HOMECOOKINGCHRONICLES
Brian Medford
Soup is a classic
comfort food in
the winter.
A warm winter soup
BY BRIAN MEDFORD
Soup and I are similar in that neither of us
seem to take a very good picture.
When I’m looking through cookbooks or
at cooking blogs, I skim right past the soup
options. In pictures, soup looks bland, bor-
ing and awkward, much like the high school
graduation photo my mother still displays in
her house. She prizes it, but we both know it
isn’t the best.
The only soups that get a visual pass are
tomato or butternut squash. They’re bright,
and in the Pacifi c Northwest, how can you
not embrace something that remotely resem-
bles the sun?
Soup is the epitome of comfort food. For
me, it elicits feelings of home, warmth and
steamy goodness, images of hands-off cook-
ing, that satisfy my multi-tasking spirit .
Over the past few months, the North
Coast has received both snow and rainfall,
leaving more than a fair share of basements
soaked. The snow was delightful, the rain
was not, but both events left me searching for
solace. That’s where soup comes in handy.
Seasonal soup is satisfying and heart-
ening, particularly since its ingredients are
readily available at the local grocery store.
I’m not scrambling to fi nd vine-ripened
tomatoes in the middle of winter. (Even if
you can fi nd them, don’t . It’s not going to
taste good.)
While soup may be the ugly duckling of
the cookbook world, it’s the swan of home
comfort food. Just resist the urge to take a
picture. Enjoy the moment and the taste . I
only wish the same could work for senior
yearbook photos.
Farro, Cabbage and Parmesan Soup
(Serves 4)
Adapted from Joshua McFadden
Ingredients:
• 1 pound green cabbage
• 1/4 cup, plus more olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• One medium onion, thinly sliced
• Three to four garlic cloves, smashed and
peeled
•Two springs of thyme
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 2/3 cup uncooked farro
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• Shaved P armesan (or pecorino) to fi nish
Preparation:
• Cut out the cabbage core and chop it
fi nely. Cut the leaves into fi ne shreds or
about 1/8-inch ribbons. Set aside.
• Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a Dutch oven
over medium heat. Add onion, salt and pep-
per. Stir frequently until the onion starts to
soften. This will take about 5 to 7 minutes.
• Add garlic and cook another two
minutes.
• Add shredded cabbage and herb sprigs.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover
the pot. Let it steam a bit to soften the leaves,
then toss the cabbage to stir it well with the
other ingredients in the pot.
• Cook, covered, until the cabbage is
sweet and tender, about 20 to 25 minutes.
Stir occasionally.
• Meanwhile, in a small skillet, heat 2
tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat
and add uncooked farro. Toast it, stirring, for
a few minutes .
• When the cabbage is ready, stir in some
vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add toasted farro and chicken broth.
• Bring mixture to a simmer and cook for
30 to 35 minutes, until farro is tender and the
fl avors are married. The soup will be very
thick. Add another 1/2 cup broth or water if
you’d like.
• Taste and adjust seasoning . Stir in lemon
juice, then fi nish with a drizzle of olive oil
and shaved Parmesan.
Brian Medford is the owner of Idlewild
Biscuits and Bakes in Astoria. He teaches
cooking classes at The Pantry in Seattle.
Contact him at blmedford@gmail.com.
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