Italian Wedding Soup

Meatballs:

• 1 small onion, grated
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 slice fresh white bread, crust trimmed, bread torn into small pieces
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 8 ounces ground beef
• 8 ounces ground pork
• Freshly ground black pepper

Soup:

• 12 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 pound curly endive, coarsely chopped (1 pound of escarole would be a good substitution)
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for garnish
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

To make the meatballs: Stir the first 6 ingredients in a large bowl to blend. Stir in the cheese, beef and pork. Using 1 1/2 teaspoons for each, shape the meat mixture into 1-inch-diameter meatballs. Place on a baking sheet.

To make the soup: Bring the broth to a boil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and curly endive and simmer until the meatballs are cooked through and the curly endive is tender, about 8 minutes. Whisk the eggs and cheese in a medium bowl to blend. Stir the soup in a circular motion. Gradually drizzle the egg mixture into the moving broth, stirring gently with a fork to form thin stands of egg, about 1 minute. Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper.

Ladle the soup into bowls and serve. Finish soup with parmesan cheese if desired.

Variation: add Acini-de-pepe pasta

Yield: 8 servings

from the Food Network (Everyday Italian) [user rating: 5 stars]

Rhubarb Ginger Cooler

To call this bracing pink drink a rhubarb-infused ginger ale doesn’t do it justice; it’s much less syrupy-sweet and more cooling. The slightly tart flavor of rhubarb pairs well with lush picnic dishes.

• 3 1/2 lb fresh rhubarb stalks, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (10 cups)
• 2 1/2 cups cold water
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped peeled fresh ginger
• About 2 cups sparkling water

Bring rhubarb, cold water, sugar, and ginger to a simmer in a 4- to 5-quart pot over moderate heat, uncovered, stirring once or twice, then simmer 1 minute. Remove from heat and let steep, uncovered, 1 hour.

Pour mixture through a large fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl, gently stirring but not pressing on solids (discard solids; you will have about 6 cups syrup). Chill syrup completely, about 45 minutes.

Serve syrup in glasses over ice with a splash of sparkling water.

Cooks' notes: Syrup can be made 3 days ahead and chilled, covered. Add sparkling water just before serving. Syrup keeps, frozen, 3 months.

Servings: Makes 12 drinks.

from Gourmet

Sausage, Sourdough, and Bell Pepper Spiedini

• 3 tablespoons Sherry wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove, pressed
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 12 (2 x 1 1/2-inch) pieces assorted bell peppers (about 2 bell peppers)
• 1 package kielbasa sausage
• 1 medium red onion, cut into 1 1/2-inch-wide wedges, trimmed, layers separated
• 8 (1 1/4-inch) cubes crusty whole wheat sourdough bread
• 4 cups mixed baby greens

Prepare grill (medium-high heat). Whisk first 4 ingredients in small bowl, then whisk in oil. Season dressing with salt and pepper; set aside. On metal skewers, thread bell pepper pieces, onion pieces, and bread cubes. Brush skewers all over with 1 tablespoon dressing each. Grill skewers and kielbasa until lightly charred, turning often, about 12 minutes. Toss greens in large bowl with enough remaining dressing to coat. Top with bread, onion, and peppers.

Serves 2 1/2.

Nutritional analysis per serving: 843.84 Calories (kcal), 67.9% Calories from Fat, 63.63 (g) Fat, 14.05 (g) Saturated Fat, 49.45 (mg) Cholesterol (mg), 43.72 (g) Carbohydrates, 6.41 (g) Dietary Fiber, 7.21 (g) Total Sugars, 37.31 (g) Net Carbs, 25.55 (g) Protein

Black Bean and Mango Salad

• 1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups diced mango
• 1 cup diced red bell pepper
• 6 green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 seeded, minced jalapeno chili
• salt to taste
• leaf lettuce and/or tortilla

Combine everything in a bowl, toss and serve on a bed of lettuce or wrapped in a tortilla.

Blackened Striped Bass with Corn Spoon Bread and Greens

• Unsalted butter, for the pan
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 10-ounce package frozen corn
• 1 bunch scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 6-ounce pieces striped bass
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning or blackened spice mix
• 4 cups mixed greens

Heat oven to 350° F.

Butter an 8-inch square baking dish.

Heat the cream in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the cornmeal and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the corn, scallions, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Remove from heat, stir in the eggs, and spread evenly in the prepared baking dish. Bake until set and golden brown around the edges, about 40 minutes.

When the bread has 15 minutes left to bake, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle the bass with the Cajun seasoning and cook until opaque and beginning to flake, about 4 minutes per side.

Divide the greens among individual plates and drizzle with the remaining oil. Serve with the bass and spoon bread.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

CALORIES 740(61% from fat); FAT 54g (sat 29g); SUGAR 19g; PROTEIN 42g; CHOLESTEROL 363mg; SODIUM 767mg; FIBER 5g; CARBOHYDRATE 27g

from Real Simple

Crispy Breaded Shrimp with Garlicky Beans

• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 19-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 bunches arugula, trimmed

Heat oven to 400° F.

Mix the bread crumbs, rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large bowl. Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Transfer shrimp and any excess crumbs to a baking sheet. Bake until the shrimp are cooked through and the bread crumbs are crispy, 10 to 12 minutes.

Heat the remaining oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the beans, 1/4 cup water, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, add the arugula, and toss to combine.

Divide the beans among individual plates and serve with the shrimp. Sprinkle any extra bread crumbs from the pan over the top.

Substitution:If fresh rosemary is not available--or not one of your favorite herbs--use sage or thyme instead.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

CALORIES 470(42% from fat); FAT 22g (sat 3g); SUGAR 4g; PROTEIN 35g; CHOLESTEROL 172mg; SODIUM 691mg; FIBER 8g; CARBOHYDRATE 33g

reviewer notes: less rosemary, add red pepper flakes, more beans or less arugula

from Real Simple

Sweet Braised Winter Greens

J'nene Wade makes two versions of this cool-weather side dish - one with Swiss chard, dried sour cherries, and pecans and this one, with collard greens, raisins, and pine nuts.

• 2 pounds collard greens
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 red onion (about 8 oz.) peeled, halved, and thinly slivered lengthwise
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons golden raisins
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• Salt and pepper

1. Rinse collard greens and tear leaves from center ribs; discard center ribs and stems.

2. Pour oil into a 12- to 14-inch frying pan over medium-high heat; when hot, add onion and garlic and stir frequently until onion is limp, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, raisins, pine nuts, and collard greens. Stir frequently until greens are slightly wilted, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce heat, cover, and cook until greens are very wilted and tender to bite, about 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste; serve at once.

Yield: Makes 6 side-dish servings

Nutritional Information: CALORIES 144(54% from fat); FAT 8.7g (sat 1.2g); PROTEIN 3.5g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; SODIUM 24mg; FIBER 4.2g; CARBOHYDRATE 16g

J'nene Wade, Sandpoint, Idaho , Sunset, NOVEMBER 2002