Italian Wedding Soup (Nonna Soup)

Italian “wedding “ soup is translated from the Italian for a soup "wedded" by many different leftovers not actually made for a wedding! The traditional Neapolitan soup was simply a Zuppa di Nonna (grandmother’s soup) made from left over cuts of meat and my Nonna Cornaccio’s soup had some strange meats like a pigs foot and even horse meat one time! But this modern version uses bite sized meatballs (don't worry mine is made from turkey not horse) perfect for more modern tastes. 

My sweet Nonna Cornaccio sipping digestivo after cooking for hours! 

Ingredients

Mini meatballs:

1 pound ground turkey

1 cup grated parmesan

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 slices left over homemade italian or sour dough bread torn into small pieces (remove any hard crusts)

1 egg

1-2 garlic cloves minced

salt & pepper to taste

water to moisten bread

Soup:

water to cover

1/4 cup olive oil

3 bay leaves

8 ounces spinach or broccoli rabe or a softer kale chopped

1 small or half of a cabbage chopped

1 onion diced

2-3 celery ribs diced

1 large carrot diced

1/4 cup olive oil 

1/2 cup white wine

2-3 tablespoons better than bouillon ( I used vegetable) 

Water to cover or broth if not using Bouillon

Directions

Make meatballs bite size and sauté in some olive oil (2 tablespoons) Tip: roll really good and smooth with no cracks or else they will break open.

Remove and set aside and add more oil (1/4 cup) and saute celery onion and carrot (Italian Trinity of cooking) until soft and translucent but not brown, don't add salt or it will brown..

Add white wine and cook for a few minutes to cook out alcohol.

Add back in meatballs and cover with water and bouillon or broth, add in cabbage and kale and broccoli rabe (if using) adding enough water or broth to cover. Then add in bay leaves and salt & pepper to taste, cover and cook on a low simmer 20 minutes. Add spinach (if using) in the last 5 minutes. 

Remove bay leaves before serving!

Serve with more parmesan, red pepper flakes and broken pieces of day old bread, this is a must for this "left over" wedding soup!

Onion Soup Au Gratin

This is my version of French Onion Soup. The caramelized onions, crusty bread, and nutty cheese make this the ultimate comfort food and the smells that will fill your home are divine!

Ingredients
6 large Spanish onions
3 tablespoons brown sugar
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons olive oil
6 cups homemade chicken broth (or canned- but homemade is easy!)
3 tablespoons red wine, port, or brandy
6 large slices baguette toasted
1 1/2 cups Swiss, Gruyere, or sharp white Cheddar cheese shredded

Instructions
Heat the oven to 350
Melt the butter along with the olive oil in a dutch oven on the stove top
Slice the onions into thin rings (a mandolin works great)
Add the onions to the dutch oven, sprinkle the sugar on top, and mix to coat the onions
Place the lid on the dutch oven and bake until the onions are golden and gelatinous about 45 minutes - 1 hour, stirring once during the cooking process

Return to the stove top and add the salt & pepper to taste, broth and wine
Cook with the lid off for 15 minutes and then cover and cook for 30 - 40 minutes (you can now turn the heat off leave this until ready to broil)


Preheat the broiler
Pour the soup in 6 oven proof bowls on top of a sheet pan
Place a piece of toast on top of each bowl and add the cheese
Broil until the cheese is melted


This recipe makes 6 portions

Minestrone (The Big Soup)

I just love how Italians give such playful names to their foods  like Angel Hair Pasta, Priest Strangler, Pick Me Up, Little Ears, and The Big Soup as in the meaning behind Minestrone. It is named so because of its many ingredients. This famous soup is originally from  Liguria in north/western Italy although most regions of Italy have their own vegetable soup which they call a minestrone.  Minestrone is even better the next day so go ahead and make a double batch for dinner and lunch the next day. Or, make this soup for your family and anyone you know who is sick or going through a rough patch along with some good bread. Minestrone is perfect for this because it's healthy, hearty, and easily transportable. If you decide to do this just make sure to not add the pasta but rather place it in a separate container for them to add themselves.
Ingredients
1 cup mushrooms wiped and chopped into bite size pieces
2 TBL. Olive oil & 2 TBL. Butter
Salt & black pepper
Italian seasonings
Red pepper flakes
1 onion chopped
2 carrots peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 bunch greens chopped: swiss chard, spinach, kale, etc….)
2 TBL. fresh parsley & basil chopped to add at end
3 small boiling potatoes peeled and chopped OR 1 large sweet potato peeled and chopped
4 tomatoes (fresh or canned) chopped
2 cups cooked and drained pasta about the size of the beans(wheels, shells, elbow, ditalini, broken spaghetti)
2 cups cooked and drained or canned/drained red beans or  white beans
* OPTIONAL 1 piece Parmigiano- Reggiano cheese rind (either save this from your cheese wedge in the freezer or you can purchase it from your deli)
Grated Parmigiano cheese and a hearty bread for serving at the table
*Optional: serve with pesto
Directions
Cook the pasta, drain, and set aside.
In a large heavy bottomed pot melt the oil & butter and sauté carrots, onions, garlic, celery, and a large pinch of salt  (This is known as a Soffritto) until tender (10 minutes)over medium heat
Add mushrooms, potatoes, beans, tomatoes, greens (chopped), parsley, seasonings, another inch of salt and black pepper, and  saute for a few minutes (10) until the greens are wilted.
Add wine, turn up the heat,  and cook out alcohol for a 2 minutes
Add the broth, and enough water to cover by 1 inch, cheese rind, and bring to a low simmer, lower heat to maintain this low simmer and cook uncovered until thick about 1 1/2 hours: adding more water if it becomes too thick

You may now turn it off, cover, and set aside until 20 minutes before serving. Then return to a low simmer just before serving.
Remove the cheese rind or chop it up into little pieces and add back to the soup.
Add the parsley and basil.
Add the cooked pasta to each bowl and then ladle the soup on top OR if you plan to eat the whole pot at one sitting add the cooked pasta directly to the soup.
Serve with bread,  Parmesan cheese and pesto if you like!

Lentil Soup

Lentil Soup
We lived on this when Chris was in Graduate school. Now we have it once a week and I usually serve it with a hearty Italian bread. This would be considered an Italian Jewish recipe. I have come to believe that wherever Jews have settled they have created a rich and diverse menu in order to meet the needs of their religious holidays.
Ingredients
1 bag lentils
1 large onion
3 garlic cloves crushed & minced
3 celery ribs sliced or diced
2 carrots sliced or diced
1 potato peeled and diced
olive oil
1/3 cup white or red wine
salt & pepper
1 can (28-32 oz.) of crushed tomatoes OR better yet some left over tomato sauce!
parsley
bay leaf
red pepper flakes
Directions
sauté the onion, celery, potato, and carrot in oil until soft
add garlic and sauté (this is known as a Soffritto)
Add wine and cook off for 2-3 minutes
add lentils and enough water to cover by a few inches
add salt and pepper, bay leaf, red pepper, and parsley
cover and simmer for an hour (until beans are cooked)
Add tomatoes and cook on low as long as you like!

NOTES & TIPS:
This can be as thick like a stew or thin like a soup as you like simply by adjusting the amount of water.
After sautéing veggies add to crock pot along with water and tomatoes and cook on low all day for a thick stew!
Use left over spaghetti sauce instead of tomatoes
Use Italian seasoning instead of parsley
Use Herbs Provence instead of parsley and add some leeks to the veggie mix

New England Clam Chowder

This is the cream based chowder usually known as "New England" Clam Chowder, not the tomato based one usually known as "Manhattan" Clam Chowder. We love good creamy chowders in the cold weather as they truly are "stick to your ribs" good and warm!

This recipe is one that I adapted from one of my favorite cookbooks. I got it a used book sale at my library and the name of it is "The New Basic Cookbook" by Rosso & Lukins. It is actually about 25 years old and goes back to the days when they actually used butter, cream, eggs, wine... you know, real food ingredients. I made a few changes to it such as using canned clams, since we do not live on the coast anymore. You will want to serve this steaming hot and I like to serve it with a veggie tray and Vermont Cheddar Biscuits!

New England Clam Chowder

4 cans chopped clams & their juices (the 6.5 ounce size)
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoons olive oil (I like the combo of the fats for creamy based soups)
2 large onions grated on a cheese grater (4 cups)
1/4 cup all purpose flour
6 potatoes peeled & diced small ( 4 cups)
1 1/2teaspoons dry thyme or 3 teaspoons fresh thyme
lots of fresh ground pepper!
salt to taste
3 cups whole milk & 1 cup cream
fresh or dry chives or parsley for topping

Open the cans of clams and dump into a strainer on top of a bowl to separate the juice from clams, reserve both
Heat both oils over medium heat and saute onions until wilted ( 10 minutes)
Add flour and stir constantly while cooking for about 5 minutes
Add reserved clam juice, potatoes, thyme, and salt & pepper
Place a lid on cook , stirring every few minutes, over medium/low heat until the potatoes are soft
At this point you may refrigerate this part until ready to serve or turn off heat and set it aside until ready to serve.
15 minutes before serving, add clams, milk, and cream
Cook over low heat (do not boil) while stirring until heated through
Adjust seasonings and serve piping hot!

Mio Brodo (My Broth)

Mio Brodo
“My Broth” in Italian, although it is actually my Mother's (CarolAnn Sasso) recipe. She used to make this for us when we were sick. I always seem to crave it when I am sick or blue.

6 cups boiling water
1 ½ cups pastini, acini di pepe, orzo
1 tomato crushed
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon basil
1 boullion cube

Simmer together until pasta is ready. Serve with bread and Parmesan if you would like more of a complete meal.