Italian Wedding Soup

Ingredients

[meatballs]

• 1/2 lbs extra lean ground beef
• 1/4 lbs ground veal
• 1/4 c bread crumbs
• 1/2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
• 1/2 tbsp oregano, finely chopped
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

[soup]

• 1/2 oz olive oil
• 1 ea onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 6 c chicken stock, low sodium
• 1 ea carrots, 1-inch julienne
• 1 tbsp oregano, chopped
•  1 1/2 c spinach, shredded
• 35 ea meatballs
• 1 c chicken, cooked and cubed
• 1/2 c acini di pepe pasta
• to taste salt and pepper
• 3/4 c grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

[meatballs]

1. Preheat oven at 350 F. Mix all the ingredients. Shape into 1 inch balls and put on baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes are 'til reads 160F, turning once. Remove and put on a towel to drain. Makes about 35.

[soup]

1. Heat oil in stockpot over medium-heat. Add onion and garlic. Saute 'til translucent. Add chicken stock, carrot and oregano. Cook for 5 minutes. Add spinach, meatballs, chicken, pasta, salt and pepper.
2. Cook until pasta is cooked and meatballs are heated through, about 10 minutes. Serve in a soup bowl topped with 2 tbsp of Parmesan.

Cioppino

A classmate and myself created this in class yesterday. It's a Italian fisherman soup. I hope you enjoy it.

Ingredients

• 1/2 ea fennel bulb, sliced thin
• 1/2 ea onion, diced
• 2 ea garlic clove, sliced thin
• 1 ea bay leaf
• 3/4 tsp thyme, chopped
• 1/16 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 14 oz crushed tomatoes in juice
• 3/4 c water
• 1/2 c red wine
• 4 oz clam juice
• 8 oz white seabass or halibut, cut into 2 inch cubes
• 8 oz mussels, live in shell.

Remember to always tap the mussels to make sure its alive. It'll open and closed back up. Also, take the beards of them as well.

Directions

1. Heat oil in a 5-6 quart pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers [whisps of smoke], stir in fennel, onion, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, red pepper flakes, and salt & pepper.
2. Cook, covered, over medium heat, stirring once or twice, until the vegs begin to soften [4 minutes].
3. In a separate saute pan, over med-high heat, sear the fish to develope a little color and flavor. Remove and reserve. [You want to make sure the fish is patted completely dried, if not, it will poach in the pan because of the water instead of searing].
4. Add tomatoes with their juice, water, wine, clam juice and boil, covered for 20 minutes. Gently stir in the cooked vegs. Cook, uncovered until the fish is just cooked through and mussels are open wide [4-6 minutes. Discard the bay leaf. [If the mussel is not opened, toss it in the garbage.]

Tomato Soup

Ingredients

• 2lb of ripe tomatoes
• 1 onion 
• 1 small carrot
• 2 tbsp oil
• 2 teaspoon of tomato puree
• pinch of sugar
• 2 bay leaves
• 1.2 litres of vegetable stock 

Method

1. Take the stalk from the tomatoes. chop the tomatoes into quarters and remove the seeds and core. 
2. Finely chop the carrot and onion 
3. Heat the oil in a heavy bottom pan on low. add the carrots and onions. cook untill soft and have slight color. ( roughly 10 mins)
4. Add the puree , tomatoes, sugar and the bay leaves and stir 
5. Put the lid on and let them cook on low for 10 mins occasionaly shaking the pan to prevent sticking 
6. Pour in the stock slow while stiring. Bring to the boil then simmer for 25 mins . stir occasionaly.
7. Take off the heat and take out the bay leaves. put the rest in a blender and blend till smooth 
8. You can freeze the soup for up to 3 months . 
9. Serve with a swirl of cream.

Serves 4 

Beef Stew

• 2 Tablespoons of all purpose/plain flour
• 500g of braising steak cut into cubes
• 2 Tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 2 Tablespoons of Brandy
• 115g of onion chopped
• 100g of leek finely sliced
• 170g of carrots sliced
• 750ml of beef stock
• Salt and pepper to season

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl mix the all purpose flour and the steak together.
2. Heat half of the oil in a large frying pan.Add half the floured steak and brown. then repeat with the reamaining oil and steak.Add the steak to a caaserole dish
3. Turn the heat to high , add the brandy and stir well scraping the meat juices off the bottom of the frying pan. Reduce to a sticky glaze
4.  Add these to the steak in the casserole dish. Add the stock and cover with a tight fitting lid . Simmer gently on top of the stove or if you prefer in the oven (180/GM4) for 2 hours 20 mins. check regularly to prevent the stock reducing too much. If this is the case add some warm water . Season to your taste.
5.  Serve hot with crusty bread.