Recipe of the Week 5/14/07: Welsh Leek Soup

You know, readers, life is funny... one moment, you're swelling with pride over the addition of your new Recipe of the Week feature. But, before you know it, a week has passed... and you realized that you forgot to post a new recipe for subsequent Mondays, after the first.

As your consolation for this disgracefully late Recipe of the Week, I have an extra special yummy offering for you: Welsh Leek Soup. The delicate, earthy flavors of the pureed-smooth soup are a wonderful compliment to soft, white breads that would be overpowered by intensely flavored soup. My mother prepares this recipe on the Feast of Saint David, March 1st.


4 large leeks
1 onion
4 potatoes
2 tablespoons butter
6 cups water
2 egg yolks
Salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
Pepper

Carefully wash the leeks and cut them into narrow strips. Peel the potatoes, slice them, and cook them in the water with a pinch of salt until soft. Mince an onion, mix with the leeks, and saute in the butter until soft, but not brown. Add to the potatoes. Wehn the vegetables are cooked fully and quite soft, put them through a fine sieve, and return to the liquid. Beat the egg yolks and with the cream; add a little of the hot soup to temper the eggs, stirring vigorously. Add to the rest of the soup, season to taste, and serve.

Note: Cracked black pepper is not only a perfect flavor component to compliment the soup, but is also a visually appealing addition.


Mangia!
--Seguin

Recipe of the Week 5/7/07: Baby Portabello Linguine

Welcome to HCfoodie's first ever Recipe of the Week! The site will now be updated with greater frequency, as I share some of my favorite recipes with you, the foodie at home.

This week's recipe was formulated by myself, during a week-long stretch of time when my mother and I were hurrying to rid ourselves of an excess of pasta and cheese before it all spoiled. Pasta Fest '07 was a resounding success, and this was one of the better dishes.

This is a clean, simple, nourishing vegetarian dish, that follows the authentic Italian ideal for cooking: start with good ingredients, and there will be no need to hassle yourself with complex preparation methods.


Baby portabello linguine


8 oz. uncooked linguine
1 tablespoon salt for pasta water
6 baby portabello mushrooms, slivered
1 tablespoon butter
1 scallion (green onion), minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 clove garlic, minced
4 oz. mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup shredded parmigiano reggiano cheese
2 teaspoons minced fresh basil
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper


Begin by bringing ½ gallon of water to a boil with one tablespoon of salt. Add linguine and cook until aldente, about 8-13 minutes.

Meanwhile, sauté baby portabellos in butter with scallion and salt over medium-high heat until mushrooms are reduced and slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to a bowl and hold. Return pan to medium heat, and sauté garlic until the flavor is developed and the garlic is softened, about 1 minute.

Once the linguine is cooked to desired consistency, strain it into a large bowl and add mascarpone and parmegiano reggiano cheeses. Stir and toss to melt the cheeses, then add sautéed mushrooms, garlic, basil, rosemary, olive oil, and pepper. Garnish with more fresh grated parmegiano reggiano cheese, if desired, and serve.

Makes 4 servings



Mangia!
--Seguin