Read The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook Online
Authors: The Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Tags: #Cooking
The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (43 page)
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
For a black bean soup recipe full of sweet, spicy, smoky flavors, we went with dried beans, which release flavor into the broth as they cook, unlike canned beans. Furthermore, they proved to be a timesaver: We discovered that it was unnecessary to soak them overnight or to use the “quick-soak method” to make them tender. We also found that we didn’t need from-scratch stock; we maximized flavor by using a mixture of water and store-bought chicken broth enhanced with ham and seasonings.
SERVES 6
Dried beans tend to cook unevenly, so be sure to taste several beans to determine their doneness in step 1. For efficiency, you can prepare the soup ingredients while the beans simmer and the garnishes while the soup simmers. Though you do not need to offer all of the garnishes listed below, do choose at least a couple; garnishes are essential for this soup as they add not only flavor but texture and color as well.
BEANS
5 | cups water, plus extra as needed |
1 | pound dried black beans (2 cups), picked over and rinsed |
4 | ounces ham steak, trimmed |
2 | bay leaves |
¹⁄ | teaspoon baking soda |
1 | teaspoon salt |
SOUP
3 | tablespoons olive oil |
2 | large onions, chopped fine |
1 | large carrot, chopped fine |
3 | celery ribs, chopped fine |
¹⁄ | teaspoon salt |
5–6 | garlic cloves, minced |
¹⁄ | teaspoon red pepper flakes |
1¹⁄ | tablespoons ground cumin |
6 | cups low-sodium chicken broth |
2 | tablespoons cornstarch |
2 | tablespoons water |
2 | tablespoons lime juice |
GARNISHES
Lime wedges |
Minced fresh cilantro |
Red onion, diced fine |
Avocado, halved, pitted, and diced |
Sour cream |
1. FOR THE BEANS:
Place water, beans, ham, bay leaves, and baking soda in large saucepan with tight-fitting lid. Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Using large spoon, skim foam from surface as needed. Stir in salt, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer briskly until beans are tender, 1¹⁄
4
to 1¹⁄
2
hours (if after 1¹⁄
2
hours the beans are not tender, add 1 cup more water and continue to simmer until tender); do not drain beans. Discard bay leaves. Remove ham steak, cut into ¹⁄
4
-inch cubes, and set aside.
2. FOR THE SOUP:
Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onions, carrot, celery, and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, add garlic, pepper flakes, and cumin and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Stir in beans, bean cooking liquid, and chicken broth. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, to blend flavors, about 30 minutes.
3.
Ladle 1¹⁄
2
cups beans and 2 cups liquid into food processor or blender, process until smooth, and return to pot. Stir together cornstarch and water in small bowl until combined, then gradually stir half of cornstarch mixture into soup. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, to fully thicken. If soup is still thinner than desired once boiling, stir remaining cornstarch mixture to recombine and gradually stir mixture into soup; return to boil to fully thicken. Off heat, stir in lime juice and reserved ham; ladle soup into bowls and serve immediately, passing garnishes separately. (Soup can be refrigerated for up to 4 days. If necessary, thin it with additional chicken broth when reheating.)
The addition of chipotle chiles in adobo—smoked jalapeños packed in a seasoned tomato-vinegar sauce—makes this a spicier, smokier variation on Black Bean Soup.
Omit pepper flakes and add 1 tablespoon minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce plus 2 teaspoons adobo sauce along with chicken broth in step 2.
WHY SOUPS TASTE BETTER THE NEXT DAY
We often find when making soups or stews that they actually taste better reheated than straight off the stovetop. Curious as to why, our science editor explained that even after cooking ceases, many chemical reactions continue to take place in food. In the case of a soup or stew containing milk or cream, the lactose breaks down into sweeter-tasting glucose. Similarly, the carbohydrates in onions develop into sugars such as fructose and glucose. Proteins in meat turn into individual amino acids that act as flavor enhancers. Finally, starches in potatoes and flour break down into flavorful compounds.
We tested this theory with batches of French onion soup, beef chili, cream of tomato soup, and black bean soup, cooking one batch and refrigerating it for two days, then serving it, reheated, alongside a fresh batch. The two-day-old soups were unanimously preferred for being sweeter, more robust, and well-rounded. The chili divided tasters; some preferred the sharper-tasting fresh sample while others like the sweetness of the reheated chili. If you like vibrant chili flavor, it’s best to serve chili the same day you make it, but for sweet, well-rounded flavors in soups and stews, make them a day or two ahead of time.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
To create a classic corn chowder, we started by browning salt pork in our Dutch oven, and we used the rendered fat (along with a little butter) to sauté onions and create a richly flavored base. To pump up the corn flavor, we added grated corn and corn milk, which comes from scraping the cobs with the back of a knife early on, then stirred in more whole kernels toward the end. With whole milk as our primary dairy component (tasters rejected all heavy cream as too rich), we added a few tablespoons of flour, which not only thickened our soup nicely but also helped stabilize the dairy and kept it from curdling.
SERVES 6
Be sure to use salt pork, not fatback, for the chowder. Streaks of lean meat distinguish salt pork from fatback; fatback is pure fat. We prefer Spanish onions for their sweet, mild flavor, but all-purpose yellow onions will work fine, too.
10 | ears corn, husks and silk removed |
3 | ounces salt pork, rind removed, cut into two 1-inch cubes |
1 | tablespoon unsalted butter |
1 | large onion, preferably Spanish, chopped fine |
2 | garlic cloves, minced |
3 | tablespoons all-purpose flour |
3 | cups low-sodium chicken broth |
12 | ounces red potatoes, cut into ¹⁄ |
2 | cups whole milk |
1 | teaspoon minced fresh thyme or ¹⁄ |
1 | bay leaf |
1 | cup heavy cream |
2 | tablespoons minced fresh parsley |
Salt and pepper |
1.
Using paring knife, cut kernels from 4 ears corn (you should have about 3 cups). Grate kernels from remaining 6 ears on large holes of box grater into bowl, then firmly scrape any pulp remaining on cobs with back of butter knife or vegetable peeler (you should have 2 generous cups grated kernels and pulp).
2.
Sauté salt pork in Dutch oven over medium-high heat, turning with tongs and pressing down on pieces to render fat, until cubes are crisp and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low, stir in butter and onion, cover, and cook until onion is softened, about 12 minutes. Remove salt pork and reserve. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. Whisking constantly, gradually add broth. Add grated corn and pulp, potatoes, milk, thyme, bay leaf, and reserved salt pork and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until potatoes are almost tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Add reserved corn kernels and heavy cream and return to simmer. Simmer until corn kernels are tender yet still slightly crunchy, about 5 minutes. Discard bay leaf and salt pork. Stir in parsley, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
For this version of corn chowder, we were looking for a recipe that would pack lots of corn flavor in every spoonful while still maintaining a satisfying, yet not too thick, chowder texture. Inspired by a recipe we found that juiced corn kernels, a trick that delivered pronounced corn flavor, we strained the scrapings and pulp from several cobs through a kitchen towel to get unadulterated corn juice (when we added the unstrained pulp to the pot, the soup curdled). This delivered the intense corn flavor we were after. We lightened things up by using water as our primary liquid, which allowed the pure corn flavor to shine through, then added just 1 cup of half-and-half to give our chowder the right richness. A sprinkling of basil before serving lent a fresh finish.
See “CUTTING CORN KERNELS FROM THE COB” illustration that follows recipe.
SERVES 6
When removing the kernels from the cob make sure to remove only the part of the kernel sticking out of the cob. Cutting deeper will result in too much fibrous material coming off the corn. Yukon Gold potatoes can be substituted for the red potatoes. Minced chives can be used in place of the basil.
8 | ears corn, husks and silk removed |
3 | tablespoons unsalted butter |
1 | onion, chopped fine |
4 | slices bacon, halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise into ¹⁄ |
2 | teaspoons minced fresh thyme |
Salt and pepper | |
¹⁄ | cup all-purpose flour |
5 | cups water |
12 | ounces red potatoes, cut into ¹⁄ |
1 | cup half-and-half |
Sugar | |
3 | tablespoons chopped fresh basil |
1.
Using paring knife, cut kernels from corn (you should have 5 to 6 cups).
Holding cobs over second bowl, use back of butter knife or vegetable peeler to firmly scrape any pulp remaining on cobs into bowl (you should have 2 to 2¹⁄
2
cups of pulp). Transfer pulp to center of clean kitchen towel set in medium bowl. Wrap towel tightly around pulp and squeeze tightly until dry. Discard pulp in towel and set corn juice aside (you should have about ²⁄
3
cup of juice).
2.
Melt butter in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, bacon, thyme, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is softened and beginning to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Whisking constantly, gradually add water and then bring to boil. Add corn kernels and potatoes. Return to simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until potatoes have softened, 15 to 18 minutes.
3.
Transfer 2 cups chowder to blender and process until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Return puree to pot, stir in half-and-half, and return to simmer. Remove pot from heat and stir in reserved corn juice. Season with salt, pepper, and up to 1 tablespoon sugar to taste. Sprinkle with basil and serve.
