Sizzling Skillets and Other One-Pot Wonders - Emeril Lagasse [50]
1 tablespoon kosher salt
½ pound ground beef chuck (85% lean)
½ pound ground veal
¼ pound ground pork
¼ cup minced yellow onion plus
½ cup chopped
¼ cup finely chopped green onion
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crumbled between your fingers
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 medium carrots, cut into ¼-inch-thick rounds (about 1½ cups)
8 cups beef stock or canned low-sodium beef broth
4 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
1 pound Swiss chard, stemmed and roughly chopped
½ pound dried farfalle pasta
4 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated (about 1½ cups)
1. Place the bread in a large mixing bowl and add the milk. Allow it to sit for 10 minutes. Use your hands to squeeze the bread together, then tear the bread into small pieces.
2. Smash the garlic on a cutting board with the blade of a knife. Add the salt. Chop the garlic and salt together, periodically mashing the garlic with the knife blade, until you have a paste.
3. To the bowl with the soaked bread, add the ground beef, veal, and pork, the minced onion, green onion, oregano, black pepper, and half of the garlic paste. Mix gently but thoroughly enough to combine. This is best done with your hands, but you can use a rubber spatula if you prefer. Portion the meatball mixture with a 1-tablespoon scoop onto a parchment-lined baking sheet or platter. Rub the meat between the palms of your hands to form smooth, round balls.
4. In an 8-quart or larger stockpot, heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and the carrots and cook until the onion is translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the beef stock, chicken stock, and the remaining garlic paste and bring to a simmer.
5. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add enough meatballs to fill the pan without crowding and cook until nicely browned on all sides, about 4 minutes. Add the browned meatballs to the pot of broth and repeat with any remaining meatballs.
6. Add the Swiss chard (see Note) to the broth and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until the pasta is al dente, about 8 minutes. Remove the soup from the heat. To serve, ladle the soup into individual bowls and garnish with the cheese.
4 quarts, 6 to 8 servings
Note: If you prefer your Swiss chard to have a soft texture, sauté it in the stockpot with the onion and carrot before adding the stock.
TUSCAN WHITE BEAN SOUP WITH BROCCOLI RABE
This is a comforting, hearty soup with flavors reminiscent of northern Italy. We used baby lima beans because we just love their tender, creamy consistency, although in Italy it would likely be made with cannellini beans or great Northern beans. Use whichever beans you love or have on hand; just take note that the cooking time will vary slightly.
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups small-diced onion
1 cup small-diced celery
1 cup small-diced red bell pepper
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
8 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
2 pounds dried white beans (cannellini, baby lima, or great Northern), rinsed, picked over, soaked overnight, and drained
1 piece Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese rind, about 1 × 3 inches
1 bay leaf
4 cups water
1½ pounds broccoli rabe, tough stem ends trimmed, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 sprig fresh rosemary
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
6 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated (about 1½ cups)
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
1. Heat the olive oil in an 8-quart soup pot or stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, bell pepper, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and ¼ teaspoon of the black pepper and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are tender, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic, dried Italian herbs, and crushed red pepper and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the stock, beans,