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Having a well-stocked pantry is essential to beat the clock for mid-week dinners. We all know about canned goods and dry storage items like beans and pasta, but many of us forget that the freezer is also part of our pantry. Slab bacon can be kept in the freezer up to six months. Just slice off what you need for dishes like spaghetti carbonara or soups like clam chowder or the succotash soup below. Sausages can be frozen but the sausages should be individually wrapped so you can take what you need without mangling the entire package. I usually keep turkey kielbasa in the freezer for quick bean dishes or to flavor hearty greens like kale or broccoli rabe. Boneless steaks, whole pork tenderloins, veal cutlets, boneless chicken breasts, and turkey cutlets are good to have in the freezer too. Wrap them in individual portions for easier defrosting. Crab meat and shrimp freeze well and taste better than canned versions. I use unsalted butter because I think it tastes better than salted butter. But it is more perishable, so I keep one stick in the refrigerator and the rest in the freezer. Frozen butter defrosts quickly in a microwave oven. Though freshly grated Parmesan (especially Parmigiano-Reggiano, the real thing from Italy) is always best, for convenience buy it already grated, or grate a large amount yourself. Store the grated Parmesan in the freezer where it will it keep for a few months. Peas, corn, broccoli florets, Brussels sprouts, and lima beans are the frozen vegetables I use most often. Asparagus spears or cuts and frozen leaf or chopped spinach are also good to have around. Most of these vegetables are available in 10-ounce boxes. But they are cheaper and more convenient when purchased in larger plastic bags, which can be resealed. In Succotash Soup I use frozen corn and lima beans. Though I prefer the flavor of the larger Fordhook limas, they take too long to cook. But use them if you have a few extra minutes. Most people think of succotash as nothing more than corn and lima beans. But the Pilgrims were much more ecumenical about succotash, putting such things as chicken, turnips, and potatoes in it. So I’ve included potatoes in my version and turned it into a soup. To reduce calories, you can substitute evaporated milk, even evaporated skim milk, for the half-and-half. Serve it with crackers and a lager beer. Succotash Soup
6 ounces bacon, about
8 strips 1)Put a 12-inch sauté pan with a 4-quart capacity or a Dutch oven over medium-high heat while you cut the bacon crosswise into pieces about 1/2-inch wide. Add the bacon to the sauté pan, increase the heat to high, and stir, breaking up any clumps. Cut each potato in half, lengthwise (do not peel). Cut each half into thirds, lengthwise. Then cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide pieces. Add the potatoes to the bacon and stir. Peel and chop the onion in a food processor or by hand. Add to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes. 2)Meanwhile, put the lima beans in a colander and put under warm running water. Open the cans of chicken stock. Add the lima beans, chicken stock and bay leaves to the sauté pan. Stir, cover and bring to a boil over high heat. 3)Meanwhile, put the half-and-half in a small saucepan and warm over medium-low heat. Chop the roasted red bell peppers. 4)As soon as soup mixture comes to a boil, add the corn, red bell peppers, salt and pepper and cayenne to taste. Stir, cover, and return to a boil. 5)Add the half-and-half, lower the heat, and stir. Simmer gently (do not let boil) for about 4 minutes, or until the lima beans and potatoes are tender. Meanwhile, chop the chives. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Discard the bay leaves. Ladle the soup into soup plates and sprinkle with chives. Serves 4 Per serving: 609 calories, 21 grams protein, 62 grams carbohydrate, 33 grams fat, 13 grams saturated fat, 51 mg cholesterol, 732 mg sodium.
Sam
Gugino Copyright
1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 by Sam Gugino. All rights reserved. |
