jail. Go Ina.)
2. It’s made with all natural ingredients like chicken stock and white beans, so you know it’s good for you without tasting like cardboard.
3. This is a perfect dish for winter, since it uses just about the only thing “in season” in Colorado – dried beans.
4. The end product is creamy without being heavy, flavorful without being full of fat. The best of both worlds.
5. The ugly factor of food is inversely related to how delicious the food is. So this dish is obviously off the charts. (Obviously.)
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So, now that I’ve thoroughly convinced you, Law & Order-style, get thee to your grocery store/farmers market/pantry some cannellini beans.
And make sure to distract your children/spouse/guests with cartoons/sports/booze before you serve this.
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Rosemary White Bean Soup
Adapted from Ina Garten
Serves 6
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The only “adaptations” included reducing the amount of olive oil (because she alway uses a ton, bless her heart) and removing all references to “good” ingredients that will make you feel inferior.
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Gather:
1 pound dried white cannellini beans
4 cups sliced sweet yellow onions
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large branch fresh rosemary
6 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
kosher salt, to taste
fresh cracked pepper, to taste
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Prepare:
Pick through the beans to remove any pebbles or other debris. In a large bowl, cover beans with at least 2 inches of cold water. Let soak overnight or at least 8 hours. Drain.
In a large stockpot, saute the onions with the olive oil until translucent, 10 to 15 minutes. (Note: Instead of adding more olive oil, just add a bit of water if the onions start to burn. And if you do burn the onions, just tell your guests it’s “Caramelized Onion White Bean Soup.”) Add the garlic and cook for 3 minutes until fragrant. Add the drained white beans, rosemary, chicken stock, and bay leaf. Cover; bring to a boil, and simmer 30 to 40 minutes, until the beans are soft. Remove rosemary and bay leaf. Pass the soup through the coarsest blade of a food mill, or puree half of the soup in a blender/food processor. Continue pureeing and mixing until you reach a consistency you like. (I prefer a course puree.) Return the soup to the pot, and reheat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.
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Best Coast / The End
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We had our first cool, cloudy day in Denver yesterday. Normally we operate with a pretty standard stream of sunny, cloudless weather. In fact, it’s like the weather equivalent of daily Prozac doses out here. Tomorrow I’m sure we’ll be right back to 80-degree temps, but for now, it felt like fall, if just for a night.
For the first time this year, I was so ready for some comfort food! And I’m not sure about you, but comfort food to me usually means… Butter. Cheese. The Almighty Evil Carbohydrate.
Food that sticks to your ribs, that warms you from the inside out.
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Case in point… I like a good bowl of polenta sometimes. It’s a cheap base, and very versatile. You can make it healthy with a dab of butter, top with sauteed winter greens and some cracked black pepper.
Or… you can roll with me and make it “dirty,” as we call it here in the Kitchenette house. Which means adding in a dab of butter… along with a crapload of goat cheese.
(“Crapload” is a very technical cooking term, just in case you’re wondering.)
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Dirty Polenta (Goat Cheese Polenta with Balsamic Reduction)
Original recipe from The Kitchenette
Serves 2
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Gather:
3 cups water
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup corn grits (or “polenta grits”)
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 oz goat cheese, or to taste
Prepare:
Bring 3 cups water to a boil over high heat.
Meanwhile, heat balsamic vinegar over medium heat in a small saucepan. Heat until the vinegar turns syrupy and coats the back of a spoon, about 5-8 minutes.
Once the water is boiling, add in polenta, salt, and butter. Remove pan from heat, stirring constantly. As soon as the butter is dissolved, add in goat cheese in chunks. (Typically I add 2 ounces and then add another ounce at a time until the taste is to my liking.)
Dish out polenta into bowls, and drizzle with balsamic reduction before serving immediately.
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Canby / Rat
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