Winter Gatherings (5 page)

Variation

Meaty Beet Borscht:
Add 3 medium beets, peeled and cut into
½
-inch dice, to the soup with the stock. Simmer until the beets are tender, about 45 minutes, before adding the browned meatballs. If you wish, substitute 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill for the dried thyme.

Moroccan Lamb and Garbanzo Bean Soup

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Moroccan cooks are masterful at blending spices, as this fragrant and deeply flavored soup attests. Originally this soup was made with chunks of boneless lamb shoulder roast, but unfortunately that cut is very hard to find at supermarkets. I now use lamb chops, and their bones also enrich the broth.

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon crushed hot red pepper flakes

Three 12-ounce lamb shoulder chops, cut about ¾ inch thick

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 medium onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade, or use canned low-sodium broth

One 28-ounce can plum tomatoes in juice, coarsely chopped, juice reserved

2 cups water

One 15-to 19-ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed

Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

• 1.
  Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add the coriander and cumin seeds and cook, stirring occasionally, until the seeds are toasted and fragrant. Transfer to a plate and let cool. Transfer to an electric spice grinder or a mortar and grind into a coarse powder. Stir in the cinnamon and red pepper flakes. Set aside.
  
• 2.
  Cut the meat from the chops, trimming away excess fat, and cut the meat into bite-size pieces. Reserve the bones. Season the meat with salt and pepper.
  
• 3.
  Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the lamb and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to a plate, leaving the fat in the pan.
  
• 4.
  Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the pot and heat. Add the onion and reduce the heat to medium. Cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until it gives off its fragrance, about 1 minute. Stir in the spice mixture and cook until it gives off its aroma, about 15 seconds. Pour in the stock and scrape up the browned bits in the pot with a wooden spatula. Return the meat and bones to the pot, along with the tomatoes and their juice and the water. Bring to a boil over high heat, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the meat is tender, about 1 hour. Add the beans and cook until heated through, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove and discard the lamb bones.
  
• 5.
  Serve hot, sprinkling each serving with cilantro.
  

Mussel and Fennel Bisque

Makes 6 servings

Poor fennel—it just doesn’t get its due from American cooks. Here, it lends its light anise flavor to a creamy bisque that is elegant enough to serve to company, yet comforting enough to serve for a supper or lunch.

2 pounds mussels

1 cup dry white wine

4 cups homemade fish stock or bottled clam juice, as needed

1 large head fennel (also known as anise), preferably with fronds

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

¼ cup chopped carrots

½ cup chopped shallots

¼ cup long-grain rice

1 teaspoon tomato paste

¼ teaspoon dried thyme

1 bay leaf

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup heavy cream

Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)

• 1.
  Scrub the mussels under cold running water, debearding them, if necessary. Put the mussels in a large bowl and add enough cold salted water to cover. Let stand for 1 to 2 hours. Drain and rinse the mussels.
  
• 2.
  Combine the mussels and wine in a large saucepan and cover. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until all of the mussels open, about 5 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the mussels to a bowl. Discard any unopened mussels.
  
• 3.
  Strain the cooking liquid through a wire sieve lined with moistened, wrung-out cheesecloth to remove any grit. Add enough fish stock or clam juice to the mussel liquid to make 5 cups. (If you run out of stock or clam juice, use water.) Remove the mussels from their shells and place the meat in a bowl, discarding the shells. Cover and refrigerate the shelled mussels.
  
• 4.
  If the fennel has its fronds attached, remove, finely chop, and reserve them for garnish. Cut the fennel bulb in half lengthwise and cut out and discard the hard triangular core. Cut the fennel into ½-inch dice; you should have about 2¼ cups fennel.
  
• 5.
  Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add 1½ cups of the chopped fennel and the carrots. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the shallots and cook, uncovered, until the shallots soften, about 3 minutes. Add the clam juice mixture with the rice, tomato paste, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and partially cover. Simmer until the rice is very tender, about 25 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.
  
• 6.
  Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the reserved diced fennel and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.
  
• 7.
  In batches, puree the bisque mixture in a blender. Return the bisque to the saucepan. Add the cream and shelled mussels, and heat just until piping hot; do not boil. Season with salt and pepper.
  
• 8.
  Ladle the bisque into individual soup bowls. Add a spoonful of sautéed fennel to each and sprinkle with fennel fronds or parsley. Serve hot.
  

Lime and Cilantro Slaw

Makes 6 to 8 servings

It is ironic that citrus, which invokes thoughts of sunny places, should be at the peak of its season during the winter months. On the other hand, cabbage, also a winter staple, is likely to remind one of cold climes. Nonetheless, the two complement each other well in this bright-flavored slaw. You might want to serve it with the Soft Tacos with Chipotle Carnitas (Chapter 3).

Grated zest of 1 lime

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

1 garlic clove, crushed through a press

¾ cup pure olive oil

One 2¼-pound head green cabbage, shredded

6 scallions, white and green parts, chopped

¼ cup finely chopped cilantro

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1.
  Whisk the lime zest, lime juice, and garlic together in a large bowl. Gradually whisk in the oil.
  
• 2.
  Add the cabbage, scallions, and cilantro, and mix. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours. (The slaw can be made up to 2 days ahead.) Serve chilled.
  

Roasted Beet and Orange Salad

Makes 6 servings

With its Day-Glo colors, this salad has lots of visual appeal that is more than matched by its mouth-filling flavors. There is no better way to prepare beets than roasting, and I wish I had a nickel for all of the times I’ve served this to a guest who’s said, “I don’t even like beets, but I love this salad.”

6 medium beets, scrubbed but unpeeled

2 large navel oranges

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ small red onion, cut into thin half-moons

• 1.
  Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400°F.
  
• 2.
  To roast the beets, wrap each beet in aluminum foil. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until tender, about 1 hour. Cool completely. Slip the skins off the beets. Slice the beets into thick rounds.
  
• 3.
  To prepare the oranges, grate the zest from half an orange into a medium bowl and set aside. Cut about ½ inch from the top and bottom of each orange and stand them on the work surface. Using a serrated knife, cut off the peel where it meets the flesh. Working over a small bowl, cut between the membranes to release the orange segments into the bowl. Squeeze the membranes over the bowl to extract any remaining juice. Measure 2 tablespoons of the orange juice into the bowl with the zest.
  
• 4.
  Whisk together the orange zest, juice, and the balsamic vinegar. Gradually whisk in the oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and whisk again to dissolve the salt. Add the beets, orange segments, and red onion, and toss gently. Serve at room temperature.
  

Beets

According to a very unscientific study, performed when creating menus and asking prospective dinner guests if they have any aversions, I have found the most unpopular vegetable: beets. Were the opinions formed during childhood, when forced to eat boring canned beets? Or was it a child’s basic mistrust of all vegetables—especially ones that have an unfamiliar hue?

Beets deserve to be loved for their very uniqueness. Most beets are magenta (but there are striped and yellow ones, too, although I mainly see those in the summer), and they can really brighten up a winter table. Roast them (boiling and steaming drains them of flavor and color) and you’ll be treated to a combination of earthy and sweet flavors. Their juices, made deep red by the pigment betalain, stain like crazy. You’ll release fewer juices if you cut them after cooking. Beet skin is thicker and composed differently than the flesh, so it will slip off easily. There really isn’t a good way to remove beet stains, so if it is a concern, wear latex gloves when handling.