Rachael Ray's Big Orange Book (17 page)

From tiny villages to big cities and everywhere in between in Spain—especially in and around Madrid—every family has a beloved recipe for this traditional stew. I live in New York, but here's my stab at it.

SERVES 4 TO 6

Heat the EVOO in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium to medium-high heat. Add the chorizo and cook for 2 to 3 minutes to render some of the fat, then remove to a bowl with a slotted spoon. To the drippings, add the cabbage and cook and turn to wilt it down. While the cabbage wilts, trim the top 3 to 4 inches and root ends of the leeks, then halve them lengthwise and slice them thin. Swish in a large bowl of water to release the grit. Repeat if the leeks are especially sandy. Wipe down your work area. Pat the clean leeks dry on a kitchen towel and add to the cabbage with the grated carrot. Season with salt and pepper and sweat the vegetables for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chickpeas and chicken stock to the pot, cover, and bring to a boil.

When the stew boils, uncover the pot and reduce the heat a bit, but keep it at a low boil. Stir in the chicken.

Place the ground meat in a bowl and top with the bread crumbs or crumbled bread. Season the mixture with paprika, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Add a handful of the parsley to the bowl and add the egg. Using your hands, combine the ingredients, then form the mixture into 1-inch meatballs, adding them to the soup as you go. Wash your hands well. Simmer the meatballs for 5 minutes, then stir in the pasta and simmer for 5 minutes more. Turn off the soup.

While the soup cooks, combine the remaining parsley with the lemon zest, garlic, and chopped tomatoes in a small bowl.

Serve the cocido in shallow bowls topped with spoonfuls of the tomato mixture to stir in.

NOTE
Fideo
is the Spanish word for “noodle.” In Mexico it refers to a type of fine pasta similar to angel hair; in Spain it refers to very short noodles used in place of rice in some dishes.

STEAK HOUSE SHEPHERD'S PIE
WITH
TOMATO AND SHRIMP SALAD
WITH
HORSERADISH DRESSING

I must admit I have a weakness for old-school steak houses, and New York has several good ones. I always order an aged cut of meat with onions and mushrooms alongside, a tomato salad with bacon, and a shrimp cocktail with extra horseradish. Here I've repackaged the whole experience in a new, and much more affordable, way.

SERVES 4 to 6

Place the potatoes in a pot, cover them with cold water, and bring to a boil. Season the water with salt and cook the potatoes until tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Heads up: save a ladle of the starchy cooking water just before draining. Return the drained potatoes to the pot you cooked them in to dry them out a little.

While the potatoes cook, heat an ovenproof skillet with high sides over medium-high heat. Add the EVOO and the bacon. Crisp the bacon and remove to a paper-towel-lined plate. Add the ground sirloin to the pan and brown for 4 to 5 minutes, breaking the meat up as you go. Add the onions and mushrooms and cook until tender, 6 to 7 minutes more, then season with salt and pepper.

While the meat cooks, melt the butter in a small sauce pot over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, cook for 2 minutes, then whisk in the beef stock and add the Worcestershire. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, simmer for 6 to 7 minutes to thicken, then add to the skillet with the beef mixture.

Preheat the broiler.

Temper the egg yolk by beating it with the reserved starchy potato cooking water. Add the egg yolk and sour cream to the warm potatoes, then fold in the blue cheese crumbles and the chives. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper, then spread them over the meat in an even layer. Sprinkle the potatoes with paprika and slide the pan under the broiler to crisp and brown the potatoes, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately right from the hot skillet.

Tomato and Shrimp Salad with Horseradish Dressing

SERVES 4

Arrange the tomatoes on a platter and arrange the shrimp down the middle. Combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Pour a strip of the creamy dressing across the serving platter.

French Onion Sliced Steak with Gruyère Sauce and Green Beans

I had a chance to visit the set of that great TV comedy
The New Adventures of Old Christine
. The cast and crew raved about the food their chef dished up. That day it was French onion soup with sirloin steak—delish! I got the idea to make the same, minus the broth, with a simple broiled, sliced steak topped with mounds of soft, sweet onions. In a wink 'n' nudge to soup with a cheesy crouton top, the steak and onions get a dousing of Gruyère gravy. Ooh-la-la!

SERVES 4

Preheat the broiler.

In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the EVOO and 2 tablespoons of the butter. When the butter is melted, add the sliced onions, bay leaf, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the onions are melted down, caramelized, brown, and sweet.