A Wine Filled Evening

Mira was leaving for Hong Kong to attend the birth of her twin Grand Children. We invited her and Kirk over for dinner and also invited Bea. They all share a love of wine, and brought great wines for the dinner.

We started with an assortment of Cheese from The Cheese Store of Silverlake. They always write the name of the Cheese on the paper that the cheese is wrapped in, and I decided that from now on I would always tear the name off and place it by the cheese on the plate. Finally I will have a visual reminder of the cheese that I am eating!

We started with a delicious and easy Garlic Soup that we first had a Robert and Darryl’s house: Fresh Garlic Soup Brisighella Zuppa di Aglio Fresco from The Splendid Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper. One would expect the soup to be overly garlicky but it isn’t at all. This is a great soup! We used store bought croutons.

We followed that with: Moroccan Fish Tagine with Tomato, Peppers, and Preserved Lemons in Paula Wolfert’s World of Food Cookbook. We served Cous-cous with it. This is one of our favorite Fish dishes. It is wonderful, with lots of flavors of Morocco. It is a real winner! We seem to make it a couple of times a year, always for guests. Everyone loves it! You can find the recipe in our blog of: Sep. 14, 2009. Click the date to get the recipe.

For dessert, we had one of the great Chocolate Cakes from Proof Bakery. The make great ones! It was moist and extremely rich, almost like eating a chocolate truffle!

Fresh Garlic Soup Brisighella Zuppa di Aglio Fresco

The Splendid Table

Lynne Rossetto Kasper

This cross between a soup and a creamy puree is as healthful as it is delicious. An old Romagna cure for colds, the soup has been fed to babies and the elderly for generations, especially in the hills of Brisighella, the spa town above Faenza.

Don't be put off by the amount of garlic. The soup is mellow and mild, yet full-flavored It is one of my favorite dishes—easy to do and substantial enough to make a light supper main dish on its own. (The recipe doubles easily.) If possible, use the fresh garlic of spying and early summer, still green and moist. Special thanks to Gianni Quondamatteo, who shared the traditions of this recipe.

[Serves 4 as a first course or light supper]

Soup

2 heads large-cloved garlic

4 cups water

2 small to medium onions, finely chopped

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

6 medium fresh sage leaves, or 6 small dried sage leaves 3-1/2 cups Poultry/Meat Stock

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Croutons

Four 1/2-inch-thick slices good-quality Italian baguette-style bread

2/3 cup (about 3 ounces) shredded Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Method

Working Ahead: The soup comes together quickly once the garlic has been peeled and boiled 10 minutes. This could be done 1 day ahead and the garlic refrigerated in a sealed container. The croutons can be prepared at the same time, then wrapped and stored at room temperature. Rewarm them in a 300°F oven 5 minutes. Make the soup itself, without pureeing, within 2 hours of serving. Reheat to a boil, puree and serve.

Preparing the Garlic: Separate the cloves from each head of garlic, but do not peel them. Bring the water to a rolling boil in a 2-quart saucepan. Drop in the garlic cloves and boil 10 minutes. Drain them in a sieve and peel. If you are using fresh green garlic, do not peel the cloves.

Making the Soup: Return the garlic cloves to the saucepan, and add the onion, olive oil, sage, and stock. Bring to a lively bubble over medium-high heat. Partially cover and cook 5 minutes. Uncover, adjust the heat so the liquid bubbles slowly, and cook another 5 minutes.

Making the Croutons: Preheat the broiler. While the soup is simmering, arrange the bread slices on a baking sheet. Toast them under the broiler 1 to 2 minutes per side, or until the slices are crisp and golden. Set aside a few spoonfuls of the cheese to top the soup. Sprinkle the rest over the bread slices. Slip the baking sheet back under the broiler only a second or two, to melt the cheese but not brown it. Keep warm.

Finishing and Serving: Have four soup dishes warming in a low oven. The garlic cloves will be meltingly soft when the soup finishes cooking. Remove all but 1 sage leaf, and puree the soup in a blender or food processor. Season to taste. Arrange the croutons in the soup dishes, and pour the puree over them. Sprinkle each serving with a few shreds of cheese, and serve immediately.

Suggestions Wine: A crisp white Sauvignon from Romagna, Emilia, Alto Adige, or Friuli.