Appetite for...
Last year for Christmas K. received a good cookbook that we don't use nearly enough: Appetite by Nigel Slater. The basic premise is that he gives you imprecise recipes that you are meant to fiddle with. Also, if you like the bones of a recipe, but don't like a particular set of ingredients, he always lists a series of alternate ingredients. (Thankfully, when he specifies "handfuls" of most things, he gives an approximate measurement. I think his hands are a bit bigger than mine.) I've made his "earthy, meal-in-a-bowl-type soup" featuring lentils, spinach, mint, and lemon numerous times, but had never turned the page and tried an alternate cast of characters until today. Tonight the "earthy, meal-in-a-bowl-type soup" featured cannellini beans instead of lentils and the mint and lemon were joined by hot peppers and pancetta. The mint, which seems as though it shouldn't work (K. was convinced we would be having Asian soup after I placed a bowl of fresh mint on the table), does.
Should you decide to attempt replicating this soup in your own kitchen, here's how with all of the imprecision of the original: Fry up some onion, pancetta, and garlic in olive oil. Just before you decide to add the beans and water/stock, throw in a couple of dried red peppers and stir. Then add four-ish cups of cannellini beans (mine were homemade and disintegrated nicely as the soup simmered) and as much water or stock as you want, although I'd only add enough to cover the beans. Let it simmer away. While the soup cooks, clean your spinach and mint. Nigel instructs one to briefly cook the spinach, drain in, and then place it into bowls. I'm lazy, so I cleaned the spinach, let it drain a bit, and then placed a handful of it into the individual bowls. Put the mint in a serving bowl. When the soup's done, ladle it onto the bowls of spinach. Serve with fresh mint and sliced lemons. Nigel also says that a "slick of olive oil" is good on this soup, but I forgot to pour the oil. If you should happen to remember to do that when you make the soup, let us know if it's a worthwhile use of good olive oil or just, well, oily. -Zh.
Should you decide to attempt replicating this soup in your own kitchen, here's how with all of the imprecision of the original: Fry up some onion, pancetta, and garlic in olive oil. Just before you decide to add the beans and water/stock, throw in a couple of dried red peppers and stir. Then add four-ish cups of cannellini beans (mine were homemade and disintegrated nicely as the soup simmered) and as much water or stock as you want, although I'd only add enough to cover the beans. Let it simmer away. While the soup cooks, clean your spinach and mint. Nigel instructs one to briefly cook the spinach, drain in, and then place it into bowls. I'm lazy, so I cleaned the spinach, let it drain a bit, and then placed a handful of it into the individual bowls. Put the mint in a serving bowl. When the soup's done, ladle it onto the bowls of spinach. Serve with fresh mint and sliced lemons. Nigel also says that a "slick of olive oil" is good on this soup, but I forgot to pour the oil. If you should happen to remember to do that when you make the soup, let us know if it's a worthwhile use of good olive oil or just, well, oily. -Zh.
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