The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook (26 page)

roasted pumpkin and mushroom soup

SERVES 8

1 sugar pumpkin (about 2 pounds), cut into 8 wedges (do not remove seeds)

6 ounces shiitake mushrooms

4 medium leeks, trimmed and cut crosswise into 1½-inch pieces, rinsed well

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Coarse salt

12 large sprigs fresh thyme

10 large fresh sage leaves

6 garlic cloves (do not peel)

2 shallots, thinly sliced

6 large sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 bay leaf

Freshly ground pepper

1.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place 7 pumpkin wedges on a heavy rimmed baking sheet. Peel and seed the remaining wedge, and cut into ½-inch cubes; set the cubes aside and add peel and seeds to baking sheet. Remove the stems from 2 mushrooms; thinly slice the caps, and set the sliced caps aside with reserved pumpkin cubes. Add the stems and remaining mushrooms to the baking sheet. Julienne 2 white pieces of leek, and set aside with the reserved pumpkin and mushroom; set aside remaining leeks.

2.
Drizzle the pumpkin and mushrooms on baking sheet with the oil, and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt; toss to coat. Add the thyme, sage, and garlic to sheet, and toss to combine; spread out in a single layer. Bake until the pumpkin is lightly browned and garlic is soft, 40 to 45 minutes.

3.
Transfer the roasted vegetables to a large stockpot. Place the hot baking sheet on a stove burner over medium heat, and add 1 cup water, scraping browned bits with a wooden spoon. Add the deglazed liquid to pot. Add the leeks, shallots, parsley, bay leaf, and 12 cups water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, partially covered, 45 minutes. Uncover, and raise heat to medium. Cook 15 minutes more. Pour through a fine sieve into a medium saucepan; discard solids.

4.
Add the reserved julienned leek, pumpkin, and mushrooms to the saucepan, and season with salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat; cook until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and serve.

salads

STARTER SALADS

arugula and cannellini salad with olive vinaigrette

SERVES 4

This colorful salad can also be served family style in a large bowl; toss the arugula in the vinaigrette along with the beans and tomatoes, and let everyone help himself. Niçoise olives have an appealing nuttiness that complements the peppery arugula.

½ cup pitted oil-cured olives, such as Niçoise (about 36)

¼ cup water

1 garlic clove

½ cup packed fresh basil leaves

2 teaspoons sherry vinegar

½ teaspoon ground cumin

1 15½-ounce can white beans, rinsed and drained

1½ cups pear, grape, or cherry tomatoes, halved

½ red onion, thinly sliced

1 bunch arugula (about 6 ounces), trimmed and washed

1.
Make the vinaigrette: Combine the olives and the water in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Process until the olives are finely chopped. Add the garlic, basil, vinegar, and cumin; process until the mixture is smooth and combined, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.

2.
In a medium bowl, combine the beans, tomatoes, and red onion, and gently toss. Pour the vinaigrette over the bean mixture, and toss well to coat. To serve, divide the arugula leaves among 4 plates, and mound the bean mixture on top.

FIT TO EAT RECIPE
PER SERVING: 210 CALORIES, 13 G FAT, 0 MG CHOLESTEROL, 18 G CARBOHYDRATE, 442 MG SODIUM, 5 G PROTEIN, 5 G FIBER

autumn greens with apples, radishes, and cheddar frico

SERVES 10 TO 12

Look for pumpkinseed oil in gourmet shops or health-food stores.

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

¼ cup pumpkinseed oil

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 Granny Smith apples

6 radishes, scrubbed and trimmed

9 cups mixed greens (about ¾ pound), washed and dried

Cheddar Frico (recipe follows)

1.
Make the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar and mustard; season with salt and pepper. Whisking constantly, slowly add the pumpkinseed oil and then the olive oil in a steady stream until thick and emulsified.

2.
Slice the apples and radishes on the thinnest setting of a mandoline or with a sharp knife. Place in a serving bowl; add the mixed greens, and toss to combine.

3.
Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad mixture, and toss well to coat evenly. Serve immediately with Cheddar Frico.

cheddar frico

MAKES 26

Frico,
or “little trifles” in Italian, are very thin and crisp. When sprinkling the cheese mixture in the skillet, don’t worry if there are spaces; the cheese will melt into a lacy whole. In Italy, frico are traditionally made with Montasio cheese, but other cheeses, such as Cheddar, Asiago, and Parmesan, produce excellent results.

10 ounces sharp white Cheddar cheese, grated (about 5 cups)

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1.
In a medium bowl, toss together the cheese and flour. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Sprinkle about 1½ tablespoons of the cheese mixture into the skillet to form a 4-inch round.

2.
Cook until the cheese is starting to melt and become firm, 1½ to 2 minutes. Using a small offset spatula, turn; continue cooking until it is firm and slightly golden, 15 to 30 seconds more.

3.
Immediately drape the frico over a rolling pin, and let cool slightly to set the shape. Repeat with the remaining cheese mixture. If the skillet gets too hot and the frico begin to color too quickly, remove from heat for several minutes before proceeding.

warm goat cheese with wasabi pea crust, peas, and greens

SERVES 6 AS AN APPETIZER

Wasabi peas are a popular cocktail snack. In this recipe, they are ground and used to encrust goat cheese buttons, providing an innovative alternative to bread crumbs. For best results, slice the goat cheese with a piece of thread.

2 cups wasabi peas

1 12-ounce log firm fresh goat cheese

¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil

½ tablespoon wasabi paste

3 tablespoons rice-wine vinegar

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

Pinch of sugar

Coarse salt

5 ounces sugar snap peas, ends trimmed and string removed (about 1½ cups)

5 ounces snow peas, trimmed (about 1½ cups)

6 ounces pea shoots

1.
Place 1½ cups wasabi peas in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Process until a coarse powder forms; transfer to a large plate.

2.
Slice the goat cheese log into 6 1-inch-thick disks. Pour ½ cup olive oil on a small plate. Place the disks, one at a time, in the oil, turning to completely coat. Dredge in the wasabi powder, turning to coat all sides, and shake off excess. Transfer to a baking sheet; cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 hour.

3.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Prepare an ice-water bath, and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the wasabi paste and vinegar. Whisk in the mayonnaise, sugar, and remaining ¼ cup oil until mixture is smooth. Season with salt; set aside.

4.
Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil, and generously add salt. Add the sugar snap and snow peas; blanch until they are tender and bright green, about 2 minutes. Drain in a colander; transfer the peas to the ice-water bath to stop cooking and preserve their color. Drain; pat dry with paper towels.

5.
Remove the coated goat cheese disks from the refrigerator. Bake until soft and hot in the center, about 7 minutes. Remove from the oven.

6.
Combine the blanched peas, pea shoots, and remaining ½ cup wasabi peas in a large bowl. Season with salt, and drizzle with wasabi paste dressing. Toss well to lightly coat, and divide among 6 salad plates. Place 1 goat cheese disk on each plate, and serve immediately.

garden tomato salad

SERVES 20 TO 25

To prevent bruising, snip the basil with sharp kitchen scissors rather than cutting it with a knife. You may use any combination of tomatoes; cut cherry tomatoes in half.

11 pounds (about 33) ripe medium tomatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 medium red onions, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced into half-moons

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon coarse salt

2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper

1 bunch fresh basil leaves, washed well

Combine the tomatoes and onions in a large serving bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil, and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap; let stand at room temperature at least 1 hour to allow flavors to develop. Snip the basil, and toss it into the salad just before serving.

caesar salad

SERVES 4

2 garlic cloves

¹
/
₈
teaspoon coarse salt

¼ pound rustic bread (half a small loaf), crusts removed, cut into ¼-inch cubes

1 anchovy fillet (optional)

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 heads romaine lettuce (about 10 ounces each), outer leaves discarded, inner leaves cut into 1-inch-wide strips

½ ounce Parmesan cheese, shaved

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, mash 1 garlic clove with the salt to form a smooth paste. Add the bread cubes, and toss to combine. Spread the cubes in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until crisp and golden brown, about 20 minutes, turning once.

2.
Make the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, mince the remaining garlic clove with the anchovy, if using, to form a smooth paste. Whisk in the lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and pepper. Slowly whisk in the oil.

3.
In a large serving bowl, toss the lettuce with the vinaigrette and reserved croutons. Serve immediately, garnished with shaved Parmesan.

FIT TO EAT RECIPE
PER SERVING: 186 CALORIES, 10 G FAT, 4 MG CHOLESTEROL, 19 G CARBOHYDRATE, 338 MG SODIUM, 7 G PROTEIN, 3 G FIBER

jícama and orange salad with citrus-cumin vinaigrette

SERVES 4

Oranges are an excellent source of vitamin C. For maximum health benefits, cut or juice them just before serving. Vitamins A and C and iron are also provided by baby spinach.

2 oranges

1 jícama (about 1½ pounds), peeled and julienned

3 ounces baby spinach, rinsed

Citrus-Cumin Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

Cut both ends off the oranges, and remove the peel and pith. Slice the fruit crosswise into ¼-inch rounds, and remove seeds. Transfer the slices to a large bowl, and combine with the jícama and spinach. Toss with the vinaigrette, and serve.

FIT TO EAT RECIPE
PER SERVING: 144 CALORIES, 4 G FAT, 0 MG CHOLESTEROL, 27 G CARBOHYDRATE, 55 MG SODIUM, 3 G PROTEIN, 7 G FIBER

citrus-cumin vinaigrette

MAKES ¾ CUP

Cumin seeds contain vitamin E as well as flavonoids, both powerful antioxidants.

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

½ cup fresh orange juice

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon honey

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Freshly ground pepper

Pinch of coarse salt

1.
Toast the cumin seeds in a small skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Finely grind in a spice grinder.

2.
Blend all the ingredients until smooth. Refrigerate, covered, up to 3 days.

FIT TO EAT RECIPE
PER SERVING: 66 CALORIES, 4 G FAT, 0 MG CHOLESTEROL, 9 G CARBOHYDRATE, 34 MG SODIUM, 1 G PROTEIN, 0 G FIBER

spinach salad with fennel and blood oranges

SERVES 4

If fresh is unavailable, look for packages of prewashed baby spinach. Blood oranges are named for their vivid red-streaked flesh.

3 blood oranges

Juice of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar