Spring is upon us and that means that soon we’ll enjoy fresh, lush tomatoes denied to us in winter—unless you want to take a chance on those tasteless cellophane-wrapped things found in supermarkets. In fact, they taste like the cellophane they’re wrapped in. In winter, I mainly rely on Italian canned tomatoes, the only thing comparable to the summer stuff.

One of my favorite dishes at this time is a thick Tuscan tomato soup, papa al pomodoro. Now, here translations get tricky. “Papa” in Italian, is a phrase for “father.” Then we have Il Papa , which is the Pope. So could this soup translate as the “Pope’s soup?” My Italian friends tell me there is no reference to this dish having anything to do with the Pope. They say the closest thing one can refer to this soup is as a mash or “mush of tomatoes.” Whatever.  The soup can be prepared with any spices on hand. But everyone agrees it usually contains garlic, olive oil, and basil. But the prime ingredient, apart from tomatoes, is bread, preferably stale or day-old bread. I’ve cooked this soup with fresh and stale bread and I’ve noticed no difference whatsoever in taste or texture. Wanna be traditional, use stale bread. Don’t have it, use fresh bread. Your call. Either way, it’s the perfect summertime dish served at room temperature.

Let me add that I like this soup thick, so I don’t use that much chicken broth (¾ cup is enough). If you prefer it soupier, you can add more broth as desired.

Ingredients

4 clove garlic, chopped

3 tablespoons olive oil

Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

1-2 pounds ripe tomatoes (or 1 28-oz can Italian plum tomatoes), coarsely chopped

½ loaf of large baguette or Italian bread, cut into 1-inch chunks

¾ cup chicken broth or stock

2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil leaves or 1 teaspoon dried

Ground black pepper to taste

Parmesan cheese

1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan or skillet on medium-high heat. Add garlic and pepper flakes, and cook for about 30 seconds (do not let garlic get brown).
2. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes.
3. Stir in bread, chicken broth, and basil. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 1 hour or more. Serve at room temperature, topped with additional olive oil, black pepper, and Parmesan cheese.

Yield: 4 servings.

This weather is tailor made for Carne Guisada, or beef stew Puerto Rican style. Carne guisada is prominent in what we call criollo cooking. That is, traditional Puerto Rican cooking derived from native Caribbean influences. As such, we Nuyoricans (New York Puerto Ricans, whether born or raised in New York City) love the dish; although it has countless variants. I’ve seen recipes where raisins and sweet peas, carrots and even squash are added. My cousin Yvonne used to boil the meat first then add the remaining ingredients. Some cooks add beef bones to the stew. Others cook the potatoes separately. Whatever method is used, the results are uniformly good.

This dish is not the standard beef stew found in the U.S. mainland and other parts of the world. It has more seasoning than the usual salt and pepper. It also includes achiote, that is, annatto seeds cooked in a little olive oil. The oil then acquires a deep red color that is added to the dish. If you don’t have the patience to prepare achiote, you get get a store bought variety in any Asian or Caribbean market (or, for that matter, most supermarkets these days). Or you can substitute sazón accent (Goya products makes a good version). Carne guisada is usually served with rice and tostones (deep fried plantains). Recipes for tostones and achiote can be found in my first cookbook,Puertio Rican Cuisine in America Perseus Books – Running Press).

CARNE GUISADA
     (Beef Stew)

2 pounds beef round steak, trimmed and cut into 1-inch chunks
1/4 cup olive oil or vegetable oil
1 medium onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 tomato sauce
1 tablespoon achiote
10-12 pimento stuffed olives
1 tablespoon capers
1 bay lead
1/2 cup water
1 pound Maine or Idaho potatoes, peeled and cubed 

1. Wash meat and pat dry with paper towels.
2. In a Dutch oven or heavy kettle, heat the oil, add beef chunks, onion, bell pepper, oregano, garlic and stir-fry over moderate heat until meat is brown.
3. Add salt, tomato sauce, achiote, olives, capers and bay leaf. Mix and cook for 5 minutes.
4. Add water, bring to a rapid boil, cover and simmer over low hear for 30 minutes.
5. Add potatoes, stir to combine, and bring to a rapid boil. Cover and simmer for another 30 minutes.
6. Serve over steamed white or yellow rice.
    Yield: 5 servings.

Photo: courtesy of YELP – José Enrique: Photos

No, its not what you think. Cock-a-Leekie, believe it or not, is a soup of Scottish origin made with leeks and chicken. It is referred to as Scotland’s “national soup.” Think of asopao in Puerto Rican cooking, udon in Japanese cuisine, or good old chicken soup in America. According to the New York Times Food Encyclopedia, the dish most likely originated in France, where it was initially made with onions. By the 16th century it had reached Scotland, and the onions had been replaced with leeks. How the name “cock-a-leekie” came about? No one knows. But tell any Scotsman or woman about cock-a-leekie, and their eyes will sparkle.

Let me add that in some recipes, prunes are added to the soup. I’ve never added prunes. Also, I add onions to to my recipe, which I acquired years ago. I also add garlic since I’m a garlic freak. This soup goes great with a hearty ale (I prefer an IPA or India Pale Ale) and some good crusty bread.

COCK-A-LEEKIE

1 three-pound chicken with giblets
8 cups water or more to cover
Salt to taste
10 whole peppercorns, crushed
1 bay leaf
3 sprigs parsley
1 carrot, trimmed, scraped and quartered
4 cups finely shredded leaks (before shredding, cut the leeks into 3-inch lengths)
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

3 tablespoons rice

1. Truss the chicken if you prefer. Add it to large pot or kettle, and add the neck, if used, and giblets. Add the water, salt, pepper, bay leaf, parsley and carrot. Bring to a boil and simmer, skimming the surface often to remove scum and foam, for 20 minutes.
2. Add the leeks, onion, garlic and rice, and continue simmering 20 minutes longer. Remove and discard the parsley and bay leaf.
3. Remove the chicken and giblets. Now, you can either serve the soup, without the chicken, as a first course; and serve the chicken later, carved as a main course. Or you can serve the cut-up chicken in bowls with the soup.
    Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Picture: courtesy of Farm Clipart Images

In Puerto Rican and Nuyorican cuisine, one of our aces is asopao. I think it’s a conjured up word from our culture. Spanish meas “soup.” An asopao is A-soup+; that is, a hearty, stick to the ribs stew that, though hailing from the Caribbean, is prefect for the kind of weather we are now enduring on the East Coast, or any Nordic climate. Nothing beats this hefty dish traditionally served with tostones (fried green plantains).

When the day gets cold, or you’re recovering from the flu, asopao is our version of Jewish penicillin: chicken noodle soup. The favorite Rivera family asopao is made with pigeon peas with rice soup. Now, here we come to the classic argument: whether to use fresh pigeon peas or canned peas instead. The cooking time will be cut by more than half if you use canned pre-cooked peas. Problem is, as my elders claim, it will not be kosher. You lose the soul of the dish when using canned peas. Some people really believe that. If you’re looking for quickie convenience, honestly, this is not he recipe to try. But if you put in the time and love required, you’re taste buds will be transported and you’ll be amply rewarded. If you don’t have tostones, this recipe goes great with good, warm, crusty bread. Add a light red wine such as a Bardolino or Gamey, and you’re in heaven.

The recipe given is from my cookbook, Puerto Rican Cuisine in America (Avalon Books: Thunders Mouth Press).

ASOPAO DE GANDULES CON ARROZ