HOME & LIVING
B2 — THE OBSERVER & BAKER CITY HERALD
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2022
Soups for whatever ails you this winter
juice, parsley and a pinch of salt.
Add warm red pepper to the
mixture.
When the vegetables are
tender, taste and adjust salt as de-
sired. Add the pasta and simmer
until tender, 6-8 minutes.
Divide the soup into 4 bowls
and top with a hefty spoonful of
the parsley relish.
— food52.com
By GRETCHEN McKAY
Pittsburgh Post-Gazettte
Chicken soup has long
been touted as a soothing
home remedy for the
annoying colds and body-
crushing fl us of winter.
Filled with nutrients, a
steaming bowl helps clear
sinus congestion, and some
research suggests it might
also defend against infec-
tion. Chicken soup also
makes us feel nostalgic —
sipping a cup while curled
up on the couch can feel
like a big, embracing hug
from someone you love,
even if the noodle-strewn
broth came from a can.
But what if you’re
kicking off the new year
by going vegan for a
month? Or maybe you’re
just resolving to eat less
meat, opting instead for a
diet that incorporates alter-
nate proteins such as beans
paired with a wide variety
of vegetables. You’re in
luck, because soups made
from veggies like celery,
carrots, leeks, parsnips and/
or onions can also make
you feel better when you’re
under the weather.
“There’s this aura around
chicken soup and its spe-
cial powers,” notes Rachel
Kurtter, a dietician and
wellness coach for High-
mark Health. Yet its restor-
ative properties are not so
much about any supposed
“magical” powers as simple
nourishment.
People tend to lose fl uids
when they’re sick, and soup
replenishes those losses, she
says. It also does the body
good by providing calories,
proteins, and vitamins and
minerals.
“At the end of the day,
[soup] helps you hydrate
and replace electrolytes,”
she says, even if you’re only
sipping a little at a time.
Antioxidants
Kurtter says no one veg-
etable rises above all others
when making soup. Veg-
etables in general are nat-
urally low in calories and
important sources of essen-
tial vitamins and minerals.
And many of the most pop-
ular ones that go into the
soup pot — leafy greens,
carrots, potatoes, cabbage
and garlic — are also high
in antioxidants, substances
that may protect your cells
against unstable molecules
known as free radicals.
They’re also loaded with
LASAGNA
Continued from Page B1
CLASSIC
LASAGNE ALLA
BOLOGNESE
The Italian Academy of
Cuisine added this recipe for
Green Lasagna alla Bolognese
to its archives in 2003. It features
green pasta noodles made with
spinach, a classic Bolognese ragu,
bechamel sauce and Parmigia-
no-Reggiano cheese.
In the original Italian instruc-
tions, cooks are cautioned: “Be
careful that the layers are very
regular, the sauce is abundant,
but not excessive, the béchamel
is creamy and evenly distributed.
Let it rest for fi ve minutes before
serving; the portions on the plate
must be strictly ‘standing.’”
I made the pasta from scratch
using thawed, frozen spinach
(squeezed between a clean dish
towel to remove the moisture), but
it’s OK to substitute dried noodles.
Cook until al dente, or about 1
minutes less than package instruc-
tions. To keep them from sticking
while you assemble the lasagna,
lightly rub each piece on both
sides with a little vegetable oil.
If you like greens and beans,
you’ll love this soup. It’s quick to
pull together and because of all
the leafy greens, it will fi ll you up
with all kinds of nutrients. Don’t
worry about rinsing the beans,
8 ounces rustic bread, torn
into bite-sized pieces
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Kosher salt and freshly
ground black pepper
1 cup fi nely grated Parmesan
cheese, divided
2-inch piece of Parmesan
rind, optional
1 medium red or yellow onion
1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed,
halved lengthwise, cored and
sliced ½ inch across the grain
1 bunch kale, stems removed,
chopped and reserved, and
leaves roughly chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
½ cup dry white wine
2 sprigs thyme
½ teaspoon red pepper
fl akes, or more to taste
15-ounce can cannellini beans,
drained but not rinsed
Heat oven to 375 degrees with
rack in middle position. Distribute
bread on rimmed baking sheet.
Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive
oil and sprinkle with salt and
pepper. Toss, then bake until
browned and crisp, about 10
minutes, stirring once halfway
through. Remove from oven,
sprinkle with about half the
Parmesan and toss; set aside.
In large pot over medium,
heat the remaining 2 table-
spoons oil until shimmering. Add
onion, fennel, kale stems and
½ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring
occasionally, until vegetables
soften, about 5 minutes. Add
tomato paste and garlic. Cook,
stirring until paste begins to
brown and stick to the bottom of
pot, about 1 minute. Add wine,
thyme and pepper fl akes, then
cook, scraping up any browned
bits, until liquid has almost evap-
orated, about 2 minutes.
Stir in beans, kale leaves,
Parmesan rind (if using), 5 cups
water, 1 ½ teaspoons salt and
½ teaspoon black pepper. Bring
to a simmer over medium-high,
then reduce to medium and
cook, uncovered and stirring
occasionally, until kale is very
tender, 20-25 minutes.
Remove and discard thyme
and Parmesan rind (if used). Taste
and season with salt and pepper.
Ladle soup into bowls, top with
croutons and the remaining
Parmesan. If desired, drizzle a
little oil on top.
Serves 4-6.
— “Milk Street Vegetables” by
Christopher Kimball (Voracious,
November 2021, $40)
from forming. Keep warm until
ready to use.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Grease the bottom of the pan
liberally with butter. Line it with a
layer of pasta followed by a layer
of meat sauce, bechamel sauce
and a sprinkling of grated cheese.
Continue layering with pasta,
sauces and cheese until you run
out of ingredients (I had enough
for 6 layers.) Add a small piece of
butter in each corner of the pan to
keep the edges from drying out.
Bake for about half an hour in
preheated oven. Allow to sit for 15
minutes before serving,
Serves 6-8.
— Adapted from Accademia
Italiana Della Cucina
CARROT SOUP
WITH GINGER
Gretchen McKay/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette-TNS
This nutritious vegetable soup is packed with kale, fennel and cannellini beans. Parmesan croutons
add crunch.
polyphenols, plant-based
compounds that help pre-
vent disease and keep you
healthy in a diff erent way
than vitamins, minerals or
other nutrients. Spinach, red
and yellow onions, shallots,
potatoes, broccoli and car-
rots, which are all easy to
fi nd in winter months, are
especially high in them.
“You want to eat a
rainbow of colors, “ says
Kurtter, because they all
provide diff erent bene-
fi ts to the body in helping
your immune system fi ght
infection.
Carrots, for instance, not
only add a touch of sweet-
ness but are also a great
source of vitamin A, an
anti-infl ammatory agent.
Kale contains high levels of
vitamin C, which is thought
to reduce the symptoms
of a cold (though not the
chances of catching one).
Fresh ginger, meanwhile,
is eff ective against vomiting
and nausea, and garlic has
antimicrobial, antiviral and
antibiotic properties.
This year’s cold and
fl u season is expected to
be more severe than the
2020-21 season, according
to the Centers for Disease
Control, because people are
traveling again and fewer
are social distancing and
wearing masks. Flu activity
in 2020 was the lowest
since current reporting
began in 1997, which is
good but also bad, because
it means we have less nat-
Its delicate layers of fresh pasta
and two sauces made this lasagna
a rich and tasty delight. It does
take some time, however, so you
may want to make the sauce in
advance to speed the process.
For bolognese sauce
5 ounces porchetta or bacon
2 tablespoons butter
2 ½ ounces fi nely chopped carrot
2 ounces fi nely chopped celery
2 ounces fi nely chopped onion
11 ounces ground beef
½ cup red wine
10 ounces tomato puree
Beef broth
1 cup milk
Salt and pepper
For pasta
12 ounces fl our, preferably “00”
2 eggs
7 ounces boiled spinach,
squeezed well and chopped
For bechamel
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose fl our
3 cups whole milk
Kosher salt and freshly
ground black pepper
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
Prepare bolognese sauce: Dice
the bacon, chop it and fry in a
large Dutch oven until crispy. Add
2 tablespoons butter and fi nely
ural immunity against
infl uenza this year.
To help whatever’s
bound to ail you this winter,
we dish up three nutritious
and nourishing vegetarian
soups that are easy to make
with easy-to-fi nd produce
and pantry ingredients.
And going forward?
Kurtter recommends sup-
porting your immune
system all year round —
and not just when you’re
sick — by eating a balanced
diet, getting a good night’s
sleep and managing stress
by fi nding time in each day
to unwind, “even if it’s just
for 5 minutes.”
“It will help you be
healthy all year,” she says.
CHICKPEA
NOODLE SOUP
This vegetarian take on chick-
en noodle soup is healthful and
hearty. White miso, a fermented
paste made from rice, barley and
soybeans (and found in the Asian
section of some grocery stores),
adds a mild umami fl avor. If you
can’t fi nd it, substitute a splash
or two of soy sauce. The parsley
relish adds a spicy fi nish.
For soup
Extra-virgin olive oil
3 sprigs thyme (or teaspoon
herbes de Provence)
1 yellow onion, sliced thinly
1 leek, sliced thinly and
rinsed of dirt
4 garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt
chopped carrot, celery and onion
and sauté gently. Add the ground
beef. mix well and cook until it is
brown and “sizzles.” Add the wine,
mix gently and cook until it has
completely evaporated, about 2
minutes. Add tomato sauce, cover
and simmer slowly for about 2
hours, adding broth when needed.
When sauce is just about done,
add milk to reduce the acidity of
the tomato. Season to taste with
salt and pepper.
Prepare the dough by mixing
eggs, fl our and the boiled spinach,
squeezed well and fi nely chopped,
until a ball of dough forms. (I
used my stand mixer fi tted with
a paddle attachment.) Continue
to knead for 3 minutes, either by
hand or in the mixer, so the dough
develops elasticity and silkiness.
Cover dough ball in plastic wrap
and let it rest at room temperature
for 30 minutes before using. Or let
the dough rest for up to 24 hours
in the refrigerator.
Roll out the dough, which must
be light green and not excessively
thin. (I used a pasta maker, working
my way down through the set-
tings, but you can also roll out the
dough by hand.)
Put a pan three-quarters full
of salted water on the stove and
bring it to a boil. Cut the pastry
into rectangles or squares (mine
were about 3 by 5 inches), throw
1 cup white wine
2 tablespoons white miso
(or liquid aminos)
2 carrots, peeled (or
scrubbed) and diced
2 medium parsnips, peeled and
diced (or swap in sweet potato)
1 medium rutabaga, peeled and
diced (or swap in turnips)
1 small celeriac head, peeled
and diced (or 3 stalks
celery, sliced thinly)
2 cups (or one 16-ounce
can) cooked chickpeas
4 ounces pappardelle or fettuccini
For parsley relish
1 ½ teaspoons red pepper fl akes
Zest and juice from 1 lemon
10 sprigs parsley,
roughly chopped
In a soup pot, heat a glug of ol-
ive oil over medium heat. Add the
thyme (or herbes de Provence)
and briefl y fry, 10-15 seconds.
Add onion, leek and garlic, plus
a big pinch of salt, and reduce
heat to medium-low. Sweat the
mixture until soft, about 7 min-
utes. Add white wine and reduce
by half.
Dissolve miso into 8 cups of wa-
ter. If it doesn’t blend completely,
don’t worry, it will as the soup
simmers — this just helps it along.
Add root vegetables, chickpeas
and miso water. Bring to a boil,
reduce to a simmer and cook until
all vegetables are tender, about 20
minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small frying
pan, lightly toast red pepper
fl akes over medium-high heat
until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
In a separate bowl, combine ½
cup of olive oil, lemon zest, lemon
them in boiling water and remove
them as soon as they come to the
surface. Rinse in cold water to stop
cooking, then dry them on a clean
white cotton or linen cloth.
Prepare bechamel: Melt butter
in a saucepan over low heat, add
fl our and whisk to form a paste.
Continue to cook, stirring, until raw
fl our scent is gone, about 1 minute.
Whisking constantly, add milk in
a thin, steady stream, whisking
thoroughly and getting into all
corners of the pan. Heat, stirring,
until sauce comes to a simmer and
begins to thicken slightly. Reduce
heat to low and cook, stirring, until
sauce is thick enough to coat the
back of a wooden spoon, about 3
minutes.
Season with salt and pepper
and nutmeg. Use sauce right away
or wrap a piece of plastic wrap over
surface of sauce to prevent a skin
advises Milk Street chef and
author Christopher Kimball. The
starchy liquid that clings to them
lends body to the broth.
I used a baguette for the
croutons, and curly kale instead
of lacinato (Tuscan) kale.
Ginger root has long been
used as a herbal remedy for colds
to soothe sore throats and cough,
and also can fend off the nausea
that comes with the fl u. It’s paired
here in a warming vegetarian
soup with carrots, which, thanks
to a high level of vitamin C, can
help your body build antibodies
and boost your immune system.
Like most soups, this keeps
well in the fridge for a few days.
Make it a full meal by serving with
a salad and hearty, buttered toast.
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion
3 cloves garlic, smashed
2 heaping cups chopped carrots
1 ½ teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon apple cider
vinegar or orange juice
3 to 4 cups vegetable broth
Sea salt and fresh black pepper
1 teaspoon maple syrup, optional
Coconut milk for garnish, optional
Pesto for garnish, optional
Heat olive oil in large pot over
medium heat. Add onions and a
generous pinch of salt and pepper
and cook until softened, stirring
occasionally, about 8 minutes.
Add smashed garlic cloves and
carrots to pot and cook about 8
minutes more, stirring occasion-
ally. Stir in ginger, then add apple
cider vinegar. Add 3-4 cups broth,
depending on your desired con-
sistency. Reduce to a simmer and
cook until carrots are soft, about
30 minutes.
Let cool slightly, then transfer
to blender. Blend until smooth.
Taste and adjust seasonings. Add
maple syrup if desired.
Serve with a drizzle of coconut
milk on top and/or a dollop of
pesto, if desired.
Serves 4.
— loveandlemons.com
KALE, FENNEL
AND WHITE
BEAN SOUP
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