Ribollita

It's a well-established fact that once I've acquired a beloved new cookbook, I can rarely restrain myself from getting a little obsessed. After pouring through each and every page, bookmarking as I go, how can I restrain myself? In continuing the Mollie Katzen recipe theme started earlier this week, I have another ready to go.

Ribollita is one of most delicious culinary creations of Tuscany, and like so many beloved dishes, originated as peasant fare. Literally meaning "reboiled", this dish began as a repurposing of the previous day's minestrone or vegetable soup, fortified with leftover bread. I'm fortunate enough to be deliberately preparing this meal rather than cobbling it together from leftovers, but I have no less appreciation of this affordable collection of humble vegetables melded into a hearty stew.

This meal is a labor of love and leisure, the kind of weekend project to let to lazily simmer on a Sunday afternoon while you mill about the house or relax with a good book. It might be tempting to short cut the process with some canned cannellinis, but much of flavor comes from the herb-infused beans and bean broth used later to cook the vegetables, so look to a different recipe for a quick ribollita. This can be streamlined a bit into a weeknight meal by preparing the beans the night before you'd like to serve the soup, making sure to reserve some of the bean broth as well. Each bite is herby and earthy and delicious down to the core in the vegan rendition, but the savory Parmesan takes it one more scrumptious step that my Dairyland origins wouldn't let me dream of omitting. Finally, a slice of rustic bread is absolutely imperative for staying honest to the peasant origins and more importantly, mopping up every last bit of beans, veggies, and broth.

Ribollita
adapted from The Heart of the Plate by Mollie Katzen
serves 6

For the beans:
1 cup dried cannellini beans, soaked for at least 4 hours (preferably overnight)
3 large garlic cloves, peeled and halved
3 fresh sage leaves
1 3-inch spring fresh rosemary
Several sprigs fresh thyme
1 medium Parmsan rind (up to 4 ounces; optional)

1. Drain the soaked beans and place them in a large pot along with enough fresh water to cover by at least 2 inches (3 inches is even better). Add the garlic and herbs and bring to a boil.

2. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook, partially covered, for 1 1/2 hours, or until the beans are as soft as they can get while still keeping their shape. (Make sure they are truly soft. No undercooked beans!) If you like, you can add the Parmesan ring about 45 minutes into the simmering.

3. Remove from the heat and drain in a strainer set over a large heatproof bowl, saving the cooking water. (Fish out the herbs and Parmesan rind, if using; it's okay to leave in the garlic.)

For the stew:
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onion (1 large)
2 celery stalks, diced
1 large carrot, cut into half circles about 1/8-inch thick or into bite-sized chunks
3/4 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
2 tablespoons minced or crushed garlic
1/2 pound green cabbage, cut into bite-size pieces (2 heaping cups)
1 large or 2 small bunches lacinato kale (1/2 pound total), stemmed and chopped fairly small (4 packed cups) or spinach or other hearty greens
Black pepper
About 6 slices artisan bread (day-old is fine), sch as ciabatta or Pugliese, toasted
Grated aged Parmesan, Pecorino, or Asiago (optional)

1. Place a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat for about a minute, then add 2 tablespoons of the oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently for 5 minutes, or until the onion begins to soften. Stir in the celery, carrot, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and 1 tablespoon of the garlic and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring often.

2. Stir in the cabbage, kale, and remaining 1 tablespoon garlic, sprinkling them with another 1/2 teaspoon salt as you go. The pot will be crowded at first, but the vegetables will cook down. Cover and cook, stirring frequently, until all the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add small amounts of the bean cooking water (1/2 cup at a time) if needed to prevent sticking, but otherwise try to force-cook the vegetables in their own moisture, adding as little water as possible.

3. When the vegetables are done to your liking, add the beans, stirring them in gently so they don't break. Add a little more bean-cooking water, if you wish. Cover again and cook for just a few more minutes. Taste to adjust the salt and add a good amount of black pepper.

4. Serve hot, drizzled with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, and topped with the toasted bread. If you want to enjoy a cheese-crusted experience, spoon the stew into ovenproof ceramic bowls (as you would with French onion soup), top with the bread sliced, sprinkle some cheese over the bread, and broil briefly.

Black Bean, Sweet Potato and Quinoa Chili

If I had one complaint about my wonderful winter CSA from Crossroads Community Farm, it would be that it leads me to eat way more potatoes than I ordinarily would. I can't bear the thought of wasting any of that delicious organic produce, so I cook up every one an but after I'm done, I find myself craving sweet potatoes, which had a much more modest presence in my CSA box. Even barring any nutritional considerations, I'll pick the sweet potato option over the regular potato option any day.

A hearty bowl of Black Bean, Quinoa, and Spinach Stew on New Year's Day definitely whetted my appetite for the black bean and quinoa pairing and I can't turn down the perfect combination of black beans and sweet potatoes. This chili is the perfect blending of those happy pairs, with all of the spicy, hearty goodness of the traditional bean and meat varieties, and the added nutrition and flavor of sweet potatoes and quinoa. Chili con carne it's not, but this vegetarian delight will fill your belly just as well, especially when served with a hearty piece of corn bread. To save some of this satisfying meal for a rainy (or should I say snowy?) day, portion and store any leftovers in the freezer.

Black Bean, Sweet Potato and Quinoa Chili
adapted from The Kitchn
serves 4-6

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
5 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1 /2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 14.5-ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes
1 chipotle chile from canned chipotle chiles in adobo, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons kosher salt + more to taste
1 1 /2 cups sweet potatoes (2-3 small), cut into 1 /2-inch cubes
1 /4 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth/stock or water
2 14.5-ounce cans low-sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
Sour cream or yogurt, to top (optional)
Shredded cheddar cheese, to top (optional)
Green onions, chopped, to top (optional)
Fresh cilantro, chopped, to top (optional)

1. Heat the oil in heavy large pot ov er medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and beginning to brown, 6-7 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, and coriander and stir. Cook together for 1 minute.

2. Stir in the tomatoes with their juices, beans, chipotle pepper, oregano, sweet potatoes, quinoa, and broth and bring mixture to a boil. Place the pot's lid back on slightly ajar and allow to simmer on low heat until the beans are soft and the sweet potatoes and quinoa are just cooked through, adding more water or broth as necessary if the chili becomes too thick. Just before the quinoa and sweet potatoes are done, add beans and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve hot with your choice of toppings.

Black Bean, Quinoa, and Spinach Stew

My New Year's Day started off on a wonderful foot with Whole Wheat Mixed Berry Muffins and continued right along its merry way at lunch with this fine dish. I've been a fan of Joe Yonan since I first came across his great book, Serve Yourself, which is full of amazing recipes for just one person. Some might say I over-think my diet, but even if I'm just cooking for myself, I take joy in preparing a proper meal.

And this recipe is certainly worth the relatively meager time and effort. Not only is this meal extremely healthy, packed with veggies, beans, and healthy grains, but it is bursting with flavor too. The smoked paprika makes the dish extremely hearty and earthy, with each different kind of paprika lending a unique character. This recipe can serve two modest appetites or one robust diner, and while I had good intentions of saving half for lunch the following day, I devoured the bowl in one sitting. While this generous meal might not prepared me for the Badgers loss in the Capital One Bowl, it did quickly satisfy a craving for chili on a cozy day at home.

Black Bean, Quinoa, and Spinach Stew
adapted from Joe Yonan at The Washington Post
serves 1 to 2

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 very small onion or large shallot, chopped
1 medium clove garlic, chopped
1 small carrot, chopped
1/2 to 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (pimenton, sweet or hot), to taste
1 small tomato, hulled and chopped
1/4 cup dried quinoa, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups homemade or no-salt-added vegetable or chicken broth
1/2 cup homemade or no-salt-added cooked black beans
Kosher or sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup lightly packed baby spinach leaves, chopped

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the
onion or shallot, the garlic and carrot; cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is
translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the paprika, tomato, quinoa, broth and black beans.
Season with the salt and pepper.

2. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to low
so the mixture is barely bubbling around the edges. Cover, and cook until the quinoa has
swelled and is tender, 20 minutes. Stir in the spinach leaves and cook just until they are
wilted, a few minutes. Taste and season again with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and eat.

Three Sisters Stew

At some point during your childhood, you probably heard of the Iroquois legend of the Three Sisters-the smallest, who could only crawl and was dressed in green, the middle, clad in yellow who liked to run off by herself, and the eldest, robed in pale green with flowing yellow hair standing tall over her sisters and protecting them. In a nutshell, the legend tells the story of how the youngest and middle sisters are taken from the field and the eldest stands mourning their loss until she is reunited with her beloved sisters at the harvest. More than just a charming story, this Indian legend explains the symbiotic relationship between these three vegetables, who are currently in the midst of their family reunion. These are truly the glory days of the farmers' market, where one can still buy the last of the sweet corn, myriad beans, and the first of winter squash, and this stew is the perfect way to unite those last flavors of summer with the first tastes of fall.

With temperatures dropping into the thirties overnight this week and only reaching the sixties during the day, I was more than ready to embark on soup/stew season. This thick and hearty stew is overflowing with delicious vegetables and flavors that make for an immensely satisfying meal on their own, but are also happily soaked up into a piece of crusty bread or fresh corn muffin. (I've been craving corn muffins/corn bread for a while and this stew was the perfect excuse to whip up a quick batch-believe me, the effort is well worth it.) While I chose a comforting combination of butternut squash and pinto beans, this soup would gleefully accomodate black, cranberry, or kidney beans, acorn squash, or even sweet potatoes. So grab a big pot, an armful of fall vegetables, and make this stew to protect yourself against the impending cold.

Three Sisters Stew
adapted from Food and Wine
serves 4

1 quart water 
One 1 1/2-pound butternut squash—peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes

4 cups fresh corn kernels (cut from about 6 ears) 
One 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained
1/2 cup chopped basil leaves 
2 tablespoons canola oil 
1 large onion, coarsely chopped 
1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped 
1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped 
1 teaspoon ground cumin 
1 teaspoon dried oregano 
1 teaspoon smoked paprika 
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. In a large pot, bring the water to a boil with the squash and corn. Cover and simmer over moderately low heat until the squash is just tender, about 15 minutes. Add the beans and cook until the beans are hot. Transfer 3 cups of the squash mixture to a blender along with some of the liquid and the basil; puree. Return the puree to the pot and keep warm.

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat  the oil. Add the onion and bell peppers and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 8 minutes. Add the cumin, oregano and paprika and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 4 minutes. Stir the vegetables into the stew and season with salt and pepper. Ladle the stew into bowls and serve.

Beef and Guinness Stew

I love a hearty stew and Guinness so this recipe immediately appealed to me when I saw it in the March issue of Cooking Light (it seems a lot of recipes did). This is definitely a weekend dish because it takes a few hours for the stew to cook and requires quite a bit of prep work chopping vegetables. It was definitely worth the effort.

Beef and Guinness Stew
from Cooking Light, March 2010

2 T. canola oil, divided
1 T. butter, divided
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 lbs. boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 t. salt, divided
5 c. chopped onion (about 3 onions)
1 T. tomato paste
4 c. fat-free, less-sodium beef broth
1 (11.2-ounce) bottle Guinness Draught
1 T. raisins
1 t. caraway seeds
1/2 t. black pepper
1.5 c. (1/2-inch-thick) diagonal slices carrot (about 8 oz.)
1.5 c. (1/2-inch-thick) diagonal slices parsnip (about 8 oz.)
1.5 c. (1/2-inch) cubed, peeled turnip (about 8 oz.)
2 T. finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1. Heat 1 T. oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1.5 t. butter to pan. Place flour in a shallow dish. Sprinkle beef with 1/2 t. salt; dredge beef in flour. Add half of beef to pan; cook 5 minutes, turning to brown beef on all sides. Remove beef from pan with a slotted spoon. Repeat procedure with remaining 1 T. oil and 1.5 t. butter, and beef.

2. Add onion to pan; cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomato paste; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in broth and beer, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Return meat to pan. Stir in remaining 1/2 t. salt, caraway seeds, and pepper; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Uncover and bring to a boil. Cook 50 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add carrot, parsnip, and turnip. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and bring to a boil; cook 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Sprinkle with parsley.