Cooking for Two (5 page)
4.
Pour the peas and the broth into a large blender or into a food processor fitted with the chopping blade. Purée in pulses until thick, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary with a rubber spatula. Now pour in the reduced milk and purée for about 20 seconds, or until smooth and bright green. Season with salt and pepper.
5.
Serve warm, or pour the soup into a large bowl and refrigerate for 2 hours, or overnight, until chilled. (If refrigerating overnight, cover the bowl after 2 hours.)
NOTE:
Look for pods that are firm and bright green, with no blackened soft spots. Shell the peas by grasping the remnants of the stem, as if it were the tab of a zipper, and “zipping” it down the inside curve of the pod. Gently pry the pod open to release the peas inside.
If desired, divide any of the following as toppings between the two bowls:
2 tablespoons sour cream (regular, low-fat, or nonfat)
2 tablespoons yogurt (regular, low-fat, or nonfat)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
½
teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Or make this soup into a heartier meal by dividing 2 tablespoons sour cream, crème fraîche, or plain yogurt between the bowls, then lay any of the following on top, dividing them between the bowls:
6 ounces lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
½ pound precooked cocktail shrimp, peeled and deveined
½ pound steamed, sautéed, or grilled tofu, cut into ½-inch cubes
HAI
-I
NSPIRED
S
QUASH
, M
USHROOM
,
and
B
ASIL
S
TEW
makes2 hearty servings
T
he secret to most Thai stews is the mélange of coconut milk, brown sugar, nam pla, and yellow Thai curry paste, a prepared mixture of spices and oil. Some brands of yellow Thai curry paste are fiery yet so sweet as to be almost flowery; others are quite bland. We prefer the Mae Ploy brand. In any event, Thai bottlings do not include ghee, or clarified butter, as do Indian brands. Yellow Thai curry paste is available in the Asian section of many markets and almost all Asian supermarkets. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 6 months. Substitute red Thai curry paste if you want a hotter dish.
1 tablespoon peanut oil 1 small shallot, thinly sliced 1 small garlic clove, slivered 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, or white button mushrooms, cleaned and cut into quarters 1 tablespoon yellow Thai curry paste (see headnote) One 5½-ounce can coconut milk 2 tablespoons nam pla (see page 10) | 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar 1 medium acorn squash (about 1½ pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut into ½-inch cubes (see Note) 1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into ½-inch strips 3 small scallions, cut into thirds 6 fresh basil leaves |
1.
Heat a medium pot over medium heat. Swirl in the peanut oil, then stir in the shallot and garlic. Cook for 1 minute, or just until barely softened, stirring frequently. Do not let the garlic brown—it should just soften slightly and sizzle at the edges. Add the mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes, or until they give off their liquid, stirring frequently. Then reduce the heat to low, and cook undisturbed for about 3 more minutes, until the mushroom liquid has been reduced to a glaze.
2.
Raise the heat to medium again and melt the yellow curry paste into the stew by slowly stirring and cooking for about 10 seconds. Once the mixture is smooth and smells quite fiery, stir in the coconut milk, nam pla, and brown sugar, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Bring the soup to a simmer before stirring in the squash, bell pepper, scallions, and basil. Cover, reduce the heat to very low, and simmer for 25 minutes, or until the squash is fork-tender, stirring occasionally. Serve immediately.
NOTE:
A vegetable peeler won’t do the job of peeling a tough acorn squash. The easiest way to do it is to cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds, then lay the halves cut side down on a cutting board. Use a paring knife to peel off the skin in long arcs, starting at the top of each half-globe and following the natural curve of the squash. Any small bits remaining can be peeled off with a paring knife once the larger strips have been removed.
ISH AND
P
OTATO
C
HOWDER
makes2 servings
T
here’s really just one secret to making a comforting chowder: don’t add too much cream. The point is to let the velvety fat in the cream carry the flavors, so just a touch will enhance them without masking them. In this version of the classic New England fish chowder, a yellow potato is sliced with a vegetable peeler into long, thin strips. The result? Easy potato noodles, which thicken the soup and make it quite luxurious.
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 cup milk (regular, low-fat, or nonfat) One 8-ounce bottle clam juice (see page 8) 1 medium yellow-fleshed potato (about 6 ounces), such as Yukon Gold, peeled (see headnote) | 1 bay leaf 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ cup heavy cream 1½ tablespoons all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste |
pound hake, cod, or flounder fillets, cut into ½-inch pieces (see Note)1.
Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a medium saucepan set over low heat. Sprinkle the onion over the butter, stir well, and cook for about 3 minutes, or until limp but golden, stirring frequently. For the traditional look of a white chowder, do not let the onion brown. Stir in the milk and clam juice, raise the heat to medium, and bring the mixture to a slow simmer.
2.
Use a vegetable peeler to slice off paper-thin strips of the peeled potato, letting them fall directly into the soup; then stir in the bay leaf and thyme. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender, stirring often to prevent sticking.
3.
Add the fish and cook uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. The soup may just barely come back to a boil in the time allotted. Stir in the cream, raise the heat to medium, and bring the soup to a full simmer.
4.
Meanwhile, make a paste out of the flour with the remaining 1 teaspoon softened butter by mashing them together with the back of a fork in a small bowl or tea cup. Once the soup is simmering, whisk in this butter mixture; continue cooking and whisking for about 1 minute, or until the soup thickens. Season with salt and serve immediately.
NOTE:
Always ask to smell fish fillets before you buy them. They should smell fresh and clean, like the ocean on a spring morning, never like the tidal flats on a summer afternoon.
AMBALAYA
makes2 generous servings
W
hile there’s no bigger crowd-pleaser in Louisiana than jambalaya, a thick stew of ham hocks, shrimp, and rice, it’s just as good when made in a small batch. Jambalaya begins with a roux (or thickener) of peanut oil and flour; cook the roux over low heat until it’s deep maroon, whisking frequently to keep it from sticking and scorching. If you have peanut allergies, substitute a tablespoon of unsalted butter, but lower the heat so the butter doesn’t burn while the roux toasts. Although jambalaya is traditionally an all-day dish, we’ve turned it into one fit for your workday repertoire by substituting purchased smoked ham for the hocks.
1 tablespoon peanut oil (see headnote) 1½ tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 small onion, chopped 1 small cubanel pepper, seeded, cored, and chopped (see Notes) 1 medium celery rib, chopped 1 large garlic clove, minced 1 cup chopped smoked ham (about 5 ounces; see Notes) | One 14½-ounce can diced tomatoes ¼ cup white rice 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, or ¾ teaspoon dried thyme
8 medium (about 30 per pound) shrimp, peeled and deveined |
to ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper1.
Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Swirl in the oil, sprinkle the flour evenly over the oil, then immediately reduce the heat to very low. Cook undisturbed for 20 seconds, then whisk briefly to incorporate the flour into the oil. Now let the roux cook for one minute undisturbed, then cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes, or until the mixture turns a deep reddish brown, whisking frequently.
2.
Stir in the onion, pepper, celery, and garlic until they are coated with the roux—be careful: it’s very hot and may splatter when it comes into
contact with water on or in the vegetables. Raise the heat to medium and cook for 2 minutes, or until the vegetables soften considerably, but not until they’re limp, stirring constantly. Add the chopped ham and cook for 2 minutes, stirring once or twice. Once the ham has begun to frizzle at the edges, stir in the tomatoes with their juice, the rice, thyme, and cayenne. Make sure the rice is completely submerged in the liquid; then cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about 12 minutes, until the rice is tender. Stir once or twice while the stew is simmering to prevent any flour from falling out of suspension and sticking to the bottom of the pan. If it does, lower the heat even further, or remove the pan from the heat to slow down the cooking. In any case, stir the stew more frequently, but avoid pulling up any burned bits of flour on the pan’s bottom.
