Farmers Market Gazpacho

Save running through a sprinkler, there is hardly anything more refreshing on a hot summer day than a cold cup of gazpacho. Even if the chilled tomato soup is not your jam, I urge you to try this recipe with the bounty of late summer produce available at the farmers markets right now—heirloom, cherry and grape tomatoes in all sorts of scarlet hues mean tons of contrastive yet complimentary nuanced flavors, and the supporting cast of cucumber, onion, and cubanelle peppers are locally abundant too. Basically, this Farmers Market Gazpacho recipe is a love letter to local produce—it’s excellent because it’s in season, making a simple puree of these vegetables in their raw element the best way to showcase their garden-fresh essence.

As I learned from my favorite lifestyle blog Cup of Jo, this NYT recipe is making the rounds. And while it will take you a whopping 7 minutes to whip up a batch (note I’ve omitted the straining step so prep is limited to chopping and blending), I encourage you to get fancy with the presentation as a fun way to glorify such a dazzling drinkable treat. I love the idea of serving the silky-smooth soup in frosted glasses or tumblers; you could even set out double shot glasses alongside a pitcher. With the sacredness of a fine dessert wine or aged spirit, I’ve been enjoying a small glass as soon as I get home from work each night; savoring every sip in obeisance to these precious final days of summer. 

Farmers Market Gazpacho (from New York Times)
Makes 8 to 12 servings (about 1 quart)

Ingredients:
About 2 pounds ripe red tomatoes, cored and roughly cut into chunks
1-2 Italian frying (cubanelle) pepper or another long, light green pepper, such as Anaheim, cored, seeded and roughly cut into chunks
1 cucumber, about 8 inches long, peeled and roughly cut into chunks (or 2 Kirbys)
1 small mild onion (white or red), peeled and roughly cut into chunks
1 clove garlic
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar, more to taste
Salt
¼ to ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, more to taste, plus more for drizzling
1 piece of deeply toasted country bread, such as sourdough (optional, I added for extra thickness/creaminess)

Directions:
1. Combine tomatoes, pepper, cucumber, onion and garlic in a blender or, if using a hand blender, in a deep bowl. Add bread, if using. (If necessary, work in batches.) Blend at high speed until very smooth, at least 2 minutes, pausing occasionally to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula.
2. With the motor running, add the vinegar and 2 teaspoons salt. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil. The mixture will turn bright orange or dark pink and become smooth and emulsified, like a salad dressing. If it still seems watery, drizzle in more olive oil until texture is creamy.
3. Transfer to a large pitcher (preferably glass) and chill until very cold. Before serving, adjust the seasonings with salt and vinegar. Serve in glasses, over ice if desired, or in a bowl; drizzled with a few drops of olive oil.

Chicken Soup with Toasted Garlic, Mushrooms, and Celery (from Golden Chicken Broth)

Alison Roman’s Dining In: Highly Cookable Recipes is the perfect antidote to your extended winter blues (despite the supposed arrival of Spring). Reading her cookbook is just as enjoyable as cozying up by a fire with an enthralling fiction novel, or engaging in an intimate conversation with a dear, dear friend. Roman’s direct and animatedly humorous prose is so refreshingly familiar that it’s hard to turn the pages without feeling like she is there in person, championing the luxuries of a well-cooked homemade meal with a shrug, giggle, and excellently made stiff drink in hand (or so I imagine). 

The prevailing theme of Dining In is that cooking should be fun, not taxing, and not take up too much time or have too many ingredients. In Roman’s kitchen, imperfections are welcome and eccentricities essential. Just look at some of her recipe titles—"Decidedly Not-Sweet Granola"; "Baked Pasta with Artichokes, Greens, and Too Much Cheese"—for reassurance that your comfort in the kitchen is Roman’s chief consideration.

“There is no reason that the food cooked in your own home should be any less fabulous or bring you any less joy [than dining out]”, Roman writes. “Here you’ll find a collection of recipes that are neither obnoxiously aspirational nor so obvious that you’d wonder why you bought this book, but fall somewhere delightfully in the middle.”

Her declaration couldn’t ring truer for the first recipe I made, Golden Chicken Broth with Turmeric and Garlic for Chicken Soup with Toasted Garlic, Mushrooms, and Celery. A unique twist of ingredients (celery galore, star anise, turmeric, coconut oil) piqued my interest, and an emphatic list of easy substitutions (homemade broth was not mandatory; any hot sauce could substitute for her homemade chili oil) convinced me that the soup wouldn’t be too tall of an order for the two hour slot I had available for it on a Saturday morning. (If you are using store-bought broth, that is. If making broth from scratch, I recommend getting this out of the way the night before—it breaks up the time commitment and refrigerating overnight allows you to skim off extra fat the next day).

The soup was incredible, a true winter woe healing experience. Drinking the broth seemed to melt off any traces of lingering seasonal affective disorder and was as warming and rejuvenating as a bright sunny day (“bottled sunshine”, Roman calls it). Ginger, turmeric and star anise added impossible richness to the liquid, and the earthy, meaty mushrooms contrasted beautifully to the sprightly, crunchy celery slices. A stir of fish sauce and lime added plenty of salt and acidity to the golden tonic, along with a nod to Thai cuisine, emboldened by the cilantro leaves and chili oil that finished off the dish. The crispy garlic slices are the cherry on top, sautéed luxuriously in coconut oil and bringing a final pop of delectable flavor to the finger-licking (bowl-slurping?) dish.

Golden Chicken Broth with Turmeric and Garlic (from Dining In)
Makes 10 cups

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp canola, vegetable, or coconut oil
1 large yellow onion, unpeeled, halved
2 heads of garlic, halved crosswise
2 (2-inch) pieces fresh turmeric, peeled and halved lengthwise, or 1 teaspoons ground
1 (4-inch) piece ginger, peeled and halved lengthwise
4 celery stalks, chopped
1 large fennel bulb, chopped (I skipped this and doubled celery)
2 fresh or fried bay leaves (optional)
2 whole star anise or 3 whole cloves
1 (3.5- to 4-lb) chicken or 3.5- to 4-pounds chicken carcasses, backbones, and/or wings (I use Trader Joe's Organic Free Range Chicken Family Pack, which comes with 2 split breasts and 4 drumsticks)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, fresh turmeric (if using ground, you’ll do it later), and ginger, all cut-side down. Cook, without stirring, until everything starts to lightly char and smells good, about 4 minutes. Add the celery, fennel, bay leaves (if using), and star anise, and stir to coat (add the ground turmeric now also). Cook, stirring everything around, until the vegetables start to soften and take on a touch of color, about 4 minutes. Add the chicken and 12 cups water. Bring to a simmer and reduce the heat to medium-low.

2. Simmer the stock, uncovered, until the chicken is just cooked through but still has some life left in it (you don’t want to dry it out), about 30 minutes. Remove the chicken and let it cool enough to handle (if using chicken parts, skip this step and keep simmering), keeping the stock at a simmer while the chicken cools.

3. Pick the meat from the cooled bird, separating it from the fat, bones, and cartilage, and set the meat aside. Place all the fat, bone, and cartilage into the pot and keep simmering for another 2 to 2.5 hours, seasoning as you go with salt and pepper.

4. Once the stock has been reduced by about a third and is as delicious as can be, strain everything. From here, you can drink it, freeze it for later, or start building a soup.

Chicken Soup with Toasted Garlic, Mushrooms, and Celery (from Dining In)
Serves 4

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp unrefined coconut or vegetable oil
8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large shallots, thinly sliced crosswise into rings
1 lb mushrooms, such as maitake, oyster, shiitake, or crimini, quartered
8 cups Golden Chicken Broth (from recipe above) or store-bought low-sodium chicken broth
4 celery stalks, thinly sliced on the diagonal, plus 1/2 cup celery leaves
2 to 3 cups cooked chicken meat
1 tsp Asian fish sauce (preferably Red Boat), plus more as needed (optional)
1 lime, quartered
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, tender stems and leaves
Crunchy chili oil or hot sauce/sesame seeds/chili flakes, for serving

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is lightly fried and turning golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the garlic and drain on a plate lined with a paper towel. Season with salt and set aside.

2. Add the shallots to the same pot and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are lightly fried and turning golden brown but are not yet crisp, 3 to 4 minutes.

3. Add the mushrooms, seasoning them with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they’re beginning to brown and are totally softened, about 4 minutes. Add the broth and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes, until the flavors get to know each other and the broth tastes a little shalloty and a little mushroomy, seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.

4. Once the broth is as good as can be, add the sliced celery and chicken. Cook until the celery is just tender and the chicken is warmed through, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with fish sauce, if using, and lots of fresh lime juice. Stir in the celery leaves, cilantro, a generous spoonful of chili oil (or drizzle of hot sauce or chili flakes) before topping with toasted garlic and serving. (The soup can be enjoyed on its own, or served over rice, rice noodles, or quinoa).

Pumpkin Miso Broth with Soba

If a pumpkin spiced latte is the most expected use of this winter cucurbita's namesake, I'm coming at you from the opposite end of the spectrum with this Pumpkin Miso Broth with Soba recipe. Sure, you've probably dabbled in pumpkin as a savory medium—maybe delving into my Moroccan Pumpkin Stew, or swapping in a can of puree for a recipe that calls for butternut squash. But today, we're traveling to uncharted territory with what is, essentially, deconstructed pumpkin sushi. Here is why pumpkin plus Japanese flavors, while seemingly incompatible, patently works. 

1. Miso soup is wintery, delicious, cozy, and a runny-nose keep away...as are all squash soups.
If it's warm, brothy, and aromatic, it's perfect for cold weather. So off the bat, here is the lowest common denominator. But let's build on that a bit. Miso soup is inherently intense in it's flavor profile, plus extremely salty—I've never had a bowlful without feeling immediately bloated. Here, it is tempered by the gentle earthy squash, sweet and meaty, the perfect watery-broth enhancer. Minced ginger adds a spicy, bitter undertone that immediately feels proactively cold-fighting. So we retain all of the positives of regular miso soup, but add some hearty substance to create a full-bodied base.

2. The toppings are udon soup level. 
In Japanese udon soup, the broth sits under a vibrant, intricate pizza pie of toppings (udon, mushrooms, snow peas, egg, etc.) that render this dish so pleasing. Same goes here, with a healthy makeover. Instead of udon, whole-grain buckwheat noodles add the slippery spaghetti-like slurp you crave in a big bowl of Japanese soup, along with shiitake mushrooms, sliced scallions, sesame seeds, and nori. They all sit so elegantly on the surface, waiting for that first plunge of your spoon to ensconce them into the rich, inviting pumpkin-miso broth.

3. The gloriousness that is nori (seaweed, not Kimye's daughter).
How is that I've never paid much attention to the edible red algae that holds sushi together? The dried seaweed is incredible—I'd even argue it's my favorite part of this recipe. In the same way that shaved truffles add exponential depth to any pasta dish, so does mineral-rich nori to the fish or vegetables it touches. Nori comes in sheets, and a quick touch of heat via fry pan causes it to crumble easily; now, it's a garnish. The salty, sea-tasting nori blends beautifully with the sweet earthy sugar pumpkin, really driving home the dish.

Are you intrigued? I'd say this lovely, exotic vegan soup will be the perfect antidote after a week of Thanksgiving fodder and fullness. I can't wait to hear what you think.

Pumpkin Miso Broth with Soba (by My New Roots)
Serves 4 as a main, 6 as a side

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp coconut oil
2 medium yellow onions
¾ tsp sea salt
3 cloves garlic
1 medium (~2 lb) sugar pumpkin
3 to 4 cups water
3 to  4 Tbsp white or light miso
1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
6 oz soba noodles (can substitute whole-wheat spaghetti)
Juice of 1 lemon

Toppings:
Scallions
Sesame seeds
Sautéed shiitake mushrooms (I added soy sauce and rice wine vinegar)
Nori/seaweed (available at Whole Foods)

Cubed cooked tofu (optional, if adding protein)

Toasted pumpkin seeds (optional)

Directions:
1. Roughly chop onions, mince garlic. Wash the pumpkin well (as you’ll be eating the skin), and chop into chunks. Preserve the seeds if you plan on roasting them: 30 minutes at 350 degrees, tossing every 10 minutes, should toast them evenly.
2. In a large stockpot, melt the coconut oil. Add the onions and salt, stir to coat and cook for about 10 minutes until the onions are just starting to caramelize. Add garlic and cook for about a minute until fragrant.
3. Add the pumpkin and stir to coat. Add 3 cups of water, cover, bring to a boil, and reduce to simmer for about 15 minutes, until the pumpkin is tender.
4. While the soup is cooking, prepare the toppings: Bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Cook soba noodles according to package directions, drain and lightly rinse. Slice scallions, lightly toast sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, about 2-3 minutes. Sauté mushrooms in a lightly oiled skillet (plus a dash of soy sauce and rice wine vinegar) over high heat for 5-7 minutes.
5. Transfer the soup to a blender and blend on high until completely smooth. (An immersion blender works too). Add more water if necessary – you’re looking for a creamy consistency, but it should not be thick like a paste. Add the miso, ginger and blend again until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Transfer soup back to the pot and keep warm (reheat if necessary, but try not to boil). Add lemon juice to soup.
6. Ladle soup into bowls, top with soba, scallions, sesame seeds, mushrooms, and remaining optional toppings if using; crumble the seaweed over top. 

Bone Broth, à la carte or for Egg Drop Soup and Lentil Soup

“Blue Monday,” the alleged gloomiest day of the year, occurs on the third week of January’s workday start. It is marked by two things: withdrawal of holiday season high spirits, and the onset of widespread seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. Throw in this week’s nor’easter and the nightmare state of our country, week one, and I’m going to go ahead and say that this dark, dark, cerulean period is going to extend a bit longer than 24 hours. 

Winter-onset SAD is a real thing, marked by symptoms like irritability, tiredness, low energy, and heavy, leaden limbs. With our physical and mental energies down, it’s important to nurture our bodies more than ever. I can’t think of anything more heart and soul warming than a steaming cup of Chicken Bone Broth, consumed on its own or as the main ingredient in Egg Drop Soup or Lentil Soup.

All three of these recipes come from the Annual Goop Detox, which, I have to admit, I was a bit hesitant to start at first. Words like “detox”, “cleanse”, and “elimination-diet” are really not my style—I’m more of a whole-ingredient, nutrient-rich eating gal who prefers general eating for health over restriction and discipline.

However, all of the recipes in the detox looked amazing, and I loved how GP reused ingredients and components for the different dishes. I didn’t commit to elimination-diet rules (no caffeine, no way!) but am currently making my way through each of the 14 dishes with utter delight. Roughly three-quarters through, I’ve immensely enjoyed the way that GP constructed “cozy-hot breakfasts, warm and filling dinners, and quick and simple lunches” to make clean eating feel natural in our current cold-weather climate. By the end, she promises a “lighter, happier, refreshed you.” A tall order for Blue Monday: Extreme Edition, but I truly felt all those qualities after two weeks of eating the meals.

Many of the recipes in the Annual Detox have an Asian flare, and the Chicken Bone Broth is no exception. Simmered with ginger, star anise pods, cilantro, and apple cider vinegar, this broth exudes a lovely, spicy bite from these more exotic ingredients (in addition to common ones like celery, onion, carrots, and garlic). It is truly glorious on its own, and despite the recipe’s recommendation to cook for a total of 10 hours, ample flavor can be achieved in just 2-3.

The Egg Drop Soup is simply a fortified version of the broth, adding turmeric, chili flakes, more ginger, lemon juice, and a single egg for a protein-rich, inflammation-fighting, citrusy enhancement. It’s lovely, and ribboning the eggs was so fun! (Though my soup looks more like a weird floating omelet because I used two eggs and apparent have terrible ribboning form). GP even recommends this soup for breakfast, and its light enough to fit the bill.

The Lentil Soup is a fairly basic recipe, but exalted to Best-I’ve-ever-had status through use of the bone broth. Two kinds of lentils, puy and red, give legume depth and variety, which are cooked simply with garlic, carrot, and celery before blended with a quick grate of fresh ginger and the broth. The bite from the ginger is a really nice complement to the earthy lentils, and I added some frozen chopped spinach and red wine vinegar for extra gusto, too.

Find the full Annual Goop Detox here. (Laarb Lettuce Cups and Miso Sweet Potato Collard Wrap are two of my non-soup favorites).

At first, I was struck by how ironic it was that I was getting such pleasure from these pure, simple foods. I literally felt like I was indulging, as if I were drinking a glass of red wine and eating a rich chocolate cake. But the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. My body, mind, and spirit are trying to heal. And while I can’t control what goes on outside of me—whether that be the weather or the president—I can take charge of what I put inside of me. And here is the only place to start.

Chicken Bone Broth (from Goop Annual Detox)
Makes 12 cups

Ingredients:
1 half organic chicken (or just the equivalent roasted chicken bones. I made a version this way and it was great, too)
1 celery stalk, cut into thirds
1 yellow onion, cut in quarters
2 medium carrots, cut in half
4 garlic cloves
2 star anise pods
1 3-inch piece ginger, sliced
½ bunch cilantro
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
10 cups water (or enough to cover all the ingredients)
1 ½ tsp kosher salt
20 black peppercorns

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients in a crockpot and cook on low heat for 6* hours. Remove meat from chicken, shred, and store until ready to use.
2. Return the chicken bones to the crockpot and continue cooking for 4 more hours.
3. Strain, cool, season to taste with salt, and store in the fridge.

*2 to 3 hours of cooking, total, is perfectly adequate.

Egg Drop Soup (from Goop Annual Detox)
Serves 2

Ingredients:
3 cups chicken bone broth
½ tsp ground turmeric
2 pinches chili flakes
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
2 large eggs
salt and pepper to taste
a squeeze of fresh lemon
cilantro to garnish (optional)

Directions:
1. Combine the bone broth, ground turmeric, chili flakes, and grated ginger in a small saucepan over medium heat.
2. While the mixture heats up, crack the eggs in a small bowl, season with a pinch of salt, and beat with a fork.
3. When the broth is simmering, pour the egg through the holes of a slotted metal spoon directly over the broth, making egg ribbons.
4. Season to taste with salt and pepper and squeeze over some fresh lemon juice just before serving. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired.

Lentil Soup (from Goop Annual Detox)
Serves 2

Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1-2 medium carrots, diced
1-2 celery stalks, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
⅔ cup puy lentils
⅓ cup red lentils
2 cups chicken bone broth or chicken stock
½ tsp salt
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
2 cups bone broth
½ cup chopped frozen spinach (optional)
Red wine vinegar, drizzled before serving

Directions:
1. Heat olive oil in a medium dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery and cook for 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook another 2 minutes.
2. Add lentils, broth, and ½ tsp salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook 20-25 minutes (or until the lentils are cooked but still have some bite), stirring occasionally.
3. Remove pot from heat and let cool for at least 5 minutes. Add the fresh grated ginger and 2 cups bone broth to the pot. Blend together with an immersion blender. Add spinach, if using. Serve with a drizzling of red wine vinegar.

Hearty Beef and Rutabaga Stew

The selection of produce at the farmers market drastically scales back as we plunge into the onset of winter, like a “last vegetable standing” survivalist showdown. What remains are the the gnarly subterranean dwellers; parsnips, turnips, beets, daikon, potatoes, onions to name a few. With their knobby torsos and listless dirt-covered exteriors, these vegetables look like the aftermath of a catastrophe—a paltry display huddled under a few lonely tents, their dismalness echoed by the fleeting bundled passerbys hurrying through the cold and wind towards their final destinations. Note how we don’t pick up a parsnip, caressing it lovingly with our hands like we might an heirloom tomato or summer peach. No, we spend a split second weighing the necessity of the parsnip versus the consequence of taking off our gloves, and if the former triumphs, plunder it into our bags before sprinting back off into the frigidness.

But how appearances do deceive, because these below ground tuberous, taproots and bulbs are truly the pearls of produce come wintertime. A quick scrub to remove that matted dirt, maybe a peel? and 40 minutes later—diced, roasted, with nothing more than a dash of olive oil, salt and pepper—these vegetables become regal.  Warm jewel tones of gold, bronze, and deep eggplant simply glow, vibrant with their brown caramelized corners. And the taste! I marvel at the complexity of these vegetables, sweet as sugar with an earthiness—a heartiness—that keeps them in check. They have substance, thanks to the cooked-through starch embodying an almost burly, toothsome quality. I could eat this preparation for days on end, constantly enthralled by the luxuriousness of such trivial ingredients, before ever finding it tiresome.

 

And to think that what I described is the root vegetable’s most basic preparation, the lowest recipe on the totem pole. Imagine the possibilities with a little spice, a little herb. Imagine the opposite of the first scene I described, and instead, the kitchen that all those bundled people were running to, the warm glow of the heat, the light, the coziness of being inside on a freezing day. Imagine on their dinner table, a heaping bowl of Hearty Beef and Rutabaga Stew.

 

One of the most gnarled of all the root vegetables, the rutabaga is round and squat with an ombre exterior that fades from purple to cream. Its preparation is identical to that of a turnip, but upon cooking, it tastes much sweeter, like an extremely rich yellow potato. That being said, if you cannot find rutabaga, turnips are a perfectly acceptable alternative for this recipe. I actually used both.  This recipe confines its taproots to carrots and rutabaga, but feel free to add other types such as kohlrabi, celeriac root, and parsnips, too.

In my book, the hallmark of a successful stew recipe is one that fulfills its duty of being hearty, robust, and satisfying without also being excessively fatty or rich. To garner flavor, this stew relies on a plethora of Middle Eastern spices and other basic pantry items, like tomato paste and red wine, for acidity. I substituted vegetable broth for the beef broth, which also contributed to the lighter feel.

Initially, I felt like the stew was missing some acidity, and tried to compensate with extra tomato paste and wine. By the next day though, I realized the flavors just need some time to sit, and a simple swirl of red wine vinegar before serving would do the trick. (If you like tomato-based stews though, I do suggest doubling the paste).  Taste-testing is key to this recipe, depending on your preferences regarding salt, acidity, and herbs (I added dried thyme, too, which I highly recommend). If you can, make this stew a day ahead for optimal flavor fusing. 

I served this stew over a bed of barley, and it hit the spot completely, getting better every single day as the flavors continued to meld. Now, instead of mourning the end of the harvest season, rendering obsolete some of Fall’s greatest hits, I relish the thought of exploring the culinary offerings of these versatile roots in the upcoming months.

Hearty Beef and Rutabaga Stew (slightly tweaked from Dishing up the Dirt)

 Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 lb sirloin or strip steak, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes (preferably grass-fed)

½ tsp salt, divided

½ tsp ground pepper

2 Tbsp olive oil, divided

1 lb rutabaga, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes

3-4 medium sized carrots, cut into ½-inch cubes

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 -4 Tbsp tomato paste (use the higher quantity if you prefer an overt tomato flavor)

1 tsp paprika

¾ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground turmeric

½ tsp ground coriander

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

¾ tsp fresh thyme (optional)

2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

½ cup red wine

3 cups low-sodium beef or vegetable broth

minced parsley for serving

dash of red wine vinegar for serving

Pearled barley, farro, or crusty thick bread to accompany

Directions:

1. Sprinkle steak with ¼ tsp salt and pepper. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large dutch oven or saucepan over medium heat. Add the steak and cook, stirring frequently, until no longer pink on the outside, about 4 minutes. Transfer the steak to a plate.

2. Add the remaining 1 Tbsp oil to the pan over medium heat. Add rutabaga,

carrots, onion, garlic, tomato paste, paprika, cinnamon, turmeric, coriander, cayenne, thyme,

and remaining ¼ tsp salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until the onion begins to soften and the mixture is fragrant, about 5 minutes.

3. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more. Add the red wine and continue to cook, stirring to break up any bits that have stuck to the bottom of the pan. Add the broth and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the rutabaga and carrots are

tender, 10-12 minutes.

4. Add the steak and any accumulated juices to the pan. Reduce the heat to medium

and cook the steak through, about 2 minutes longer.

5. Before serving, taste soup and adjust seasonings to taste. Divide the stew between bowls (over barley/farro, or with bread) and top with a swirl of red wine vinegar and plenty of chopped parsley.

Best Ever Chicken Noodle Soup

Despite having a blog with a yiddish appellation, it took this Jew two months shy of 29 years to accomplish two cooking staples of the chosen people. First, make chicken stock from scratch, and second, use schmaltz to form matzo balls. Sacrilege! You and my grandmothers cry. The truth is, I was scared of the process. The rudimentary details seemed daunting to me. Buying a whole chicken. Dissembling that whole chicken. Separating the chicken fat. Utilizing the chicken fat.  As the daughter of a nutritionist and sister of a lifelong vegetarian, I can't say I have a lot of meat-handling under my belt. As far as cooking fats go, mine usually pours smoothly out of glass bottle with the words "extra virgin" etched in front.


The funny thing is, its those very details that make stock-making so darn easy. First and foremost, your butcher (that includes guys behind the meat counter at Whole Foods) can chop up that chicken for you.  Mine even separated the edible parts from the stock-only parts, and wrapped up the liver (shudder), isolated from everything else. That being said, I did find the process of using (almost) the whole animal primitively satisfying; and the whole no-part-goes-to-waste concept is undoubtedly sustainable. Price-wise too, you get such better bang for your buck with the full bird.

If the idea of chopping onions, carrots, celery, and herbs to flavor your stock—and then repeating the process all over again for an actual soup—sounds like too much work, here's a newsflash: The first part doesn't exist. When you make stock, you throw in everything whole. Onions in the skin? Yes. Carrots unpeeled? Si señor.

Also, there is no work! You throw all this stuff in a pot and let it simmer for two hours. Only two! Then, at the end, you have a fantastic, from scratch, aromatic broth—along with the most tender, moist, fall-off-the-bone chicken you could ever imagine. It's a total win win situation. I have already become a total broth-from-scratch convert. And, like a good Jewish girl, stored my schmaltz in the freezer for next occasion's matzo ball making. Now, Grandmas are proud.

So what's the secret to why this chicken noodle soup is the "best ever"? It's not a secret, but rather a formula; one of those foods where the homemade, from-scratch version is truly better. If your stock/broth is not from a box, it too can be the best chicken soup ever. Also, this recipe is from Joan Nathan, rebbe of Jewish cooking.  She pairs her stock with a kick-ass matzo ball recipe, but for the purposes of this post, let's stick to classic chicken noodle soup.  It's cold, pitch black out by 4:30pm, 80% of the people you know have a cold—all things begging for a batch of body and soul warming via bowl.

Best Ever Chicken Noodle Soup (from Joan Nathan via Food52)
Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken (about 4 pounds)

3 large onions (2 for stock, 1 for soup)

6 parsnips (4 for stock, 2 for soup)

5 stalks celery (2 for stock, 3 for soup)

10 carrots (6 for stock, 4 for soup)

6 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional, I didn’t use)

6 Tbsp snipped dill, divided

6 oz spaghetti or fusilli

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp coarse ground black pepper

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

Thick, crusty bread for serving; like sourdough

Directions:

1. Put the chicken and enough water to cover by two inches (about 4 quarts) in a large pot and bring the water to a boil. Skim off the froth as it rises to the top.

2. Add 2 onions (whole and unpeeled), 4 parsnips (unpeeled), 2 stalks celery, 6 carrots (unpeeled), parsley (if using), 4 tablespoons of the dill, and the salt and pepper. Half-cover and simmer for at least an hour and up to 2 hours, adjusting the seasoning to taste.

3. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours or overnight so the liquid solidifies. When the fat rises to the top, skim it off (reserve if making matzo balls).

4. Strain the soup. Set aside the chicken and discard the vegetables.  Remove skin from chicken and shred meat into pieces with your hands (because the chicken is so soft, this should be really easy). Discard the bones and any pieces too gizzardy to eat.

5. Transfer stock to another pot or bowl. In your now-empty pot, heat EVOO over medium heat. Peel and dice the remaining onion, add it to pot along with the garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until garlic is fragrant and onions start to become translucent.

6. Peel and chop remaining carrots and parsnips. Chop celery. Add to the pot. Sprinkle with ample salt and pepper. Cook for 7 more minutes, stirring frequently, until vegetables soften.

7. Pour chicken stock into pot. Bring to a boil. Add shredded chicken and pasta. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook per pasta package directions, stirring pasta frequently. Just before serving, add the remaining snipped dill (I used closer to 3-4 Tbsp here because I happen to love dill). If needed, add more salt and/or pepper before serving. Accompany with a large slice of toasted bread.