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By Root 1001 0

Carolina Inn. Chef Brian Stapleton here is one of some half dozen gifted chefs bringing sophisticated cuisine to the Raleigh-Durham–Chapel Hill triangle, an area once known for food that “did not soar.” Thanks to the international corporations now doing business in the Research Triangle Park, a vast rural swatch anchored by these three university towns, this is a region of increasingly cosmopolitan and demanding tastes.

4 slices richly smoked bacon, snipped crosswise at ¼-inch intervals

2 large Vidalia onions, coarsely chopped (about 1½ pounds)

2 large garlic cloves, finely minced

2/3 cup dry white wine (such as riesling, chardonnay, or pinot grigio)

Five 3-inch sprigs of lemon thyme tied in cheesecloth with 2 large bay leaves (preferably fresh)

1 medium all-purpose potato, peeled and finely diced (6 to 8 ounces)

4 cups (1 quart) chicken stock or broth

½ teaspoon salt, or to taste

1/8 teaspoon ground hot red pepper (cayenne), or to taste

1 cup light cream or half-and-half

¼ cup finely snipped fresh chives or garlic chives

1. Fry the bacon in a large, heavy soup kettle over moderate heat for about 10 minutes or until the drippings cook out and only crisp brown bits remain. Scoop the bacon onto paper toweling and reserve.

2. Add the onions to the kettle drippings and sauté for 8 to 10 minutes or until limp and lightly browned. Mix in the garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes more. Add the wine and cheesecloth bag of herbs, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.

3. Add the potato, chicken stock, salt, and cayenne and bring to a boil. Adjust the heat so the stock bubbles gently, then cook uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes or until the potatoes are mushy. Set the soup off the heat and cool for 20 minutes. Remove and discard the cheesecloth bag.

4. Purée the soup in small batches in a food processor or electric blender at high speed, transferring each batch to a large cheesecloth-lined sieve set over a large bowl. Once the soup is strained, discard the solids. Also rinse and dry the soup kettle.

5. Return the soup to the kettle and smooth in the cream. Set uncovered over moderately high heat for about 5 minutes or just until the soup steams. Do not allow the soup to boil or it may curdle. Taste for salt and cayenne and adjust as needed.

6. Ladle into heated soup bowls, and scatter the reserved bacon and chives over each portion. Or, if you prefer, chill the soup well and serve cold, again garnishing with the bacon and chives.

CREAMY MIRLITON SOUP

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

Also called chayotes, vegetable pears, or custard marrows, mirlitons are particularly popular in the Deep South where they are grown commercially. Their delicate, faintly sweet flavor reminds me of cymlings (pattypan squash), to which they’re related. Southerners know countless ways to prepare mirlitons, among them this silky soup. Make it a day ahead, then serve hot or cold.

3 tablespoons butter

2 medium-large mirlitons (about 1½ pounds), quartered, peeled, pitted, then each quarter thinly sliced

1 large Vidalia onion (about ¾ pound), halved, peeled, then each half thinly sliced

1 medium celery rib, trimmed and thinly sliced

3 large parsley branches

1 large whole bay leaf, preferably fresh

3 cups chicken broth

½ teaspoon salt, or to taste

¼ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

1 cup half-and-half

¼ cup buttermilk

2 tablespoons finely snipped fresh chives

1. Melt the butter in a large, heavy saucepan over moderately high heat; add the mirlitons, onion, celery, parsley, and bay leaf and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to moderately low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are golden.

2. Add the broth, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil over high heat. Adjust the heat so the soup bubbles gently, cover, and cook for 50 to 55 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.

3. Pour all into a large fine sieve set over a large heatproof bowl; discard the parsley and bay leaf. Purée the solids in a food processor or electric blender at high speed.

4. Combine the