Mark Bittman's Quick and Easy Recipes from the New York Times (4 page)

Hardshell clams, often called
littlenecks, cherrystones,
or
quahogs,
are a must for this chowder; cockles, which are smaller, will also work well. Steamers (which have softer shells) will make the chowder sandy.

If you like, try finishing the chowder with a little cream for both color and silkiness.

1.
Wash the clams well, scrubbing if necessary to remove external grit. (You can wash the clams hours or even a day in advance; keep them in a large bowl or colander set over a bowl, uncovered, in the refrigerator.) Put them in a pot with ½ cup of water and turn the heat to high. Steam, shaking the pot occasionally, until most of the clams are open, 7 to 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the clams to a broad bowl; reserve the cooking liquid.

2.
When the clams are cool enough to handle, shuck them over the bowl, catching every drop of their liquid; discard the shells. If any clams remain closed, use a thin-bladed knife to pry them open (it will be easy).

3.
Chop the clams. Strain all the liquid through a sieve lined with a paper towel or a couple of layers of cheesecloth. Measure the liquid and add enough water to make 3½ cups. (You may prepare the dish in advance up to this point; refrigerate, covered, for up to a day before reheating.)

4.
Combine the liquid with the onion and potatoes in a saucepan; cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer, still covered, and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the clams, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve.

NOTE

Remember that live clams have tightly closed shells; reject any whose shells are open or cracked. Those that do not open fully during steaming are perfectly fine; simply pry them open with a knife.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

TIME: 30 MINUTES

THIS IS ESSENTIALLY
a clam chowder but one that is less soupy, more colorful, and more “clammy” than most. The departures from American tradition include a strong whiff of garlic and a bright green puree of parsley.

1.
Wash the clams well, in several changes of water, until the water contains no traces of sand. (You can wash the clams hours or even a day in advance; keep them in a large bowl or colander set over a bowl, uncovered, in the refrigerator.) Put them in a wide, deep skillet or saucepan along with the potatoes, wine, and thick parsley stems. Cover and turn the heat to high.

2.
While the clams and potatoes are cooking, combine the parsley leaves and thin stems in a blender with the garlic and oil. Puree, adding water as necessary (it will be ½ cup or more) to make a smooth puree. Add salt to taste and transfer to a bowl.

3.
Cook the clam-potato mixture until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Remove the bundle of thick stems, then stir about half the puree into the mixture and serve, passing the rest at the table.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

TIME: 30 MINUTES

THIS THAI SOUP,
like most European soups, begins with chicken stock. You can use canned stock if you like, because the added ingredients here are so strong that all you really need from the base is a bit of body. (Good homemade stock has better body than canned stock, of course; use it if you have it.)

You can find all of these ingredients at almost any supermarket, and if you don’t have luck at yours, try an Asian market, where they are as common as carrots, celery, and onions. (And if you do go to an Asian market, pick up some rice or bean thread noodles, which require almost no cooking time and turn this dish into a meal.)

You don’t need oyster mushrooms, by the way—fresh shiitakes or even white button mushrooms are just as good. All you really need to know is that lemongrass must be trimmed of its outer layers before being minced and nam pla (fish sauce) keeps forever in your pantry (and tastes much better than it smells).

1.
Heat the stock over medium heat. Trim two of the lemongrass stalks of their toughest outer layers, then bruise them with the back of a knife; cut them into sections and add them to the stock with the ginger and about one-fourth of the minced chiles if you’re using them. Simmer for about 15 minutes, longer if you have the time. (You can prepare the recipe in advance up to this point; cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days before proceeding.) Peel all the hard layers off the remaining stalk of lemongrass and mince its tender inner core.

2.
When you’re just about ready to eat the soup, remove the lemongrass and ginger. Add 1 tablespoon of the nam pla and the chopped mushrooms. Taste the broth and add more chiles if you like, as well as some salt if necessary. In the bottom of each of 4 warmed bowls, sprinkle a little chile if using, lime leaves or zest, lime juice, cilantro, and minced lemongrass. Ladle the soup into the bowls and add a teaspoon of nam pla to each bowl. Serve piping hot.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

TIME: 30 MINUTES

EVEN AS THEY
become increasingly common, there remains something special, even exotic, about mushrooms. And combining their various forms allows you to make a splendid and impressive soup in less than half an hour.

The best-tasting dried mushrooms are dried porcini (also called
cèpes
), which have come down about 50 percent in price over the last few years (do not buy less than an ounce or so at a time—you can buy them by the pound, too—or you’ll be paying way too much). Or you can start with inexpensive dried shiitakes, readily available in Asian markets (where they’re also called
black mushrooms),
or any other dried fungus, or an assortment. An assortment of fresh mushrooms is best, but you can simply rely on ordinary button (white) mushrooms or shiitakes (whose stems, by the way, are too tough to eat).

1.
Put the dried mushrooms in a saucepan with 5 cups of water; bring to a boil, cover, turn the heat to low, and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until tender.

2.
Meanwhile, put the butter in a skillet and turn the heat to medium-high. When the butter melts, add the sliced fresh mushrooms and turn the heat to high. Cook, stirring occasionally and seasoning with salt and pepper, until they give up their liquid and begin to brown, about 5 minutes. When the dried mushrooms are tender, scoop them from the liquid with a slotted spoon and add them to the skillet along with the shallot. When all the fresh mushrooms are browned and the shallot is tender, about 3 minutes later, turn off the heat.

3.
Strain the mushroom-cooking liquid through a cheesecloth-, napkin-, or towel-lined strainer; measure it and add water or stock to make sure you have at least 1 quart. Rinse the saucepan and return the liquid to it. Add the mushrooms and cream and heat through; taste and adjust the seasoning. Add the lemon juice, taste once more, garnish if you like, and serve.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

TIME: 40 MINUTES

ASPARAGUS IS ONE
of the few vegetables that remains true to its season; though you can buy it earlier than ever, and it stays around later than ever, it’s still pretty much a spring vegetable.

You can save yourself some time by using thin asparagus; if you use thicker stalks, peel them first or the soup will be fibrous. Be especially careful whenever you puree hot liquid; do it in smaller batches to avoid spattering.

1.
Break off the bottom of each asparagus stalk and discard. Coarsely chop the rest of the stalks, leaving 16 of the flower ends whole. Put the butter or oil in a large deep skillet or broad saucepan and turn the heat to medium-high. A minute later, add the asparagus and tarragon, raise the heat to high, and cook, stirring only occasionally, until nicely browned, about 10 minutes. Remove the whole flower ends; set aside.

2.
Add the stock and some salt and pepper; bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the asparagus is very tender, about 10 minutes. Cool for a few minutes.

3.
Use a blender to puree carefully in batches. Return to the pan and reheat gently over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. When the soup is hot, taste and adjust the seasoning. Put 4 of the cooked flower ends in each of 4 bowls; ladle in the soup and serve.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

TIME: 40 MINUTES

THIS IS A CABBAGE
soup with a difference; the apples add sweetness, crunch, and complexity.

1.
In a medium saucepan, combine the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter and turn the heat to medium-high. When the butter melts, add the onion and cabbage and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables wilt and begin to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add 5 of the thyme sprigs and cook for a few minutes more. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2.
Add the stock and turn the heat to medium; stir occasionally as it heats. Put the remaining butter in a skillet and turn the heat to medium-high. When the butter foam subsides, add the apple pieces. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and tender, about 10 minutes. Strip the leaves from the remaining thyme sprigs and sprinkle them over the apples along with a bit of salt.

3.
Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning; remove the thyme sprigs. Serve the soup hot, garnished with the apple chunks.