Recipes from professional Chef Tallyrand:
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ITALIAN
SOUP MINESTRA DI ZUCCINI
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ITALIAN
SOUP MINESTRA DI ZUCCINI
Playing
catch up . . . . .
I said in my last column; two weeks ago, that I would
be visiting my favourite Italian dishes and sharing
the recipes over the next few weeks. It is with sadness
that I hear of the earthquake tragedies happening there
this week, therefore this week's and the following weeks
recipes I dedicate to those that have lost loved ones
and for the school children who's lives were so tragically
cut short this week.
Because of computer crashes, a busy schedule with my
students and travelling the country, restaurant reviewing,
I am having to play catch up with you all this week.
What's new with me in New Zealand? Where do I start?
- On
a personal note . . . I should first say a BIG congratulations
to my (Pastry Chef) brother who got engaged last month
and trust me this is a big event! After our initial
training in the UK and a two year apprenticeship in
Germany, Jim has spent the last twenty-five odd years
travelling the world footloose and fancy free, not
to mention dodging the alter. We all thought he was
a confirmed life member of the bachelor club. But
at the tender age of forty-five the love bug has finally
bit hard and it looks like I am finally to be a best
man!
- Now
I have a request or two myself. Unfortunately I have
been experiencing the inevitable computer crashes
. . . after five trusty years my laptop has decided
to start throwing tantrums: rogue ram, hard-drive
wearing out, lost modem driver you name it. Hopefully
it is all now sorted. However, as it was up and running
one minute and crashing the next, I have lost emails
and addresses. So my first request is . . . if you
have emailed me this last few weeks and not had a
reply from me, please email again with your recipe
request, culinary inquiry etc.
- My
next request is: I, myself, am on the hunt for a recipe.
Coincidentally after mentioning in my last column
about Italian cuisine, I received an email asking
if I could supply someone with a recipe, an Italian
one. And I had to finally admit defeat . . . I have
finally been caught out with a recipe I could not
supply. Does anyone know of / have the recipe for
'Osso di morti'? They are a biscuit / cookie that
are traditionally made for All Saints Day (the day
after Halloween). The name literally translates as
deadman's fingers or death bones. I have combed all
my recipes, all my Italian cookbooks, been to the
library and scoured the internet . . . but all to
no avail. So if you know of this recipe, I would love
to hear from you.
Those
requests out of the way, on to recipes. As previously
mentioned, I am going to share some of my favourite
Italian dishes with you over the next few weeks. Talk
about unusual ingredients all you like, boast about
complicated dishes if you will, chat about the latest
foodie craze at your peril . . . for me there is no
substitute for good solid, ingredients well prepared
into the simplest of dishes. For me no one does that
better than the Italians . . . well okay maybe the Chinese
and Japanese are well up there too, but lets not split
hairs.
For
previous Italian recipes I have covered:
Italy
is where I learnt how to make 'instant soups',
but not of the packet variety I hasten to add. If you
have a blender or food processor this soup should take
not much longer to prepare and cook than the time it
takes to heat a tinned or packet soup and of course
you are guaranteed freshness.
Like me there will be times when you have needed to
knock up a quick soup. Well unlike the classical French
recipes that have endless amounts of unnecessary ingredients,
prolonged cooking times and intricate methods, the Italians
have long been making quick and easy soups. With its
fresh ingredients and short cooking time, these are
not only very nutritious but also possess a wonderful
freshness of flavour.
I am using courgettes, but it works equally well with
marrow or cucumber also. But why limit yourself there?
Apply the same preparation and cooking method as below
and throw away all those prolonged cooking time soup
recipes and make them the fresh way . . . you might
just need to cook the soup a little longer for root
vegetables like carrots or blanch and refresh leaf vegetables
like spinach first.
Minestra
di Zuccini
Ingredients
| courgettes |
500
|
gm |
| olive
oil |
50
|
ml |
| flour |
25
|
gm |
| chicken
or vegetable stock |
1
1/2
|
ltr |
| basil
- fresh and finely chopped |
1
|
tbs |
| mint
- fresh and finely chopped |
1
|
tbs |
| cream |
75
|
ml |
Method
- Rinse
the courgettes, top and tail if required and cut into
small pieces
- Place
in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped
(complete in two or three lots depending on the size
of the processor)
- Lightly
heat the oil in a saucepan, add the courgette and
gently cook until lightly softened but not browned
and oil has been absorbed (approx. 2 - 3 minutes)
- Sprinkle
in the flour and stir through. This small amount of
flour is to allow the oil to be absorbed more and
lightly thicken the soup, it may be omitted if you
wish
- Add
the stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 5 - 10
minutes
- Stir
in the basil and mint
- Stir
through the cream, allow to boil once more
- Pour
into bowls and serve with grated / shaved cheese on
top: cheddar, parmesan, pecorino, etc.
| Legend: |
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|
|
| |
lt |
=
|
litres |
| |
ml |
=
|
millelitres |
| |
kg |
=
|
kilograms |
| |
gm |
=
|
grams |
| |
tsp |
=
|
teaspoon |
| |
tbs |
=
|
tablespoon |
| |
sq |
=
|
sufficient
quantity (add to taste) |
| |
pc |
=
|
piece,
meaning a whole one of |
Enjoy
and bon appetit . . . . .
Published
03
November
2002
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