Rating: 💋 💋 💋 😘
Oh dear, here comes the worst month of the year 😔I thank the Romans, or whoever made it so, for the fact that there are only twenty-eight days in February. I am convinced they shortchanged the second month of the year out of mercy for all of us - if a month is going to be bitter cold and gray and dull, at least let's make it brief. It still feels pretty long, and lobbing two days off only does so much, but I am hopeful that these soup recipes I have collected warm you up and bring a little bit (or a lot) of joy to your February.
Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons
Recipe here
I love it so much. The key is the saffron - aromatic threads give this tomato soup a deeper, sunnier flavor, lifting the whole dish up out of the silky tomato and heavy cream base. The addition of orzo adds a pleasant texture to the soup, and the pasta brings out the cheesiness in the dish. The flavorful grilled cheese croutons are a buttery, savory delight, tampering the sweetness of the tomatoes. The sunshine flavors make this a must-have dish on a cold winter's night.
White Bean and Chorizo Stew
Please find the recipe for this delicious stew, from the pages of the February 2013 issue of Bon Appétit, attached here.
This is quite possibly my favorite soup recipe ever. Chorizo is my favorite kind of sausage, and in the bacon versus sausage debate, bacon does not win, as far as I am concerned. The sweet cannellini beans and onion calms down the dish from the fiery chorizo and paprika, and the spinach keeps it fresh. If I could go to a ski lodge right now, this would be the dinner I would like after a long day on the slopes. Filling, hot, and delicious. As it happens, I cannot go skiing because travel is a COVID-risk, so I think I'll simulate the situation with a book of Ernest Hemingway's short stories and a bowl of this soup by my side. Fireplace crackling recommended.
Chickpea Soup with Parmesan and Spinach
My mom clipped this recipe out of a recent issue of People magazine. It comes from Donna Lennard, New York City restaurant owner and author of the Il Buco cookbook.
Serves: 4 Active Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in cold water and drained
- 2 tsps minced garlic
- 1bay leaf
- 1 medium-sized white onion, peeled and halved, divided
- 1 medium-sized carrot, peeled and halved cross-wised, divided
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 2 tbsp EVOO
- 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1/2 tsp chopped sage leaves
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parlsey
- 1/4 cup shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (recommend adding more to give the flavor more oomph)
* 8 oz ditalini pasta, recommended to round out the dish
* 4 oz cubed pancetta, recommended for non-vegetarians to add more flavor to the soup
Preparation:
- Place chickpeas, garlic, bayleaf, half of the onion, and half of the carrot in a large saucepan. Add salt and enough water to cover both chickpeas and vegetables. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and allow vegetables to simmer for about an hour. While simmering, add more water as needed so they chickpeas stay submerged. Once chickpeas are tender, drain, tossing the vegetables and setting aside the chickpeas and 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
- Meanwhile, as the chickpeas are cooking, finely chop the rest of the onion and carrot. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until the oil is simmering. Add onion, carrot, and celery, stirring often, cooking for about 4 to 5 minutes until they are soft.
- Add the chickpeas and cooking liquid saved from earlier, broth, thyme, sage, and 1 tbsp of olive oil; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally to allow the flavors to deepen and mingle, about 15 minutes. If you are adding the pasta, now is a good time to pop it into the mix, cooking according to the al dente instructions on the box (should be no more than 10 minutes).
* If you are adding the cubed pancetta, take out a pan and fry the cubes for about five minutes until they are crisping at the edges and cooked through. Add them to the broth.
- Remove the soup from heat and add the spinach, stirring for about 30 seconds until it wilts. Stir in lemon juice and pepper; be generous for flavor. Sprinkle with parsley and cheese, then serve, with additional cheese garnish, if you like.
If you are looking for a tasty, veggie-packed option, this soup is your girl. Now, this dish is not our favorite on this list. My parents agreed it was "a bit light on flavor." If you are not a vegetarian, we figured you could ameliorate that problem by adding some salty diced pancetta into the brew. Some other options are adding more cheese or lemon juice to give the soup a bit more of a kick. Still, I like having a meatless night, getting my protein from the yummy chickpeas, which I am a huge fan of, and the spinach and carrots were lovely with the parmesan. I also really appreciated that my mom added ditalini to the recipe, making this a heartier dish. Though not our top soup recipe, it is definitely a good option that can be played with, and works great as a lunch as well.
Since we are talking about good meals for cold nights, let me direct your attention to dessert. The best part about this (à mon avis, worst) season, is hot chocolate. Mix up some chocolate syrup with your preferred milk, heat in the microwave or on a saucepan, dollop with whipped cream or ice cream, and maybe get creative with the decorations. I encourage a little chocolate syrup drizzle, chocolate chip adornment, or cookie crumble. Go big or go home, right? Also, feel free to add a dash of Bailey's Irish Cream if you're feeling it. Make hot chocolate the best cocktail you ever tasted, and enjoy the beauty.
Regarding last week's question, after eight months of trying, I decided to take a break on my headstand practice. I do not consider it quitting, I consider it building strength in alternate ways so that I can someday do a headstand safely. I recently read an interview with Carey Mulligan, and found out learning a headstand was also her quarantine activity. She has nailed it already. I wish my arms were at her level, but it is okay. If anything, it makes life interesting by taking an activity out of my schedule. My days look just a bit different now, and I am all for that. Anything but the same old routine, please!
Wishing you warmth!
XX,
MK
Comments