These Chefs’ Recipes Make Pasta Exciting Again - The Wall Street Journal

Posted: 15 Jan 2021 05:28 AM PST

WHEN IT COMES to ease, speed, thrift, comfort, satisfaction and sheer belovedness, can any food compete with pasta? And yet, for all those good reasons, it's easy to get into a pasta rut, rotating through the same standard sauces on autopilot. With that in mind, each of the recipes provided here incorporates an unexpected ingredient or a technique that surprises.

In the recipe for red-wine pasta with pancetta and chestnuts at right, the pasta finishes cooking in the red wine, drinking it up, which gives the glistening noodles a gorgeous burgundy hue and a rare depth of flavor. It's an elegant dish, taking a weeknight pasta somewhere a bit more sumptuous. Using jarred chestnuts makes this a quick recipe—no need to peel the nuts, a terribly fussy business. Making this dish also happens to be a good way to use up leftover red wine, if you have a few open bottles. While a Tuscan red might be the most natural choice for a pasta sauce, I find a fruit-forward California Cabernet marries well with the natural sweetness of the chestnuts.

A few of these recipes come from restaurants I've sorely missed during lockdown. In her strozzapreti with carrots, Lena Ciardullo, executive chef of Union Square Café in New York, situates the carrot, normally a supporting player, at center stage. She roasts her carrots with fennel and ground coriander, then combines them with crisp pancetta, charred scallions, Fresno peppers and basil. A generous cup of stracciatella—the luxuriously rich center of a ball of burrata cheese—provides a tangy creaminess that counters the sweetness of the roasted carrots.

At Lilia in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, chef-proprietor Missy Robbins rethinks a classic cacio e pepe, swapping in pink peppercorns for the usual black ones. Pink peppercorns are actually berries and unrelated, botanically, to black pepper. They do have a peppery flavor: a slightly floral blooming heat that teases the palate. (One word of warning: Pink peppercorns are in the cashew family and should be avoided by anyone allergic to tree nuts.) To emulsify the sauce, Ms. Robbins simply adds pasta water to a little melted butter and stirs for a few moments, making this perhaps the fastest pasta sauce I know. Mafaldine is a long, flat and wide pasta with a ruffle to its edges. If you can't find it, use another ribbonlike pasta such as fettuccine or tagliatelle.

Nancy Silverton, the Los Angeles doyenne of all things pasta—and, for that matter, pizza and bread—makes ingenious use of leftover bread to thicken a sauce of olive oil, garlic and chile flakes. It's economical, speedy and requires no skill. Simply fry breadcrumbs in good olive oil. Reserve a portion of them to be added at the end for texture and crunch; cook the remainder in a bit of pasta water until they melt, along with the garlic, into a smooth sauce. The result is at once garlicky and gentle, soft and crisp. Most likely, it will not require a trip to the grocery store.

Comforting chicken soup recipes, including one like Full Moon Cafe's tortilla soup - Tulsa World

Posted: 15 Jan 2021 10:26 PM PST

This copycat version of Full Moon's tortilla soup is adapted from many recipes sent to the Tulsa World mailroom over the years, and while it will never be the same, this version comes quite close.

Keep frozen wontons or dumplings on hand to whip up this lunch favorite in a matter of minutes.

This Thai chicken coconut soup is a simplified version of Lanna Thai's signature tom kha gai soup.

Creamy chicken noodle soup is perfect for a cold day.

Chicken, carrots, celery and garlic simmer together to make a delicious stock.

Judy Allen For the Tulsa World

It's cold, it's January, and given the past few months, all I want is to sit on the couch with a hot bowl of chicken soup and a faux fur throw and binge the rest of the first season of "Bridgerton" on Netflix.

There is nothing more comforting than a bowl of chicken soup. Whether it is a classic broth loaded with noodles and carrots; a spicy, coconut and ginger-laden version served with rice, or a creamy take on the famous tortilla soup we all miss from Full Moon Café on Cherry Street, chicken soup in any form is always a comfort.

My wish for you? Make a batch of something, have a bowl now, and freeze the rest for a bone-chilling day when you're craving a hot bowl of chicken soup.

Copycat Full Moon tortilla soup

Makes 16 8-ounce servings

I wonder how many bowls of this soup I had over the years — dozens, if not hundreds. As much as I loved having it at Full Moon Café, I never attempted a home version until now. This copycat version is adapted from many recipes sent to the Tulsa World mailroom over the years, and while it will never be the same, this version comes quite close. You'll need to make a salad and bake some breadsticks for the entire experience.

8 cups chicken broth or stock

½ teaspoon white pepper

½ cup (1 stick) butter

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup (4 ounces) grated Monterey Jack-Cheddar blend, plus more for serving, if desired

1½ cups half-and-half

1 jalapeno pepper, diced

1 (10-ounce) can Rotel tomatoes with chilies

1½ cups cooked, diced chicken meat (See note below)

Crisp tortilla strips and guacamole for serving

1. Combine chicken stock and white pepper in a large saucepan and bring to a simmer.

2. Melt butter over medium heat in a soup pot or Dutch oven. Whisk in flour. Continue to cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is smooth and has thickened slightly, about 2 minutes. Add chicken broth and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly.

3. Add grated cheese to the simmering stock and stir until melted. Stir in half-and-half, jalapeno pepper, Rotel and chicken. Continue to cook, stirring often, until heated through. Serve with desired garnishes. To hold soup, keep warm in the top of a double boiler over barely simmering water.

NOTE: For the chicken, I seasoned two chicken breasts with salt, pepper and a hearty amount of chili powder before cooking in a cast-iron skillet until cooked through. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then shred or dice.

— adapted from many recipes sent to Tulsa World over the years.

Chicken and wonton soup

Serves 4 to 6

I keep frozen wontons or dumplings on hand to whip up this lunch favorite in a matter of minutes. 8 cups chicken broth or stock

1 1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated

1 clove garlic, minced

12-18 frozen wontons

1½ cups sliced savoy cabbage or bok choy

1-2 cups cooked, shredded chicken

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

Green onions, thinly sliced, for garnish

1. Bring chicken broth, ginger and garlic to a boil in a large soup pot. Cover, reduce heat to a gentle simmer, and cook for 5 minutes.

2. Add the wontons, cabbage and chicken and simmer until the wontons are heated through and cabbage is tender and wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in soy sauce and sesame oil.

3. Divide soup among bowls. Garnish with green onions and serve.

Creamy chicken noodle soup

A good bowl of classic chicken noodle soup hits the spot, but sometimes I like to gild the lily with a bit of heavy cream and extra veggies. Think of this as a healthier but still hearty chicken pot pie soup. 8 cups chicken broth or stock

1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (4-6)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 carrots, peeled and sliced into coins or half circles

3 stalks celery, thinly sliced

½ cup frozen peas

3 sprigs thyme (or ½ teaspoon dried thyme)

2 sprigs rosemary (or ½ teaspoon dried rosemary)

2 bay leaves

8 ounces medium egg noodles or your favorite pasta

½ cup heavy cream

¼ cup all-purpose flour

Chopped parsley, to serve

1. Bring chicken broth and 4 cups water to a simmer in a soup pot.

2. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to the pot. Simmer gently until the chicken has cooked through, about 20 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until it starts to soften, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, celery and carrot, and cook, tossing, for a minute.

4. Remove chicken thighs from the pot and set aside until cool enough to handle, then shred meat, discarding any bone or fat. Add shredded chicken back to the pot, along with sautéed vegetables, peas, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves and pasta. Simmer until pasta is al dente, 8 to 10 minutes.

5. In a large bowl, whisk together heavy cream and flour (Alternatively, shake together in a jar). Whisk mixture into the soup and simmer for 2 minutes until soup thickens slightly. Remove bay leaves and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve, garnished with parsley if desired.

Thai coconut and chicken soup

Makes 3 quarts

This tom kha soup recipe (or Thai coconut chicken soup) is rich and creamy yet tangy and spicy. Kaffir lime leaves, chili paste and lemongrass, among all the other ingredients, can be found at Nam Hai and other Asian markets.

2 stalks fresh lemongrass, tough outer layers removed

1 1-inch piece ginger, peeled

10 kaffir lime leaves, or 1 tablespoon lime zest and ¼ cup lime juice

6 cups chicken broth

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 white onion, thinly sliced

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, trimmed and sliced ¼-inch thick

½ pound shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps thinly sliced

¼ cup fish sauce

2 tablespoons coconut sugar or light brown sugar

2 (14-ounce) cans unsweetened full-fat coconut milk

¼ cup fresh lime juice

2-3 Thai chiles (or a red jalapeno pepper), seeded and thinly sliced, plus more for garnish

Chopped cilantro, for garnish

1. Using the back of a knife, lightly smash lemongrass and ginger; cut lemongrass into 4-inch pieces. Bring lemongrass, ginger, lime leaves and broth to a boil in a large soup pot. Reduce heat and simmer until flavors have melded, 8-10 minutes. Strain broth into a clean saucepan, discarding solids.

2. In the original soup pot, heat the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes.

3. Add the chicken, mushrooms, fish sauce and sugar to the saucepan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and the mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes.

4. Add strained broth to the pot, along with the coconut milk, and bring to a simmer. Stir in the lime juice and chiles, season with salt. Serve with lime wedges, cilantro and sliced chiles.

Really good chicken stock

Makes 3 quarts

There's an entire chicken in this stock recipe, and then some. You'll pull out the breast early on and use the white meat to serve with other recipes, but everything else stays and simmers for hours, enriching the stock with concentrated flavor and lip-smacking body. This recipe takes some time to complete, so I like to break it up into smaller activities: make the stock ahead, then reheat when you're craving a hot bowl of soup.

1 (4-5 pound) chicken, cut into seven pieces (2 breasts, 2 leg/thighs, 2 wings and the back)

1 pound chicken wings

2 large yellow onions, unpeeled, quartered

6 celery stalks, cut into 1-inch pieces

4 large carrots, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 large shallot, quartered

1 head of garlic, halved crosswise

6 sprigs flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon black peppercorns

1. Bring all ingredients and 20 cups cold water to a boil in a very large (at least 10-quart) stockpot. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently until chicken breasts are cooked through, about 20 minutes (larger breasts might take a few minutes longer).

2. Transfer breasts to a plate (remaining chicken parts are strictly for the stock). Let breasts cool slightly, then remove meat and return bones to the pot. Shred meat. Let cool, tightly wrap, and chill.

3. Continue to simmer stock, skimming surface occasionally, until reduced by one-third, about 2 hours. Strain chicken stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a saucepan (or airtight storage containers, if not using right away); discard solids. You should have about 12 cups.

DO AHEAD: Stock can be made two days ahead of serving. Let cool; cover and chill. Alternately, chill, then freeze for up to 4 months.

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