Tomato Rice Soup with Caramelized Onions

I have a quite a collection of tomato soup recipes, considering how I detested it as a child. Of course, I was served only canned soup, so I don't blame my younger self. Here's the latest addition. The caramelized onions add texture and sweetness, while the rice makes it heartier than some.  

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Tomato Rice Soup with Caramelized Onions

Source: Milk Street

Serves 4-6

1 T olive oil

1 large yellow onion, halved and sliced thinly

1 teas white sugar

kosher salt and ground black pepper

1 teas dried thyme

1/2 c long-grain white rice, rinsed and drained (see note below if you prefer brown rice)

1 14-1/2 oz can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand

1 quart chicken broth or vegetable broth

1/2 c parsley or basil leaves, chopped

optional basil pesto or grated Parmesan cheese, or both

Over medium flame, heat oil in a large saucepan or medium Dutch oven until it shimmers. Stir in the onion, sugar and half a teaspoon salt and pepper. Cook until the onion is well browned and quite soft, stirring occasionally. Place half of the cooked onion in a small bowl and set aside.

Add the thyme to the onion in the pan and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Stir in the rice, tomatoes and juices and broth. Turn heat to medium high and bring the soup to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking, covered, until the rice is tender around 20 minutes. Stir from time to time. 

When the rice is cooked, take the soup off the heat and stir in the parsley. Taste it to check for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Top each serving with some of the onion and drizzle with oil. Or add either of the optional garnishes.

Notes:

The magazine indicates you can use short grained rice if that's what you have although authors preferred long grain white. I made mine with brown rice and it needed twice the amount of cooking time. 

I think I'll caramelize 2 onions next time, particularly if I let them get quite brown. One isn't enough for all the servings of the soup and leftovers are easy to use.

Grandma Betty's "Old Fashioned" Barley, Tomato, and Vegetable Soup

When I was a teenager my mom, a competent and frequent canner, canned this soup every fall and used jars of it for quick meals. It was much better than something from a red and white can. Later I did the same, when I could get tomatoes in large quantities (the canning recipe calls for a bushel). On those harried days when our family arrived home with everyone really hungry, bottles of this soup saved my life. Both my mom and I usually added cooked ground beef but it isn't necessary if you want a meatless meal.

In the last decade or so the USDA and extension agents have determined that modern tomatoes do not have enough acid to make them safe for canning in a water bath canner like my mom used. She added copious amounts of sugar and vinegar in an attempt to help preservation but I'm told by my local extension canning authority that the only safe way to can this soup is with a pressure canner which I do not have. So when my brother Sam, who also remembers the soup fondly, asked me about it, I decided to reduce the old canning recipe (which yielded 17 quarts) and tweak it a little so we could enjoy the flavor of the soup without canning. 

Recently Sam and I cooked the soup together with some of the last of my summer tomatoes and we are happy to report it tastes just like our mom's home canned vegetable soup.  

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Grandma Betty's "Old Fashioned" Barley, Tomato, and Vegetable Soup

Yields approximately 4 quarts

1/2 c pearl barley, soaked for 2 hours and cooked in water until al dente (don't over cook because it will cook  more later) 

1 T vegetable oil

1 large onion, chopped or 2 cups 

5 medium cloves garlic, minced 

4 sticks of celery, chopped

1 large green pepper, chopped

4 carrots, diced

about 4 pounds fresh tomatoes chopped or  2 28-oz cans crushed or whole tomatoes (squish these a bit)

2 bay leaves

1 quart water

1 T sugar (I think this is why we all liked this, including children)

1 1/2 teas salt, to taste (ditto)

1/2 teas freshly ground black pepper

1/4 c chopped parsley

2 T  cider vinegar or red wine vinegar

1 pound ground beef cooked in a skillet while soup cooks, optional

Soak barley in the same saucepan in which you will cook it. Drain the soaking water and add more and cook until al dente. Drain and set aside.

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-low heat and cook the onions with a good pinch of salt until beginning to soften and become translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a minute. Add celery, carrots, and green pepper and cook while occasionally stirring until they soften somewhat. 

Add tomatoes (I used fresh but found a blender was faster than chopping), bay leaves, water, sugar, salt, black pepper. Bring to a strong simmer and turn heat down to a lower simmer and cook for about 45 minutes.  (I believe you can cook it for around 30 minutes if you use canned tomatoes.) Add the parsley, cooked barley, and the cooked ground beef and cook for 10-15 minutes more. Stir in the vinegar and serve. This is awfully good with grilled cheese sandwiches.

Note:

I think you could add other vegetables to this soup; green beans and corn come to mind. I wouldn't add summer squash until the last 15 minutes or so. 

I think you could reduce the amount of tomatoes to 3 pounds if you don't have four. You might want to increase the amount of water if you do. 

Huevos Rancheros--Three Ways

Here are three methods for cooking this pantry/refrigerator friendly meal. The most flavorful method calls for roasting tomatoes, chiles, and garlic. But in the summer, when there are tomatoes in the garden, I don't like heating the oven (and kitchen). I've included a couple options so Huevos Rancheros can be a year round meal.

Note:

Anything you like on a taco would be good with this dish. It almost goes without saying, avocado is great. I also like to use crumbled queso fresco and/or Mexican crema if I have either on hand.

Black-eyed Pea Salad

I've mentioned before how much I love black-eyed peas. My crop of shell peas has been superior this summer so I love them even more. This recipe is based on two recipes but includes other garden fresh ingredients I had on hand.

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Black-eyed Pea Salad

Adapted from: Country Living and from Emeril Lagasse

Serves 4-6

I think you can tweak this in anyway you'd like. I didn't have spinach called for in the recipe so I used green beans and placed the salad on a bed of arugula from my garden. If you're vegetarian, leave the bacon out. Change the herbs if you prefer. 

You can use black-eyed peas in any form. I particularly like fresh shell beans since I grow them, but you can cook dry beans or you can use canned (just rinse them well and stir the mix gently). If you use frozen, you can treat them as fresh.

4 c fresh or frozen black-eyed peas cooked until tender but not falling apart (mine took about 25 minutes). I like to add some carrot and celery chunks as well as a halved onion to add flavor to the peas. Remove those additions before cooling the peas and making the salad.

1/3 c olive oil

3 T red wine vinegar

3 strips bacon, cut into 3/4-inch chunks and cooked

1/3 c finely chopped red onion

1/3 c thinly sliced scallions

1 T very finely chopped jalapeno chile (or more if you'd like)

2 T chopped Italian parsley

1 red bell pepper, chopped in 3/4-inch pieces

1 c halved cherry tomatoes

1 c green beans, cooked to crisp tender, or 2 c cleaned baby spinach, or chopped kale (you might want to massage it before adding it to the salad)

salt and pepper to taste

salad greens or arugula, optional

Prepare black-eyed peas and cool to room temperature. Place the olive oil and the vinegar into a large bowl and stir. Place the black-eyed peas into the bowl and stir well to combine.

While cooking the bacon, chop the other salad ingredients and add to the bowl. Toss all together and top with the bacon and stir once more. Taste it to see if you need to add more salt or more vinegar.

You may want to let the salad rest in the fridge for several hours before serving to allow flavors to meld. (I did not--I wanted to eat before bedtime.) If you choose to do this, remove from fridge 30 minutes before serving and toss once more. 

If you don't use spinach or kale in the salad you may want to have some salad greens or arugula arranged on each serving plate. Top the greens with the salad.

Serve with crusty bread or cornbread.

Asparagus, Leek, and Fennel Soup

I had to try this as soon as I saw it since it is asparagus season in the garden. I am going to post it quickly, too, for the same reason. Although the soup has other vegetables, asparagus is the star. This soup can be vegan if you use vegetable stock and skip the creme fraiche. It is quick, creamy, and beautiful but might need the accompaniment of some bread and a salad to make it a full meal.

Let me encourage people to grow French tarragon (make sure you don't buy a Russian tarragon seeding which is completely different in flavor). This plant is a perennial down to zone 5 and can be wintered in a garage for lower zones. It is easy to grown in pots as well as in the garden. I love having one right next to my back door and often grab a bite as I pass by. Yum.

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Asparagus, Leek, and Fennel Soup

Adapted from:  Serious Eats

Serves: 4 if it is the main dish or 6 if it is a side

2 T oil

1 large leek, white and pale green portions, finely chopped

1 fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced (save some of the fronds for garnishing)

salt

2 T all-purpose flour

4 c chicken or vegetable stock

2 pds asparagus, trimmed and cut in 1 1/2-in pieces

1 small handful minced fresh French tarragon leaves (plus a little more for garnishing)

2 T fresh lemon juice

creme fraiche thinned with some cream or milk, optional

pepper

Heat the oil in a 4- qt saute pan over medium-low heat until shimmering. Scoop the leek and fennel into the pot and stir in a big pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often until the vegetables are softened but not browned. Add the flour and stir while cooking until it is incorporated, about half a minute. Pour in the stock and bring to a simmer. 

Add the tarragon and asparagus, reserving a about 8 spears. Return to a simmer and cook 6-8 minutes until the asparagus is tender. Add the lemon juice. Place the spears in a small bowl with a tablespoon or two of water and microwave for 1 minute. Remove from the bowl, drain, and cut each spear in half.

Blend the soup with an immersion blender or in batches in a countertop blender. You can blend it very smooth or a bit chunky if you like. Taste the soup and season with pepper and more salt if needed. Serve, garnishing with creme fraiche (if you are using), tarragon leaves, reserved asparagus, and fennel fronds. You may also drizzle a bit of olive oil over all.

Slow-cooker Butternut Soup

Even though you may have a great stove-top recipe for butternut soup, this version may come in handy when you have to be away from the kitchen.

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Slow-cooker Butternut Soup

Source:  The French Slow Cooker by Michele Scicolone

Serves:  6

1 large (2-pds) butternut squash, or equivalent, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-in chunks

1 medium onion, chopped

1 large sweet apple, such as Fuji or Golden Delicious, peeled, cored, and chopped

6 c chicken broth, vegetable broth, or water

1 teas. salt

1/2 c heavy cream, plus more for garnish

pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Combine the squash, onion, apple and broth in a large slow cooker and add 1 teas salt.

Cook on low for 6 hours. Check that the vegetables and apples are very soft. Allow to cool for 15 minutes. In batches, blend the ingredients until smooth. Return to the slow cooker and add cream and nutmeg. Reheat on the low setting, if necessary.

Serve soup drizzled with cream.

Notes:

Almost any winter squash (excepting spaghetti or the small Delicata) would work here. See this page for examples. I am partial to banana squash.

Slivers of red-skinned apple are also a great garnish for this soup. 

End-of-Summer Spaghetti Sauce

For some, the end of summer came several weeks ago, but in Albuquerque summer lingered this year, so here's one last "summer" recipe. This can be cooked anytime you find a good eggplant, however.

Gardening in the desert was a disappointment this summer but it has taught me just how hard plants try to do their life's work, in spite of strong hot winds, drought, insect attacks, and disease. Although we experienced all these traumas this summer, I got several eggplants, some tomatoes, onions, lots of garlic, and the herbs needed for this recipe. I'm glad since this mostly veggie sauce is great for pasta or polenta and I like to cook it at least once each summer. Skip the anchovies for a vegan dish.

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End-of-Summer Spaghetti Sauce

Source: Local Flavors:  Cooking and Eating from America's Farmers' Markets  by Deborah Madison

Yields sauce enough for 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of spaghetti

1 1/2 to 2 pds eggplant, peeled and sliced a scant 1/2-in thick

2 red, yellow, or orange bell peppers, quartered lengthwise

1/4 c oil, plus extra for the eggplant

1 onion, finely diced

1 garlic clove, minced

3 anchovies (optional)

1/3 c chopped parsley, plus extra for garnish

2 pds ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped, or canned equivalent (28-oz can)

1/4 c Kalamata or Gaeta olives, pitted and chopped

1/4 c green Sicilain olives, pitted and chopped

3 T capers, rinsed

1 T dried oregano

1/4 c water or juice from the tomatoes

salt and ground pepper

1 pd spaghetti

1 c Pecorino Romano cheese or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated

Preheat the broiler and place peppers on a baking sheet under the broiler, skin side up and cook until blistered. Stack the pepper quarters on top of each other and cover; allow to steam for 15 minutes and peel. Lightly brush a sheet pan with oil and place the eggplant slices on it. Brush the tops of the slices with oil and broil both sides until browned. Remove from oven and when cool enough to handle, dice the broiled eggplant slices and the peeled peppers. 

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven. Add the onion, garlic, anchovies, and the parsley. Saute until the onions are softened. Add the peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, olives, capers, oregano and salt and pepper to taste. Let simmer for 30 minutes. 

Cook the pasta. Stir in the sauce and top with more parsley. Pass the grated cheese among diners.

Note: I've frozen this sauce successfully.

Mixed Shell Beans and Greens

This recipe is adapted from a quick recipe that uses canned black-eyed peas and collard greens. I am more likely to have chard in my garden so that is what I use. If you want to cook this recipe but can't follow my directions (don't have fresh shell beans or want a quick version) see the link below.

Several years ago I began to grow black-eyed peas in my garden to add nitrogen to the soil which helped increase the size of garlic planted successively. An added benefit is the lovely "peas" I harvest each year. The legumes were something my eastern-raised mother never served me in our western home. I discovered this southern food much later when I moved to Virginia. In the years since I have experimented with other drying beans as well: pink and maroon Hopi beans, purple striped dragon tongue beans, and this year a purple and white Kenyan heirloom bean called kebarika.

Since I grow these, I like to use them in their "shell" state when they are mature but not dry. Although the original recipe calls for black-eyed peas exclusively, I have used a variety and it looks quite pretty with the variations in sizes and colors.

Hopi beans, Dragon Tongue beans, Black-eyed Peas

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Mixed Shell Beans and Greens

Adapted from: cookscountry.com

6 slices of bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 onion, halved and sliced thinly
1 teas salt
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teas ground cumin
1/2 teas pepper
1/4 teas red pepper flakes
1 c canned diced tomatoes or 2 c chopped garden tomatoes
1 1/2 c chicken broth (low sodium)
3 cups fresh black-eyed peas, subbing some with other shell beans
10 large leaves Swiss chard, torn or coarsely chopped
1 T cider vinegar
1 teas sugar

Cook bacon in Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, 5-7 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towel-lined plate or to a bowl, if the extra bacon fat doesn't worry you. Set aside.

Discard all but 2 T bacon fat. Add onion and salt and cook, stirring often, until golden brown. Add garlic, cumin, pepper, and pepper flakes, and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.

Add tomatoes and juices and cook for several minutes until the tomatoes break down and mixture becomes sauce like. Stir in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add beans and reduce heat to simmer for approximately 45 minutes until they have become tender. Add chard and cook for about 5 minutes until wilted. (If you use other greens such as kale or collards, you'll have to cook them longer.) Stir in bacon, sugar, and vinegar, taste for seasonings, and serve.

Polenta, Two Ways

It's hard for me to believe I didn't discover polenta until 10 years ago. I never saw it on a menu at an Italian restaurant and certainly never heard it mentioned. I adore polenta and am glad to have come across it, even later in my life. I think some cooks have avoided it because old recipes instructed cooks to stir for 45 minutes or so. That isn't necessary, although it should be cooked slowly at a very low temperature to let the flavors develop (except for the microwave method, also included below). Apparently it is a traditional peasant food; versatile, rather inexpensive, and fairly quick to prepare.

Corn ground for polenta. For more info see this: http://food52.com/blog/3698-cornmeal-vs-grits-vs-polenta-vs-masa

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Stove-top Polenta

Adapted from What We Eat When We Eat Alone by Deborah Madison and Patrick McFarlin
Serves 4-6, in spite of coming from a book about single dining

1 cup uncooked polenta, not instant
1 teas salt
4 c water
butter
grated cheese

Bring 4 cups water to a boil. Gradually stir in the polenta in a slow steady stream, then add the salt. Lower the heat to medium if you are cooking over gas or to low if you are cooking on an electric stove. Stir until the polenta has absorbed enough water to make an even mass, more or less. Lower the heat even more, to the lowest setting. At this point you can leave it alone, stirring just now and then to make certain it isn't sticking. It should be cooked for at least 30 minutes to have the best texture and flavor. The longer it cooks after that, the better. (I find it usually takes me 30-45 minutes to prepare a topping so if I start the polenta first, everything is ready at the same time.) Once done, add 1 T salt and 1/2 c grated parmesan cheese. Other cheeses, especially left over odds and ends may be used. According to Madison, fontina and mozzarella are good as are Gorgonzola or other blue cheeses. Taste to check the salt; stir in more, if needed.

At this point, spoon polenta on your plate and top with a meat sauce, braised greens, sauteed mushrooms or serve with chicken or pork. There are plenty of suggestions on the internet. Also see the note accompanying Italian Braised Green Beans. 

See notes below.

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Microwave Polenta  

Adapted from cooksillustrated.com
Yields 3 1/2 cups

1 c medium grind cornmeal or polenta 
3 1/2 c water 
1 teas table salt 
pepper to taste

In a 2-quart Pyrex measuring cup, covered with plastic wrap, microwave cornmeal, water, and salt at 100% power for 6 minutes. Uncover and stir thoroughly, then continue to microwave at 100% power until polenta is creamy and fully cooked, 5 to 6 minutes longer. Stir in pepper.

Stir in 1-2 T butter and 1/2-3/4 c parmesan cheese. Check for seasonings and serve. 

Notes:

If you leave out the cheese, polenta can be a tasty breakfast with fruit and a bit of cream. (I suppose it wouldn't be bad if the cheese is left in. You choose.)
 
When polenta cools, it becomes rather solid. You may use it as left overs in the solid form. Cut into pieces and heat in olive oil (this has a tendency to pop, a little like popcorn, but it is tasty). 

Corn Chowder

I've made this delicious chowder the past three summers when fresh corn is available. It is such a hearty soup it is good in the winter, too. It is one of the fussier of Cook's Illustrated recipes, but, as usual, I recommend taking the fussy steps; they are worth it.

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Corn Chowder

Source: cooksillustrated.com
Serves 6-8

8 ears corn, husks and silk removed 
3 T unsalted butter 
1 onion, chopped fine 
4 slices bacon, halved lengthwise then cut into 1/4 inch pieces
2 teas minced fresh thyme (or 1/2 teas dried thyme)
salt and pepper
1/4 c flour
5 c water 
3/4 pound red potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch pieces 
1 c half-and-half 
Sugar 
3 T chopped fresh basil, optional

Using chef’s knife, cut kernels from corn; transfer to bowl and set aside (you should have 5 to 6 cups kernels). Holding cobs over second bowl, use back of butter knife to firmly scrape any remaining pulp on cobs into bowl (you should have 2 to 2 1/2 cups pulp). Transfer pulp to center of clean kitchen towel set in medium bowl. Wrap towel tightly around pulp and squeeze tightly until dry. Discard pulp in towel and set corn juice aside (you should have about 2/3 cup juice).

Melt butter in Dutch oven over medium heat; add onion, bacon, thyme, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper; cook, stirring frequently, until onion is softened and edges are beginning to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Whisking constantly, gradually add water and bring to boil. Add corn kernels and potatoes. Return to simmer; reduce heat to medium-low and cook until potatoes have softened, 15 to 18 minutes.

Process 2 cups chowder in blender until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Return puree to chowder; add half-and-half and return to simmer. Remove pot from heat and stir in reserved corn juice. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and up to 1 tablespoon sugar. Serve, sprinkling with basil.

Note:

If you don't come up with 2/3 c corn milk, use what you have. I only had 1/2 c last time I made this. I wonder if I cut the corn too close to the cob.

In the winter, I use frozen corn. I either skip extracting the corn milk or I run 1 1/2 c corn in the food processor to break it down and squeeze the corn milk from the chopped corn.
 

Bread Salad with Cherries, Arugula, and Goat Cheese

This is one of those recipes that must be served only in its season and since the cherry season is so short, I relish the salad all the more. There is something about knowing I won't be able to eat it again until next summer that makes it taste even better. If you aren't a die-hard fan of arugula, supplement it with some lettuce, although the contrast of the sweet and bitter is remarkable.

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Bread Salad with Cherries, Arugula, and Goat Cheese

Adapted from A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg
serves 4 as a side or 2 as a light meal

The amounts of the ingredients are flexible. 

6 ounces rustic bread, preferably day-old
Olive oil
1/2 pound cherries, halved and pitted
1/8 teas pressed or crushed garlic
Balsamic vinegar
Salt
Arugula
Fresh goat cheese
Black pepper

Remove the crusts from the bread and tear the bread into bite-size pieces. You should have about 4 cups. Drizzle the bread with olive oil and toss. Toast the bread either in the oven at 400F for 8-10 minutes or in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Chop about 1/3 of the cherries and smash them a bit with a fork and set aside.

When the bread is toasted turn it into a large bowl and while hot add the garlic and toss well. Allow it to cool a few minutes then add the cherries, the chopped and the halved. Toss. Add 2 teas balsamic vinegar and toss again. Add 1 T olive oil and toss once more. Taste and add more vinegar or oil if needed and add salt and pepper to taste. Add about 2 handfuls of arugula and toss one last time. Place salad on plates and top generously with crumbed goat cheese.

Note from Colette:

You can prepare the toast a few hours ahead up to the point of adding the garlic. Add the vinegar and oil and cherries just before serving.

Crispy Tortilla Eggs with Avocado and Lime

This can be served for any meal of the day.

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Crispy Tortilla Eggs with Avocado and Lime

Adapted from a recipe published in The Washington Post which referred to the book How to Eat Supper,  by Lynne Rossetto Kasper and Sally Swift, which apparently includes this recipe.

Serves 4

4 6-inch stale corn tortillas, stacked and cut into 1/2-inch wide strips
1/4 onion, coarsely chopped
5-6 oz. Monterey jack cheese, or queso fresco, crumbled or grated
1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced
1 large lime, cut in half
6 large eggs
3 T vegetable oil, plus more as needed
salt and freshly ground pepper
1/3 c salsa of your choice
1/4 c crema or sour cream, as a garnish

Crack the eggs into a bowl and lightly beat them.

Have ready a plate lined with paper towels next to the stove. Heat the oil in a large12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers. Working in 2 batches, add half of the tortilla strips and cook for about 1 minute without moving them around until they begin to crisp. Use tongs to turn them over and cook for another minute. Don't let them cook too long since you'll be cooking them more later. Transfer them to paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining half of tortilla strips, adding oil if needed.

When the second batch of tortilla strips is done, return the first batch to the pan. Turn the heat to medium and add the chopped onion and cook for about 2 minutes until the onion has softened and the strips look nicely browned. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and spoon off any extra fat, reserving about one tablespoon in the pan.

Return the pan to the stove top. Move most of the strips to the edges of the pan, leaving about 3 inches clear in the center. Add most of the eggs to the center but drizzle some over the strips. Let cook for 1-2 minutes, allowing the eggs to set, and then gently pull them apart, letting any uncooked egg reach the surface of the pan.

Once the eggs are firmly set, turn them gently in large pieces to finish cooking.

Serve immediately with the salsa, cheese, slices of avocado, a squeeze of lime and a drizzle of crema or sour cream.

Note from Colette: You can add to this basic recipe to spice it up. I like to add chopped green chile to the eggs and top with chopped cilantro and, although I haven't tried it, I think it would be good with some left-over chorizo sausage mixed in.

Spring Vegetable Risotto

I didn't discover this Italian comfort food until about 10 years ago and I'm sorry I didn't become acquainted sooner.  There are numerous variations and I haven't run into a variety I haven't liked. This version is particularly nice at this time of year.

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Spring Vegetable Risotto

Source:  Cook's Illustrated Magazine
Serves 4-5

To make this dish vegetarian, replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth.  Onions can be substituted for the leeks but use 1 roughly chopped medium onion (1 cup) as a substitute for the leek greens in the broth and 2 minced medium onions (2 cups) in the risotto. At the end of cooking, you may have up to a cup of broth left over.

For the Gremolata:

2 T minced fresh parsley leaves, stems reserved
2 T minced fresh mint leaves, stems reserved
1/2 teas finely grated zest from 1 lemon

Combine ingredients in small bowl and set aside.

For the Risotto:

1 pound asparagus, tough ends snapped off and reserved, spears cut on bias into 1/2-inch thick pieces
2 medium leeks, white and light green parts halved lengthwise, washed, and sliced thin (about 4 cups), and
2 cups roughly chopped leek greens, reserved
4 c low-sodium chicken broth
3 c water
5 T unsalted butter
Salt and ground black pepper
1/2 c frozen peas
2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teas)
1 1/2 c Arborio rice
1 c dry white wine
1 1/2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 3/4 cup), plus extra for serving
2 teas juice from 1 lemon

Chop tough asparagus ends and leek greens into rough 1/2-inch pieces. Bring chopped vegetables, reserved parsley and mint stems, broth, and water to boil in large saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer 20 minutes. Strain broth through fine-mesh strainer into medium bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Return strained broth to saucepan; cover and set over low heat to keep broth warm.

Heat 1 T butter in large Dutch oven over medium heat. When foaming subsides, add asparagus spears,  a pinch of salt, and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until asparagus is crisp-tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Add peas and continue to cook 1 minute. Transfer vegetables to plate and set aside.

Melt 3 T butter in now-empty Dutch oven over medium heat. When foaming subsides, add leeks, garlic, 1/2 teas salt, and 1/2 teas pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks are softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring frequently, until grains are translucent around edges, about 3 minutes. Add wine and cook, stirring frequently, until fully absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes.

When wine is fully absorbed, add 3 cups hot broth to rice. Simmer, stirring every 3 to 4 minutes, until liquid is absorbed and bottom of pan is almost dry, about 12 minutes.

Stir in about 1/2 cup hot broth and cook, stirring constantly, until absorbed, about 3 minutes; repeat with additional broth 3 or 4 times until rice is al dente. Off heat, stir in remaining tablespoon butter, Parmesan, and lemon juice; gently fold in asparagus and peas. If desired, add up to 1/4 cup additional hot broth to loosen texture of risotto. Serve immediately, sprinkling each serving with gremolata and passing Parmesan separately.

Notes from Colette:

I recommend that you use Parmigiano Reggiano if you can swing it. Using the stuff in the can would seriously compromise the flavor.

Asparagus and Avgolemono (Greek Lemon and Egg) Soup

I've made a version of this soup with just the eggs, lemon, and rice and I've made it with shredded chicken for a heartier meal, but until this week I hadn't seen it with vegetables. Since I have asparagus growing in my garden, I felt compelled to try out this version. I'm glad I did. This soup is great accompanied by a crusty baguette or a flat bread.

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Asparagus and Avgolemono (Greek Lemon and Egg) Soup

Source: Adam Reid at Culinate.com
Serves: 6-8

1 1/2  lb. asparagus
Salt and pepper
2  qt. homemade chicken stock or packaged low-sodium chicken broth
Zest (removed with a vegetable peeler in large strips) and 1/4 cup juice from 1 1/2 medium lemons
1 large bay leaf
Pinch of ground cardamom, or 2 whole cloves
1/2 c long-grain white rice
2 large eggs, preferably at room temperature
3 large egg yolks, preferably at room temperature

Infuse the stock: Bring the stock, lemon zest, bay leaf, and cardamom or cloves to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Cover the pan and set it aside off the heat to infuse for 20-30 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove and discard the zest, bay leaf, and cloves if you used them.

Prep the asparagus: Bring 1 quart of water to a rolling boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Fill a medium bowl with ice water and set aside. Cut the tips off the asparagus spears and reserve the spears for another use. Add the asparagus tips and 2 teas salt to the water, and cook until the asparagus tips are bright green and tender, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Drain the asparagus and immediately transfer to the ice water to stop the cooking. Drain again, dry with a kitchen towel, and set aside.

Cook the rice: Return the pan to medium-high heat and bring to a strong simmer. Add the rice, adjust the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the rice is cooked through and tender, about 18 minutes.

Finish the soup: Whisk the eggs, yolks, and lemon juice in a medium heatproof bowl to blend. Whisking constantly, slowly ladle about 2 cups of the hot broth into the egg mixture. Continue whisking until the egg-and-broth mixture is uniform, then pour it into the pot with the rest of the broth. Cook, stirring constantly, until the soup thickens slightly and wisps of steam appear, about 5 minutes (do not allow the soup to simmer or boil). Add the asparagus tips, 2 teaspoons salt, and pepper to taste and cook, stirring, to heat the asparagus through, about 1 minute longer.

Serve the soup: Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper, if necessary, and serve immediately, garnished with lemon slices.

Because of the egg, avgolemono thickens a lot as it cools, and can be tricky to reheat. If you have leftovers that you want to warm up, use super-low heat so you don’t curdle the egg, and gently whisk in a little extra stock to loosen the consistency if you need to.

Notes from Colette:

I found that using just the tips of the asparagus wasn't enough, so I cut some of the spears, although not the entire pound and a half--probably about 6 spears. This soup is a exceptionally pretty shade of yellow if you use farm eggs.

Adam Reid writes that in season he uses corn, zucchini, leeks or spinach in place of the asparagus. I imagine they'd all be good, but I think asparagus and lemon are particularly good together.

Quick Tomato Stew

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Quick Tomato Stew

Adapted from a recipe by cookbook author Marion Cunningham
Serves 4-6

4-5 strips smoky-style bacon (or as much as you want to use)
1/3-1/2 c chopped ham (optional and amount can vary)
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 28-oz can stewed tomatoes, including juices in can (or two 14-oz cans)
2 /3 c tomato juice (you can substitute with 2 T tomato paste and ½ c water)
1 ½ teas sugar
¾ teas salt
pepper to taste
3 slices white bread, torn or cut into bite-size pieces (if you are cooking this quickly, crumble the bread)

Cut the bacon into small pieces and cook in a large saucepan over medium heat until slightly browned. Add onion and turn heat to medium-low and cook until soft. Reduce heat if needed to stop over-browning. (If mixture is starting to burn, add a tablespoon of water.)

Add the tomatoes and juice (or substitution), sugar, salt and pepper. Stir. If the chunks of tomato are large, you can mash them with a fork as they cook. (I found that Hunt’s brand had lots of tomato cores in it so I will avoid it.) Raise heat and bring to a low boil. Then lower the heat to medium low and simmer for several minutes.

Add the pieces of bread and cook, mashing the bread into the juices. The bread will absorb some of the juice and thicken it. The longer this simmers, the more the bread melts into the “broth”. You can either let it cook 15-20 minutes (or longer—you might have to add some more water if it gets too thick) or you can cook it 5-10 minutes if you need it quickly.

This tastes great with grilled cheese sandwiches.

Note: I've found that I can use other crushed or diced tomatoes and I've blended tomatoes to make the juice. I think the key is to have at least 4 c tomatoes and juice. I've also used some roasted tomatoes that I have frozen. You don't have to skip this recipe because you don't have the specific ingredients.