Soups & Salads

Soups & Salads

SEMI-DRY TOMATOES AND MOZZARELLA SALAD 1 1/2 pounds plum tomatoes (about 6), cut lengthwise into halves (12 pieces) 3/4 teaspoon salt 10 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch slices 2 tablespoons drained and rinsed capers 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 teaspoon chopped garlic 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind About 1 cup (loose) basil leaves Preheat the oven to 250 °F. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Arrange the tomato halves cut side up on the sheet, and sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of the salt on top. Bake for 4 hours. Remove the tomatoes from the oven (they will still be soft), and put them in a serving bowl. Let them cool, then add the mozzarella, capers, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, pepper, garlic, olive oil, and lemon rind, and mix to combine. Drop the basil leaves into 2 cups of boiling water, and cook for about 10 seconds. Drain, and cool under cold running water. Press the basil between your palms to extrude most of the water, then chop finely. Add to the salad, toss well, and serve. Yield: 4 servings
SALADE NIÇOISE 4 tomatoes 1 green pepper 1 red pepper 2 hard-boiled eggs 2 poivrades (small artichokes from Provence) 20 stoned black olives 1 onion 1 small can of tuna in brine 1 clove of garlic Seasoning: 5 Tbs of olive oil 2 Tbs of red wine vinegar salt, ground pepper Peel the garlic and the onion. Mash the garlic and slice up the onion. Wash the tomatoes and the peppers. Cut the tomatoes in 8 equal quarters. Put into the refrigerator in a strainer, on a plate, sprinkled with salt so that they lose their water. Take out the seeds off the peppers and cut them up into thin strips. Wash the poivrades and cut them, as well as the hard-boiled eggs, into four pieces. Crumble the tuna. Prepare vinaigrette with the oil, the vinegar and the pepper; add salt, if you wish. Put all the ingredients of the salad in a large salad bowl, coat with the vinaigrette dressing, mix delicately and serve cool. You may add some anchovy fillets to spice this salad up a little more.
WATERCRESS AND BELGIAN ENDIVE SALAD Salade de Cresson et Endive Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 10 min 5 1/4 teaspoons white-wine vinegar 1 garlic clove, minced 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt 1/8 teaspoon black pepper 1/3 cup olive oil 3 large bunches watercress sprigs (9 oz), coarse stems discarded 1 1/2 lb Belgian endives, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide pieces Whisk together vinegar, garlic, sea salt, and pepper in a bowl until salt is dissolved, then add oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified. Toss watercress and endive with just enough dressing to coat in a large bowl, then season with salt and pepper. Makes 8 servings.
VEGETABLE SALAD WITH GOAT CHEESE Salade de Legumes au Fromage de Chevre This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. 12 small red-skinned potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds (about 14 ounces) 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives or other brine-cured black olives 6 anchovy fillets 1 tablespoon drained capers 1 garlic clove 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 4 green onions (white and pale green parts only), thinly sliced 5 teaspoons chopped fennel fronds (optional) 4 medium-size ripe tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges 1/2 English hothouse cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded, sliced crosswise 4 ounces soft fresh goat cheese (such as Montrachet), coarsely crumbled Fresh basil sprigs Steam potatoes until tender, about 10 minutes. Cool completely. Blend olives, anchovies, capers and garlic in processor until coarsely pureed. Gradually blend in oil, then lemon juice. Transfer mixture to large bowl. Add green onions and fennel fronds, if desired; stir to blend. Season olive mixture with salt and pepper. Add tomatoes, cucumber and potatoes to olive mixture. Toss to coat. Season salad to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle goat cheese over salad. Garnish with basil sprigs and serve. Serves 4.
ENDIVE, PEAR, AND STILTON SALAD For dressing 1 shallot 1 whole star anise (available at specialty foods shops and some supermarkets) 1/3 cup vegetable oil 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice 1 teaspoon Port For salad 2 firm-ripe pears (preferably Bosc) 4 Belgian endives 5 ounces Stilton cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup) Garnish: chopped fresh parsley leaves or fresh chervil sprigs Make dressing: Chop shallot and crush star anise. In a blender blend shallot, oil, orange juice, and Port until emulsified. Transfer mixture to a small bowl or jar and add star anise and salt and pepper to taste. Chill dressing, covered, at least 4 hours and up to 1 day. Pour dressing through a sieve into a bowl and discard solids. Whisk dressing until combined well. Make salad: Preheat oven to 400°F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Halve and core pears. Cut pears lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices and arrange in one layer on baking sheet. Roast pears in middle of oven until pale golden, about 10 minutes, and cool on baking sheet. Separate endive leaves, and, if desired, cut leaves crosswise into 1 1/2-inch-thick pieces. On a platter or 4 salad plates arrange pears, endive leaves, and Stilton and drizzle dressing on top. Garnish salad with parsley or chervil. Serves 4.
BOUILLABAISSE Active time: 1 1/4 hr Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr For croutons 12 to 16 (1/2-inch-thick) baguette slices 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 garlic clove, halved For soup 1 (1- to 1 1/4-lb) live lobster 2 large tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped 1 large onion, chopped 4 garlic cloves, chopped 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 lb boiling potatoes 1/3 cup finely chopped fennel fronds (sometimes called anise) 1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf 1/4 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads 11/2 tablespoons coarse sea salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 9 cups white fish stock 3 lb mixed skinned white fish fillets (such as monkfish, turbot, red snapper, striped bass, porgy, grouper, and/or cod), cut into 2-inch pieces Rouille Make croutons: Preheat oven to 250°F. Arrange bread slices in 1 layer in a shallow baking pan and brush both sides with oil. Bake in middle of oven until crisp, about 30 minutes. Rub 1 side of each toast with a cut side of garlic. Make soup: Plunge lobster headfirst into a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling water, then cook, covered, 2 minutes from time lobster enters water. Transfer lobster with tongs to a colander and let stand until cool enough to handle. Discard hot water in pot. Put lobster in a shallow baking pan. Twist off claws with knuckles from body, then crack claws with a mallet or rolling pin and separate claws from knuckles. Halve body and tail lengthwise through shell with kitchen shears, then cut crosswise through shell into 2-inch pieces. Reserve lobster juices that accumulate in baking pan. Cook tomatoes, onion, and garlic in oil in cleaned 6- to 8-quart pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Meanwhile, peel potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Stir potatoes into tomatoes with fennel fronds, bay leaf, saffron, sea salt, and pepper. Add stock and bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, until potatoes are almost tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Add thicker pieces of fish to soup and simmer, uncovered, 2 minutes. Stir in remaining fish and lobster, including juices, and simmer, uncovered, until they are just cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir 3 tablespoons broth from soup into rouille until blended. Arrange 2 croutons in each of 6 to 8 deep soup bowls. Carefully transfer fish and lobster from soup to croutons with a slotted spoon, then ladle some broth with vegetables over seafood. Top each serving with 1 teaspoon rouille and serve remainder on the side.
ROUILLE Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 15 min 3 tablespoons water 3/4 cup coarse fresh bread crumbs (preferably from a baguette, crust removed) 3 garlic cloves 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt 1/2 teaspoon cayenne 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Pour water over bread crumbs in a bowl. Mash garlic to a paste with sea salt and cayenne using a mortar and pestle (see cooks' note, below). Add moistened bread crumbs and mash into garlic paste. Add oil in a slow stream, mashing and stirring vigorously with pestle until combined well. Cooks' note: • If you don't have a mortar and pestle, use a large heavy knife to mince and mash garlic with salt and cayenne. Then transfer paste to a bowl and stir in bread vigorously with a fork. Add oil, stirring in same manner. Makes about 1/2 cup.
LOBSTER BISQUE a 3-pound live lobster 1 medium onion 1 celery rib 1 carrot 1 vine-ripened tomato 1 head garlic 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves 1 bay leaf 8 black peppercorns 4 cups fish stock (available at fish markets and some specialty foods shops) 1/4 cup tomato paste 1/2 cup heavy cream 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch 2 tablespoons water Fill a 6-quart kettle three fourths full with salted water and bring to a boil. Plunge lobster headfirst into water and cook, covered, over high heat 8 minutes. Transfer lobster with tongs to a large bowl and in a measuring cup reserve 2 cups cooking liquid. Let lobster stand until cool enough to handle. Working over a bowl to catch the juices, twist off tail and claws and reserve juices. Reserve tomalley and discard head sacs and any roe. Remove meat from claws and tail, reserving shells and lobster body. (Lobster meat will not be cooked through.) Coarsely chop meat and transfer to a bowl. Chill lobster meat, covered. Chop onion, celery, carrot, and tomato and halve garlic head crosswise. In a 6-quart heavy kettle heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté reserved lobster shells and body, stirring occasionally, 8 minutes. Add vegetables, garlic, herbs, peppercorns, and simmer, stirring, until almost all liquid is evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add stock and reserved tomalley and cooking liquid. Simmer mixture, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 1 hour. Pour mixture through a fine sieve into a large saucepan, pressing on and discarding solids. Whisk in tomato paste and simmer until reduced to about 3 cups, about 10 minutes. Add cream and simmer bisque 5 minutes. In a small bowl stir together cornstarch and water and whisk into bisque. Simmer bisque, stirring, 2 minutes. (Bisque will thicken slightly.) Add lobster meat with any reserved juices and simmer bisque 1 minute, or until lobster meat is just cooked through. Season bisque with salt and pepper. Serves 4.
SOUPE A L'OIGNON AU FROMAGE (FRENCH ONION SOUP) 6 large onions (about 5 pounds), sliced thin 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter 1tablespoon all-purpose flour 1 1/2 quarts beef broth twelve 1/2-inch-thick slices of French bread, toasted 3/4 pound coarsely grated Gruyère In a large kettle cook the onions in the butter over moderate heat, stirring frequently, for 40 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Sprinkle the onions with the flour and cook the mixture, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the broth slowly, stir the soup constantly until it comes to a boil, and simmer it, covered, for 20 minutes. Season the soup with salt and pepper. Put 2 slices of the toast in each of 6 heated soup bowls, top each toast with 1 tablespoon of the Gruyère, and pour the soup over the toasts. (To serve the onion soup gratiné, arrange the 12 toasts on the bottom of a flameproof casserole, heap each of them with 1 tablespoon of the Gruyère and boil it under a preheated broiler about 4 inches from the heat for 3 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbling.) Serves 6.