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Authors: James Beard
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remaining vegetables to the pot.
Drain the soaked beans, add them to the pot, and simmer a further 2½ hours, stirring occasionally. If the mixture gets too thick or if the beans are not completely covered with liquid, add more water. When the beans are soft, purée all the ingredients by processing in batches in a blender with the lid ajar or in a food processor. Reheat the puréed soup with the Madeira. Serve, sprinkling each serving with chopped parsley and hard-boiled egg, and top with a lemon slice.
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Editor: Mario Batali’s temple to Italian-inspired gastronomy, Babbo, is in the same location as the Coach House, passing the culinary torch.
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BORSCH
MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS
There are many version of borsch. This one makes an excellent one-dish meal for supper or a winter lunch, when served with some good black bread and butter, and followed by cheese and fruit. There should be a balance of sweet and sour, so adjust the lemon juice and sugar to taste. If possible, add cooked meat from the stock for a heartier soup.
3 quarts Beef Stock
4 or 5 small raw beets, shredded
4 baking potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
2 medium yellow onions, coarsely chopped
2 cups finely shredded green cabbage
½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 or 3 tablespoons sugar
2 cups cooked beef (from the Beef Stock), diced
Bring the stock to a boil in a large pot. Add the beets and simmer 15 minutes, then add the remaining vegetables, and cook until the potatoes and cabbage are soft and sufficiently overcooked to give the soup body, about 40 minutes. Add the lemon juice and as much sugar as needed to augment the natural sweetness of the beets, adjusting the ratio to taste. Stir in the cooked beef and serve in large heated bowls or soup plates.
CALIFORNIA GAZPACHO
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
The Spanish gazpacho had become one of the most universally popular uncooked, cold soups and, as was to be expected, variations have proliferated. Traditionally, the soup is a combination of puréed raw vegetables, garlic, bread crumbs, oil, vinegar, water, and seasonings—served well chilled with an ice cube in the soup plate and a garnish, passed in separate bowls, of the same vegetables, finely chopped, and sometimes small croutons. This version has more texture and needs no vegetable garnish.
For the Soup
2½ cups chilled tomato juice, as needed
3 pounds ripe tomatoes
2 cucumbers
½ cup finely chopped green bell pepper
½ cup finely chopped yellow onion
1 ⁄ 3 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
¼ teaspoon Tabasco
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Croutons
1 cup diced (½-inch) day-old white bread
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
To make the soup: Pour enough tomato juice into an ice cube tray to make 6 cubes; freeze until solid, at least 4 hours.
Peel and seed the tomatoes and chop finely, saving as much of the juice as possible. Peel the cucumbers, split lengthwise, scoop out seeds with a teaspoon, and chop finely. Combine the tomatoes and their juice, 2 cups of tomato juice, the cucumbers, bell pepper, onion, oil, vinegar, garlic, and Tabasco in a large mixing bowl. Season with the salt and pepper. Stir well, cover with plastic wrap, and chill until very cold, 3 or 4 hours.
To make the croutons: Sauté the bread cubes in the olive oil with the garlic in a large skillet over medium-high heat until lightly browned on all sides, tossing them well. Do not let the bread or the garlic burn. Transfer to paper towels to drain and cool.
Taste the gazpacho for seasoning and add more salt, pepper, Tabasco, and garlic, if needed. Serve in chilled bowls or soup plates with a frozen tomato-juice cube in each and pass the croutons in a bowl.
MY FAVORITE CLAM CHOWDER
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
Mother took a dim view of the average clam chowder. The one we loved was magnificently creamy and filled with the smokiness of bacon and piquancy of thyme. The clams and their juice were added
Drain the soaked beans, add them to the pot, and simmer a further 2½ hours, stirring occasionally. If the mixture gets too thick or if the beans are not completely covered with liquid, add more water. When the beans are soft, purée all the ingredients by processing in batches in a blender with the lid ajar or in a food processor. Reheat the puréed soup with the Madeira. Serve, sprinkling each serving with chopped parsley and hard-boiled egg, and top with a lemon slice.
----
Editor: Mario Batali’s temple to Italian-inspired gastronomy, Babbo, is in the same location as the Coach House, passing the culinary torch.
----
BORSCH
MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS
There are many version of borsch. This one makes an excellent one-dish meal for supper or a winter lunch, when served with some good black bread and butter, and followed by cheese and fruit. There should be a balance of sweet and sour, so adjust the lemon juice and sugar to taste. If possible, add cooked meat from the stock for a heartier soup.
3 quarts Beef Stock
4 or 5 small raw beets, shredded
4 baking potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
2 medium yellow onions, coarsely chopped
2 cups finely shredded green cabbage
½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 or 3 tablespoons sugar
2 cups cooked beef (from the Beef Stock), diced
Bring the stock to a boil in a large pot. Add the beets and simmer 15 minutes, then add the remaining vegetables, and cook until the potatoes and cabbage are soft and sufficiently overcooked to give the soup body, about 40 minutes. Add the lemon juice and as much sugar as needed to augment the natural sweetness of the beets, adjusting the ratio to taste. Stir in the cooked beef and serve in large heated bowls or soup plates.
CALIFORNIA GAZPACHO
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
The Spanish gazpacho had become one of the most universally popular uncooked, cold soups and, as was to be expected, variations have proliferated. Traditionally, the soup is a combination of puréed raw vegetables, garlic, bread crumbs, oil, vinegar, water, and seasonings—served well chilled with an ice cube in the soup plate and a garnish, passed in separate bowls, of the same vegetables, finely chopped, and sometimes small croutons. This version has more texture and needs no vegetable garnish.
For the Soup
2½ cups chilled tomato juice, as needed
3 pounds ripe tomatoes
2 cucumbers
½ cup finely chopped green bell pepper
½ cup finely chopped yellow onion
1 ⁄ 3 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
¼ teaspoon Tabasco
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Croutons
1 cup diced (½-inch) day-old white bread
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
To make the soup: Pour enough tomato juice into an ice cube tray to make 6 cubes; freeze until solid, at least 4 hours.
Peel and seed the tomatoes and chop finely, saving as much of the juice as possible. Peel the cucumbers, split lengthwise, scoop out seeds with a teaspoon, and chop finely. Combine the tomatoes and their juice, 2 cups of tomato juice, the cucumbers, bell pepper, onion, oil, vinegar, garlic, and Tabasco in a large mixing bowl. Season with the salt and pepper. Stir well, cover with plastic wrap, and chill until very cold, 3 or 4 hours.
To make the croutons: Sauté the bread cubes in the olive oil with the garlic in a large skillet over medium-high heat until lightly browned on all sides, tossing them well. Do not let the bread or the garlic burn. Transfer to paper towels to drain and cool.
Taste the gazpacho for seasoning and add more salt, pepper, Tabasco, and garlic, if needed. Serve in chilled bowls or soup plates with a frozen tomato-juice cube in each and pass the croutons in a bowl.
MY FAVORITE CLAM CHOWDER
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
Mother took a dim view of the average clam chowder. The one we loved was magnificently creamy and filled with the smokiness of bacon and piquancy of thyme. The clams and their juice were added
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