Issue Date: November 13, 2005
Snazzy starters
Smart advice from chef Jennifer Jasinski, 37, of Rioja in Denver
Tip: Use underappreciated seasonal foods. Try chestnuts, pomegranates, kabocha squash, pears and wild mushrooms.
Tip: Polish your presentation. "At Rioja, we serve this soup in baby pumpkins," Jasinski says. "At home, hollow out a large pumpkin, fill it with the soup, and serve."
Go to top
Chestnut Soup
1/4 cup olive oil or duck fat
1 1/4 cups onions, sliced
1/4 cup garlic cloves, whole
1 1/2 cups mushrooms, sliced
10 fresh sage leaves, no stems
1 tsp. whole black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
12-14 ounces whole peeled chestnuts (about 2 pounds unpeeled)
1 1/4 cups white wine
5 cups chicken stock
1/2 cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp. cardamom powder
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1/2-1 Tb. kosher salt, to taste
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs. sugar
In a large pot over medium heat, warm oil or fat. Add onions and garlic; sauté until translucent. Add mushrooms, sage, peppercorns and bay leaf, and sauté until mushrooms have softened. Add chestnuts and wine. Cook until the wine has evaporated, then add chicken stock.
Bring soup to a boil, reduce heat, then simmer on very low for 45 minutes. Stir in cinnamon, cardamom and cream; simmer for 10 minutes until chestnuts are very soft.
Remove from heat; blend until smooth. Add salt, pepper and sugar. Strain through a sieve. Serve immediately, or refrigerate and reheat to serve. Yield: 8 cups.
Serves 8. Per serving: 347 calories, 3g protein, 30g carbohydrates, 22g fat, 51mg cholesterol, 5g fiber, 977mg sodium.
Go to top
Tip How to get roasted, peeled chestnuts. You can buy individually quick-frozen chestnuts, which come already roasted and peeled. Found at specialty food stores or online at Earthy Delights (earthy.com).
Tip Or you can roast and make your own. Here's how: Buy 2 pounds of fresh chestnuts. Cut a small "X" on the top of each chestnut. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place chestnuts on a baking sheet and roast until they pop open. Peel with a pairing knife to remove all the hard outer skin. Weigh your yield to get the 12 to 14 ounces called for in the soup recipe.
Go to top
Pomegranate Salad
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 cup water
2 heads Belgian endive, leaves separated
2 heads radicchio lettuce, such astreviso, leaves separated
2 bunches watercress, large stems removed
2 medium apples, preferably Granny Smith or Fuji, sliced in very thin slivers
1 cup gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
Salt and pepper to taste
2 fresh pomegranates, seeded (Tip: Cut each pomegranate in quarters, then knock the back of the fruit with the back of a heavy spoon. To avoid staining, wear gloves and cover work surface.)
In a small bowl, combine lemon juice and water. Toss endive leaves in lemon water to prevent browning.
Reserve 24 endive leaves and 24 radicchio leaves, then chop the rest in 1-inch slices on the diagonal.
In a large bowl, toss the chopped endive and radicchio with watercress, apple, gorgonzola, salt, pepper and 1 1/2 cups of the pomegranate vinaigrette (recipe follows). Set aside.
To serve, alternate reserved endive and radicchio leaves around 8 salad plates; drizzle with reserved dressing. Mound a portion of salad in the center of each plate. Garnish with pomegranate seeds.
Serves 8. Per serving: 156 calories, 7g protein, 20g carbohydrates, 7g fat, 22mg cholesterol, 6g fiber, 302mg sodium.
Go to top
Pomegranate Vinaigrette
1 quart pomegranate juice, such as Pom brand
2 cups apple juice
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
1 Tb. chopped thyme
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup canola oil
Salt to taste
In a wide sauté pan over high heat, reduce pomegranate and apple juices to 1/2 to 3/4 cup, about the thickness of pancake syrup. Remove from heat, transfer to a stainless-steel mixing bowl and cool to room temperature. When cool, slowly whisk in remaining ingredients. Yield: 2 cups.
Serves 16. Per serving: 176 calories, 0g protein, 14g carbohydrates, 14g fat, 0mg cholesterol, 0g fiber, 27mg sodium.
|
