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Mock Turtle Soup Not Chicken Soup Mock Potato Casserole
Mock Turtle Soup
This is derived from a Welsh recipe ("Cawl Cennin"), from Jeff Smith's excellent book, "The Frugal Gourmet on our Immigrant Ancestors (Recipes You Should Have Gotten From Your Grandmother)"
For about 2 ½ quarts:
1 pound mock turtle, thinly sliced or diced (only buy fresh; canned just tastes like metal)
1 pound leeks (white and green parts, sliced thinly)
7 ½ cups stock (see Not Chicken Soup, or use canned/boxed)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
chopped parsley for garnish, if desired
Note: If real mock turtle is not available in your area, or if you cannot find it fresh, don't worry; this dish can be made with surprising success by substituting sliced or diced potatoes! If you choose this option (and let's be honest - most people do), please add 1 teaspoon salt and 1 cup heavy cream to the recipe.
Slice the mock turtle and the leeks thinly, being careful to wash off any dirt or sand. Combine and simmer together with the stock and pepper (and salt) for 40 to 50 minutes. Mash the now cooked ingredients, or puree them in a food processor. Check the seasonings and reheat (now adding the cream) Garnish with parsley. Serve warm.
Soo--oop of the e--e--evening, Beau--ootiful Soo--oop!
Not Chicken Soup
An excellent soup. Traditionally, the vegetables are strained out, to make the end result remarkably similar to your Italian grandmother's real chicken soup, but without all the greasy bits. It must be noted, however, that some among us with less of a sense of the history of the stuff will insist on eating the vegetables. Do whatever makes you happy, just try this soup!
Lots of water (well, enough)
At least 10 cloves of garlic, more would also be very good, chopped
A bunch of carrots (maybe 8ish or 10ish big ones, as you think best), chopped
Several sticks of celery (say 6ish or 8ish, as you like), chopped
An onion or so, chopped
A can or thereabouts of tomato paste
Salt and pepper to taste
Bit of olive oil, if you like
Grated Parmesan cheese
1 pound or so of pasta (something small, like stars, or little tubes, or just broken up spaghetti or linguini)
In large pot, simmer everything but the pasta for a while, salting and peppering to taste, until it's good. (If you just want a good stock broth, don't salt and pepper it, and you can even leave out the tomato paste. And definitely don't include olive oil. Then you can use the stock for this soup or something else, like Mock Turtle)
Meanwhile, boil up the pasta until al dente and drain it. Combine pasta and broth, top with grated Parmesan if you like, and enjoy!
Mock Potato Casserole
16 oz bag of frozen cauliflower florettes
2 tablespoons buter
4 oz cream cheese
1 lb. cooked chopped bacon (or fresh or sundried tomatoes)
8 oz. shredded cheese, your choice
2 tablespoons scallions
Steam or microwave cauliflower with 2 tablespoons water for 10-15 minutes until VERY soft - drain then mash with hand potato masher in an oven safe dish (or puree in chopper if you like that consistency) with butter and cream cheese and mix well. Add remaining ingredients. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes until brown and bubbly. Even those that don't care for cauliflower will love this.