Zuppa Du Jour Recipes

ZUPPETTA DI COZZE

Steps:

• Place the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until lightly browned. Add the anchovy, capers, and oregano and saute for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, mussels, saffron, and red pepper flakes. Cover the pot and cook for 8 minutes.
• While the mussels are cooking, cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water. When the mussels are cooked, remove them from the pot with a slotted spoon. Discard any unopened ones and remove the rest from their shells. Discard shells and any unopened mussels. Strain the cooking liquid through a double thickness of cheesecloth to remove any sand and impurities. Return liquid to the clean pot.
• Drain the pasta, placing the shelled mussels back into the soup with the pasta, adjust the seasoning, allow to simmer for 3 to 4 minutes and serve. Don't forget to provide plenty of crusty bread to mop up

ZUPPA DI SANTA LUCIA

Steps:

• Soak the porcini in a cup of warm water for at least 30 minutes. Drain the liquid, straining it through a fine strainer to remove any sand. Reserve the strained liquid, re-rinse the mushrooms, pat them dry, and chop finely.
• Place 4 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Saute the onion and garlic for about 5 minutes until wilted. Add the porcini and the white mushrooms and cook for 10 minutes. Add the porcini liquid, tomatoes, salt, pepper, marjoram, thyme, and the stock. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and allow to simmer for 15 minutes.
• Combine the egg yolks, Parmesan, and pecorino in a mixing bowl, then gradually whisk 1 cup of the hot soup into the mixture to warm it. Then whisk the egg mixture directly into the simmering pot, stirring to thicken the soup. Add the parsley and cook for 5 more minutes.
• Meanwhile, brush the slices of bread with the remaining olive oil and toast them in the oven at 400 degrees F until golden brown. Place one piece of the toast in the bottom of each serving bowl, ladle the soup over the top and serve with additional grated Parmesan on the side.

ZUPPA DU JOUR

Steps:

• In a large stock pot, cook bacon until most of fat rendered. Add onions, garlic, carrots, celery, mushrooms and cook until onions transparent.
• Add red pepper flakes, oregano, basil and salt and pepper.
• Add chicken stock and stewed tomatoes.
• Bring to a boil, and add pasta.
• Cook until al dente.
• Check for seasoning and adjust if needed.