The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook (20 page)

herbed tomato soup

MAKES ABOUT 8 CUPS

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium onions, coarsely chopped

12 large garlic cloves

2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped

¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh lovage or celery leaves

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon coarse salt

6 pounds tomatoes, chopped

1 to 1½ cups homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock

½ cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

Crostini, for serving (recipe follows)

1.
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, celery, parsley, lovage, and salt. Cook, stirring, until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and stock; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer until the tomatoes are soft and mixture is slightly reduced, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the basil; cook until fragrant, about 5 minutes.

2.
Pass the soup through the medium plate of a food mill set over a large bowl; discard the solids. Reheat; serve with crostini.

crostini

MAKES 10

10
¹
/
₃
-inch-thick slices rustic Italian bread

10 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon coarse salt

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Arrange the bread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush with the oil; sprinkle with the salt. Bake until the edges are golden, 5 to 8 minutes.

spring vegetable soup with pesto

SERVES 6

1 cup dried navy or white beans, rinsed

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped

2 medium leeks, diced and rinsed well

2 medium carrots, diced

8 ounces Red Bliss or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 pound plum tomatoes, cubed

2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

2 small garlic cloves

2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves

¼ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 ounces green beans, cut into ½-inch pieces

1 small zucchini, cubed

1 cup fresh shelled or thawed frozen peas

1 teaspoon coarse salt

Freshly ground pepper

1.
Cover the beans with 6 cups cold water in a large pot. Bring to a boil; remove from heat. Let stand, covered, 1 hour.

2.
Drain the beans; return to the pot. Cover with 3 quarts cold water. Add the bay leaf and thyme; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer, partially covered, until the beans are barely tender, about 2 hours.

3.
Add the leeks, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, broth, and 2 cups water. Simmer, partially covered, until the beans are tender, about 30 minutes to 1 hour.

4.
Make the pesto: Finely chop the garlic in a food processor. Add the basil; process. Add the cheese and oil; process until combined.

5.
Add the green beans and zucchini to the pot. Cook, uncovered, 20 minutes. Add the peas; cook until soft, 5 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Divide among bowls; top each with 1 heaping teaspoon pesto.

vietnamese beef noodle soup with ginger

SERVES 4

The stock must be refrigerated at least 6 hours; make it 1 day ahead.

8 whole star anise

1 whole cinnamon stick

6 whole cloves

1 piece (4 inches) peeled fresh ginger

2 medium onions, halved

4 pounds oxtail, rinsed thoroughly

6 scallions, white and pale-green parts only, cut into 2-inch pieces, plus 4 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal

1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

1 teaspoon coarse salt

8 ounces eye of round or sirloin of beef

8 ounces thin rice noodles (rice sticks)

2 shallots, thinly sliced

¾ cup fresh bean sprouts

¾ cup fresh cilantro sprigs

¾ cup fresh basil leaves

1 lime, quartered

1.
Make the stock: Heat the star anise, cinnamon, and cloves in a small, dry skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a 6-quart stockpot.

2.
Preheat the broiler. Broil the ginger and onions, flipping once, until blackened, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to the pot. Add the oxtail, 2-inch scallion pieces, and peppercorns. Add 5 quarts water; bring to a boil. Skim foam. Add the salt. Reduce heat. Simmer, skimming occasionally, 2½ hours.

3.
Pour the stock through a large sieve into a large bowl; discard the solids. Let cool 20 minutes. Pour through a cheesecloth-lined sieve into a large bowl. Refrigerate, covered, 6 hours or overnight.

FIT TO EAT RECIPE
PER SERVING: 414 CALORIES, 6 G FAT, 24 MG CHOLESTEROL, 63 G CARBOHYDRATE, 312 MG SODIUM, 24 G PROTEIN, 4 G FIBER

4.
Make the soup: Chill the beef in the freezer until firm, about 2 hours. Cover the noodles with cold water. Let stand until the noodles are softened, about 30 minutes; drain.

5.
Cut the beef in half. Place each half flat side down, and cut the beef against the grain as thinly as possible. Allow the beef to warm to room temperature.

6.
Skim the fat from the stock; discard. Transfer the stock to a pot; add the shallots, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until the shallots are soft, about 15 minutes.

7.
In a medium pot of boiling water, cook the noodles until just tender, about 10 seconds; drain.

8.
Divide the noodles, beef, and sprouts among 4 bowls. Add the simmering stock (it will cook the beef gently). Top with thinly sliced scallions and herbs; serve each bowl with a lime wedge.

matzo ball soup with duck meatballs

SERVES 10

1 fresh duck (about 7 pounds), cut into 8 pieces

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

6 carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces

6 celery stalks, cut into 2-inch pieces

6 medium onions, quartered (do not peel)

6 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley and ¼ cup chopped leaves, plus leaves for garnish

6 fresh thyme sprigs and ¼ cup chopped leaves

14 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed

6 large eggs plus 1 large egg white

2 cups matzo meal

1.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Season the duck with salt and pepper. Transfer to a roasting pan. Add the carrots, celery, and onions; season with salt and pepper. Roast the duck and vegetables, turning occasionally, until the duck is browned, about 1½ hours.

2.
Transfer the duck and vegetables to a 12-quart stockpot, reserving the fat. Pour the fat through a fine sieve into a bowl; cover and refrigerate. Add 8 quarts cold water and the herb sprigs to the pot. Bring to a boil; continue to boil for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low; simmer 1½ hours.

3.
Pour the stock through a sieve into another large pot; reserve the meat, and discard the vegetables. Season the stock with salt and pepper. Let cool. Skim off any fat, and add to the reserved fat in refrigerator.

4.
Remove the meat from the bones; discard the skin and bones. Process the meat, mushrooms, 2 eggs, the egg white, 1 cup matzo meal, the chopped herbs, ¼ cup reserved fat, 1 tablespoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in a food processor until a paste forms. Shape into 60 1¼-inch meatballs. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to use.

5.
Melt ¼ cup reserved duck fat in a small saucepan over low heat. Lightly beat the remaining 4 eggs in a bowl. Whisk in the melted fat, ¼ cup water, and 1 teaspoon salt; season with pepper. Stir in the remaining cup matzo meal. Refrigerate, covered, until slightly firm, 30 minutes to 1 hour.

6.
Bring the stock to a boil. Scoop out 26 1¼-inch balls of the matzo mixture, and add to the stock. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes. Add the meatballs; simmer 10 minutes. Garnish with parsley.

chicken soup with parsley dumplings

SERVES 6

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1¼ pounds total), each cut into 3 pieces

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 1¼ pounds total)

4 medium carrots (about ¾ pound), cut on the diagonal into ¼-inch rounds

1 medium onion, thinly sliced into half-moons

2 celery stalks, cut into ¼-inch pieces

1 garlic clove, thinly sliced

1 bay leaf

1½ cups homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock

Coarse salt

1 teaspoon coarsely chopped fresh thyme

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal

¾ cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot

1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest

¾ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese

1½ tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

½ cup low-fat (1 percent) milk

1.
Bring 2 quarts water and the chicken, carrots, onion, celery, garlic, bay leaf, stock, and
¹
/
₈
teaspoon salt to a boil in a medium pot; skim froth. Reduce heat to medium-low; gently simmer 20 minutes. Add the thyme.

2.
Meanwhile, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, shallot, zest, parsley, and cheese in a medium bowl. Add the butter, and blend it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the milk, and stir with a fork just until a dough forms.

3.
Roll the dough into 1-inch balls; add all at once to the simmering broth. Cover; simmer, undisturbed, until the dumplings are cooked through, about 20 minutes. Divide the soup among 6 bowls.

beet soup with indian spices

SERVES 6

Buying beets with the greens attached—as required for this recipe—is a sure way to know they’re fresh. Beets are often cooked before they’re peeled or cut to keep nutrients intact. Here, the prep work is done first without sacrifice: The juices that result make up the nutritious broth and give the soup its deep flavor and color.

5 or 6 medium red beets with greens (about 2½ pounds with greens), stems and greens cut off and reserved

2 teaspoons canola oil

1 medium onion, halved lengthwise and cut into thin half-moons

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1½ teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

Pinch of cayenne pepper, or to taste

¹
/
₈
teaspoon freshly ground pepper

3 plum tomatoes, seeded and cut into ¼-inch dice (about 1¼ cups)

¾ teaspoon coarse salt

1¾ cups homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock

¹
/
₃
cup plain low-fat yogurt

1.
Cut the beet greens into thin strips and the stems into ¼-inch pieces; set both aside. Peel the beets with a vegetable peeler; cut into ¼-inch-thick matchsticks. Set aside.

2.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add the onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and just browned, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the cumin, coriander, cayenne, and pepper; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

3.
Add the tomatoes and salt; cook, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until the juices are released, about 2 minutes. Add the stock and 4½ cups water (for a thinner consistency, add up to 5 cups water); bring to a boil. Add the beets and stems. Reduce heat; simmer until the beets are tender, about 35 minutes.

4.
Add the greens; cook until just tender, about 5 minutes. Divide the soup among 6 bowls; divide the yogurt among the servings.

southwestern corn chowder

SERVES 4 TO 6

4 ounces bacon (5 or 6 slices), cut into ½-inch pieces

1 medium onion, cut into ½-inch cubes

1 large carrot, cut into ½-inch cubes

2 celery stalks, cut into ½-inch cubes

1 fresh small poblano chile, seeded and cut into ¼-inch dice

Coarse salt

½ teaspoon ground cumin

Freshly ground pepper

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1 cup dry white wine

1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes

5 cups homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken or vegetable stock

3 cups fresh corn kernels (about 6 ears)

1 cup heavy cream

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish

Hot sauce, such as Tabasco (optional)

1.
Heat a large, dry pot over medium heat. Add the bacon pieces, and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer with a spatula or slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.

2.
Add the onion to the pot; cook until just softened, about 4 minutes. Add the carrot, celery, and poblano; cook until the vegetables are just tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt, the cumin, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and the cayenne. Raise heat to high; add the wine. Cook until most liquid has evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the potatoes and stock; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; gently simmer until all the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.