Dairy « (y)our food choices™

Parmesan Cheese Rind Soup

Let’s assume that if you’re reading our blog you’re a foodie, right? Which means that you don’t have a can of Kraft Parmesan cheese in the refrigerator and that you most likely have a wedge of Grana Padano, or another type of parmesan cheese, that you use on a regular basis. And if you don’t know the difference it’s time that you do a bit of homework on the world of cheeses and visit your nearest cheese shop, or at least go online and do some research. Cheese should never come in a can, and don’t get us started on Cheeze Whiz. If you have a can of that crap in your fridge you have some serious food hang-ups and there’s probably nothing we can do to help you. So stop reading and just leave, just kidding. But seriously, get up from your computer and get rid of that can of Cheeze Whiz now.

We purchase Grana Padano from Costco, and while it is a large wedge it also lasts us for months. The best way we have found to store it is in a plastic bag (we are looking for an alternative, but as of today, it’s the best solution), within a plastic box (again, looking for an alternative) in the fridge. The plastic box has become our cheese drawer. It allows moisture to remain at a minimum while also keeping the cheeses fresh, and since Grana Padano is in the hard cheese category you’ll want minimal moisture. We use the cheese with anything from pastas, soups, breads, sandwiches, and anything that parmesan cheese is used for you can use Grana Padano. It has a nutty, sharp flavor that intensifies any dish.

When we get down to the rinds, something most people would just throw away, we freeze them and use them for soup stock. The flavor is so intense and wonderful and the soup is so rich that all you need is a small cup to be satisfied, although you’ll be tempted to eat a large bowl. The cost of the soup is also so economical that it literally costs less than a can of Campbell’s soup to make. If you have a pressure cooker it will take very little time to create. If you don’t have one you can use canned beans or soak dried beans overnight but it will take a lot more time, and the flavors won’t be the same.

Beans and Herbs in the pot

Cheese Rind Soup Recipe

2 cups dried Navy beans (picked over for small stones)

2 bay leaves

Sage & Thyme bundle

2-3 garlic cloves

½ – 1 pound Grana Padano cheese rinds (or other hard cheese rinds)

1 pound Kale, Chard, Spinach, or other leafy greens

Add the dried navy beans, garlic, bay leaves, sage and thyme to the pressure cooker, with about six cups water. Bring to a boil and cook for about 12-15 minutes. The beans will not be fully cooked. Reduce pressure and add the cheese rinds. Bring back to a boil and pressure cook for another 10-15 minutes. Reduce pressure again and remove the cheese rinds. The rinds will be hot so take caution when removing. Chop the rinds into small pieces and add them back to the soup. Add the greens and bring to boil and then pressure cook again for about 5-7 minutes. The cheese should mostly be melted but there may be small pieces. Add salt and pepper to taste. The cheese will already add a lot of salt so take caution not to add too much. Make sure to stir after each reduction of the pressure to assure that the cheese does not stick to the bottom of the pot and burn.

Serve with a drizzle of good quality extra-virgin olive oil. You can also add croutons or serve with crackers. For a spicy kick add your favorite Tabasco or hot sauce.

Potato Leek Soup w/ Sandwich and Salad

Potato Leek Soup

It’s winter and the air has been cold. We’re expecting a rainy week and I’ve got a feeling we’ll be eating a lot of soup to keep us warm. When we make soup, we like to make a big batch so we have extra to freeze for another day. This potato and leek soup never made it to the freezer. It was just too good and with the weekend upon us, leftovers mean easy lunches. The heavy cooking can wait for evening.

Potato leek soup is a simple, hearty meal made all the better with the added rich flavors of bacon fat and savory homemade chicken stock. An enriching dollop of crème fraiche or sour cream, a grind of black pepper and a dash or five of Tabasco round out the steaming bowl of thick, savory yum.

The stock used for this beauty was made from the leftover bones of a Limon Rotisserie chicken be brought home for an easy takeout meal. We love the restaurant’s Peruvian take on roasted chicken and we love what the extraordinary mix of herbs and spices used to flavor the birds adds to the stock we create with what most folks would discard (a terrible waste, in our opinion).

With a small sandwich (goat cheese and prosciutto on our no-kneed loaf pictured) and a romaine salad with a simple bleu cheese dressing (bleu cheese, a bit of sour cream, mayo, white wine vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper whisked together) made for a perfect after-run lunch this afternoon.

The Recipe:

2 slices of bacon

3 leeks washed and trimmed of darkest green parts (save them for stock!), chopped

1 lb. organic Russet potatoes, peeled and diced

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

2 bay leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat large straight-sided frying pan over medium high heat and add bacon strips. Fry until crisp to render fat. Remove to a plate to drain on paper towels. (The bacon can be put aside for another use or crumbled on top of the hot bowl of soup at serving time.)

Add leeks to pan and sauté in bacon fat until wilted. Add stock, potatoes and two bay leaves. Cover and simmer on low until potatoes are tender, approximately 15 minutes.

Remove the bay leaves. In batches, puree the potatoes, leeks and broth in a blender. Pour each blended batch into a clean pot and continue to puree until all of the soup has been well blended.

Serve soup in warmed bowls and top with your favorite condiments – crème fraiche, sour cream, plain yogurt … you get the picture.