The Purloined Recipe

from Lester Darazs

Ingredients:
¼ cup extra light olive oil (or lard, or what ever shortening preferred)
4 cups of onions, coarsely chopped
6 cups of white Hungarian (Gypsy) peppers, or bell peppers, cut to about 1” pieces
8 cups of vine ripened tomatoes blanched and peeled, chopped to I” pieces
2 tsp salt, l tsp coarsely ground black pepper, 1 tbsp of Hungarian paprika.
1 pint tomato juice
1 Ring of Polish sausage, or Hungarian sausage, or Chorizo
2 Tbsp sugar
2 teaspoons or more crushed chile, optional
In a large nonstick pot (about 6 qt) sauté the onions in the olive oil, under lid, until the onions are slightly limp, about 8-10 mm. med.

Heat. Do not brown.

Add paprika and stir quickly to coat all the onions with the paprika, and quickly add the tomato juice, all of the tomatoes, stir to just mix, and spices and sugar, stir and add the rest of the ingredients. Stir to mix it all up, and cover, Cook for about 30 mm on medium heat, stir occasionally to keep from burning on the bottom, reduce heat to low and simmer partly covered for another 30-45 mm, or until the Lecsó gets to the desired consistency.

Adjust to taste.

chiles, onions, peppers, Recipes By Ingredient, soups, The Recipes

1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 TBSP olive oil
1 pound spicy sausage in chunks
2 (15 oz) cans kidney beans, drained
1 (15 oz) can garbanzo beans, drained
5 Yukon Gold potatoes, cubed
2 pork chops
3 TBSP hot chopped pepper
1 bunch Kale – washed, dried, shredded
½ head Savoy cabbage, shredded

In a large soup pot, cook onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until soft. Mix in sausage, beans, and potatoes, and then add pork chops to the pot. Season with salt and pepper, and add enough water to the pan to cover all of the ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, and simmer until potatoes are tender. Once potatoes are tender, taste soup, add peppers and more salt and pepper. Stir in kale and cabbage, and increase heat to gently boil. Kale only needs about 5 minutes. You may add some water if the soup got too thick, I like this soup on the brothy side.

beans, cabbage, garlic, kale, onions, potatoes, Recipes By Ingredient, soups, The Recipes

from Hallie Harron

Serves 4

Tians are traditional rustic provincial casserole dishes that are oven proof and pretty enough to bring right to the table. A regular oval gratin or casserole is also just fine for this. The eggplant technique, given to me by author Mary Evans was need to salt it and saves lots of time and oil that usually goes into frying. The mild eggplant devours the flavor from the sauce and is soft, succulent and delicious.

1 medium eggplant, about 1 lb, sliced ¼-inch thick
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
3 large tomatoes, cored and roughly chopped
1 cup fresh basil, chopped
3 ozs fresh mozzarella, hand shredded
4 eggs, beaten
½ cup pitted Kalamata olives

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Oil an 10-inch oval tian, gratin or oven-proof skillet. Heat a large pot of salted water to boiling. Place eggplant slices in water and boil for 5 minutes. Remove with tongs to a paper towel and pat dry.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium. Add fennel, onion, garlic and season with salt and pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes or until onion has softened. Add tomatoes and cook for 7-8 minutes. The tomatoes will give off their juice and the liquid will have evaporated. Stir in ½ cup basil. Remove from heat. Line the bottom of the prepared pan with eggplant slices. Top with tomato mixture.

Pour eggs over the top. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with cheese and olives and remaining basil. Bake for an additional 20 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

basil, cucumbers, eggplant, entrees, garlic, onions, side dishes, soups, The Recipes, tomatoes

Serves 6

All the nightshades are braised together in a sauce of basil and cilantro, two herbs that are quite possibly even better in combination than they are separately. Serve warm or at room temperature with a spoonful of garlic-infused yogurt or a wedge of lemon.

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1½ pounds Yellow Finn, Russian Banana, or other waxy potatoes
2 large peppers, red and/or yellow bells or cubanelles
vegetable oil
1 cup packed basil leaves
1 cup packed cilantro leaves
3 large garlic cloves
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon roasted ground cumin
2 large onions, peeled and cut into eighths, or 16 very small onions
1 pound short oblong eggplants, such as Ichiban, quartered lengthwise
2 or 3 large meaty red tomatoes peeled, seeded, and diced
1½ cups cooked chickpeas (1 15-ounce can, rinsed)

Preheat the broiler. Bring 6 cups water to a boil and add 1 teaspoon salt. Slice the potatoes lengthwise about ½ inch thick, boil them for 5 minutes, and drain. Halve the peppers lengthwise, press to flatten them, then brush with vegetable oil. Broil, cut side down, on a baking sheet until blistered but not charred. Stack them on top of one another and set aside to steam. When cool, remove the skins and cut the pieces in half. Set the oven temperature at 350°F.

Coarsely chop the basil, cilantro, and garlic, then puree in a small food processor with olive oil, cumin and ½ teaspoon salt.

Toss all the vegetables with 1 teaspoon salt, some freshly ground pepper, and the herb mixture. Using your hands, rub the herb mixture into the vegetables, especially the eggplant, then add the chickpeas and toss once more. Transfer everything to an earthenware gratin dish. Rinse out the herb container with ½ cup water and pour it over all Cover the gratin dish tightly with foil and bake until tender, about 1½ hours. Remove the foil, brush the exposed vegetables with the juices, and bake for 20 minutes more. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

basil, cilantro, eggplant, entrees, garlic, onions, peppers, potatoes, Recipes By Ingredient, salads, side dishes, soups, stews, The Recipes

from Molly Beverly

Makes 2 cups.

Adapted from Mediterranean Cooking by Paula Wolfert (a great cookbook with a multitude of fantastic eggplant dishes.) Fire roasting the eggplant infuses it with a wonderful smoky flavor. If you have your barbeque going, definitely roast an eggplant for this dip. If not, use the oven-stove top method.

Greek Version:

1 medium eggplant, about 1 pound
2-3 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 clove garlic, crushed
salt
1/3 cup olive oil

Roast the eggplant. This works best on a gas or charcoal grill, outside, so your house does not heat up. Alternatively use a gas burner on your stove or roast in the oven on highest heat. Cook eggplant, turning occasionally until blackened and blistered and completely soft. Remove stems. Place roasted eggplant in blender or food processor (or finely chop). Add remaining ingredients and blend. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Served chilled with sesame crackers or wedges of pita bread.

Syrian version:

Add 1/2 cup plain yogurt.

Lebanese version (Baba Ghanoush):

Add 2 Tablespoons tahini, sesame seed paste. (Available at health food stores.)

appetizers, dips, eggplant, entrees, garlic, Recipes By Ingredient, side dishes, soups, The Recipes

Serves 4 to 6

Everything about this dish is summery and fresh-including the cook, who hasn’t
had to hover over a steamy stovetop to achieve this surprisingly intense blend of
flavors. A shareholder recipe-tester says the sour cream gives this soup lovely
richness and suggests using a little finely chopped fresh dill for a pretty garnish.

4 cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 to 2 cups water
2 cups plain yogurt (or 1 cup plain yogurt combined with 1 cup sour cream)
1 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
Several fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried dill
1 tablespoon honey
1 to 2 teaspoons salt
2 scallions, finely chopped

1. Combine the chopped cucumber, 1 cup water, yogurt, garlic, mint, dill, honey, and 1 teaspoon salt in a blender or food processor. Puree the ingredients, adding more of the water until the soup is a consistency you like. Season with more salt to taste.
2. Transfer the soup to a large bowl and chill for several hours. Garnish each serving with chopped scallions.

cucumbers, dill, mint, Recipes By Ingredient, soups, The Recipes

(recipe from the book Local Flavors used with permission of the author, Deborah Madison)

Serves 6 as an appetizer.

I’ve been making Sun Gold tomato soups ever since sipping one that was astonishing at Casablanca restaurant in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The little yellow-orange tomatoes are so sweet that you really have to have the vinegar.

(At the restaurant they used a full-bodied Spanish Chardonnay vinegar.)

You needn’t serve more than a taste of this sweet-tart soup. It makes a stimulating,
eye-opening start to a summer meat on a hot day.

2 pints Sun Gold cherry tomatoes
2 shallots, finely diced
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons Spanish Chardonnay vinegar or champagne vinegar, plus a few
drops sherry vinegar
2 teaspoons finely diced and seeded Serrano chile, optional
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 firm avocado, finely diced
1 tablespoon chopped basil or cilantro

1. Pluck the stems off the tomatoes and rinse them. Add them to a heavy
   saucepan with a tight-fitting lid with half the shallots, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1 cup
   water. Cook over medium-high heat, keeping one ear inclined to the pot. Soon
   you’ll hear the tomatoes popping. Take a peek after a few minutes to make sure
   there’s sufficient moisture in the pan you don’t want the tomatoes to scorch. If the
   skins are slow to pop, add a few tablespoons water. Once they release their
   juices, lower the heat and cook, covered, for 25 minutes.
2. Run the tomatoes through a food mill. You’ll have about 2 cups. Chill well, then taste for salt.
3. Just before serving, combine the remaining shallots in a bowl with the vinegar, chile if using, oil, avocado, and herbs. Season with a pinch or two of salt and some pepper. Spoon the soup into small cups, divide the garnish among them,
   and serve.

appetizers, basil, chiles, cilantro, onions, soups, tomatoes

(recipe from the book Local Flavors used with permission of the author, Deborah Madison)

Serves 4 as a main dish.

This September soup is flushed with the colors of early fall. In addition to their attractive appearance, the yellow-hues signify more sweetness in the peppers and less acidity in the tomatoes, making a soup with a softer flavor than if it were made with the green peppers and red tomatoes bought, perhaps, a few weeks earlier. If you have thick, meaty peppers and the time to grill them first, they’ll make the soup slightly smoky and silky textured. Otherwise, just chop them with the skins on. Smoked Spanish paprika will also give the soup a hint of smoke.

1 pound yellow or orange tomatoes
1/3 cup white rice
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
3 yellow or orange bell peppers (add Whipstone peppers to taste)
2 tablespoons olive oil
pinch saffron threads
1 bay leaf
2 thyme sprigs, leaves plucked from the stems
1 teaspoon sweet paprika or ½ teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 quart Vegetable Stock, Chicken stock, or water
slivered opal basil or chopped marjoram and parsley for garnish

1. Bring 2 quarts water to a boil. Slice an X at the base of each tomato. Plunge them, 2 at a time, into the water for about 10 seconds, then remove and set
   aside. Add the rice and ½ teaspoon salt to the water, lower the heat to simmer, and cook until the rice is tender about 12 minutes. Drain.
2. Chop the onion. Mince the garlic with a pinch of salt until mushy. Dice the
   peppers into small squares, removing the seeds and membranes first. Your
   should have about 2 cups. Peel and seed the tomatoes, reserving the juice, then
   dice the walls and mince the core.
3. Warm the oil in a soup pot and add the onions, peppers, saffron, bay leaf,
   thyme, and paprika. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion
   has begun to soften and color, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic, then stir in the
   tomato paste and 1 teaspoon salt. Give it a stir and add 1/4 cup water. Stew for 5
   minutes, then add the tomatoes, their juice, and the stock. Bring to a boil, then
   reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 25 minutes.
4. When ready to serve, reheat the soup with the rice, then ladle it in bowls. Or make a mound of rice in each bowl and spoon the soup around it. Season with
   pepper and garnish with fine slivers of opal basil leaves or marjoram chopped
   with a few parsley leaves.

basil, garlic, onions, parsley, peppers, soups, thyme, tomatoes

(recipe from the book Local Flavors used with permission of the author, Deborah Madison)

Serves 2 – 4.

Sorrel fares miserably when packaged in plastic clamshells—it just falls apart.

Plus sorrel is something you want to use by the bunch, not just by the leaf, and
the farmers’ market is one place you can often find this tart, lemony herb in
abundance.

Lovage is harder to find, even at the farmers’ market, but ask an herb seller if she has some or would consider growing it. It’s an easy herb to grow, and its bracing, dynamic flavor adds a tot of personality to all kinds of dishes. Together these herbs give this soup a mysterious flavor that’s a little hard to place but definitely exciting. (A small bunch of cilantro would do the same thing, lacking the other herbs.) Made with the lesser amount of liquid, the soup is thick and hearty. Using the full amount makes a more refined soup.

Serve with small croutons crisped in olive oil or with a few tablespoons of cooked rice in each bowl.

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 small potatoes, thinly sliced
1 carrot, thinly sliced
3 to 4 cups (6 to 8 ounces) sorrel, stems removed
4 cups chard leaves
1 cup lovage or cilantro leaves, finely chopped
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
4 to 6 cups vegetable stock, chicken stock, or water
lemon juice or white wine vinegar
1/3 cup crème fraîche

1. Warm the butter and oil in a soup pot. Add the onion, potatoes, carrot. sorrel, and chard, along with the water clinging to its leaves. Add two thirds of the
   lovage and sprinkle 1½ teaspoons salt over all. Cover and cook over low heat
   until the greens have collapsed and the potatoes are partially cooked, about 15
   minutes. If the pan seems too dry at any point, add water in small increments so
   that nothing burns.
2. Add the stock or water, bring to a boil, and simmer, partially covered, for 15 minutes. Puree or leave the soup with some texture. Stir in the remaining lovage. Taste for salt and season with pepper and lemon juice or vinegar to taste to bring out the flavors. Sometimes several adjustments are necessary to get it right. Stir in the crème fraîche and serve.

carrots, cilantro, lovage, onions, potatoes, sorrel, soups, swiss chard

(recipe from the book Local Flavors used with permission of the author, Deborah Madison)

Serves 4 – 6

The Noodle Nests
2 eggs, separated
3 ounces, (1 3/4 cups) fine egg noodles such as fideos or capellini, uncooked
1/3 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
sea salt
peanut oil for frying

1. Beat the egg whites until they hold firm peaks, then stir in the yolks, noodles, cheese, and cilantro. Season with a few pinches of salt, then really work the mixture with your hands or a wooden spoon so that it’s more or less
   homogenous. It will look impossibly dry and stiff.
2. Heat enough oil in a medium skillet over medium-high hear to float the
   noodles, at least 1/3 inch. When it’s hot, drop the batter into the oil, dividing it into
   4 or 6 portions by eye.
3. Fry until golden, about 1 minute, then turn and fry the second side, another minute. Set aside on paper towels. These can be made hours ahead of time.

The Soup
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 bunches scallions, including an inch or 2 of the greens, finely chopped
1 celery rib, diced
1 cup finely chopped cilantro stems and leaves, packed
Leaves from 1 bunch chard, green or rainbow (bright lights), about 6 cups, packed
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
6 cups vegetable or chicken stock, or water
Cilantro sprigs for garnish

1. Warm the oil in a soup pot. Add the scallions and celery and cook over
   medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. After a few minutes, add the cilantro and
   ½ cup water so that the vegetables stew rather then fry. Add the chard leaves,
   sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt, then cover and cook until the chard has wilted
   down. Add the stock or water.
2. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and add the noodle nests to the pot. Simmer until the chard is tender, about 10 minutes. Taste for salt and season with
   pepper. Ladle the soup into soup plates, include a noodle nest in each bowl, and
   serve garnished with a sprig of cilantro.

cilantro, onions, soups, swiss chard