L'Italo-Americano

www.italoamericano.com 12 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2015 L'Italo-Americano If you are looking for something to start your Easter meal, look no further than this elegant soup made from the hum- ble celery root. About the size of a softball, cloaked in a gnarled, hairy brown overcoat, and spor- ting a top knot of long, deep green leaves, you've probably walked right by this root vegeta- ble a thous and times in the market. But peel away the skin to reveal the white inner flesh, cook it up into a soup, and you will tas te the refined es s ence of celery. Some of Italy's iconic soups are hearty and assertive - like Is tria's J ota, F arrara's S guazabarbuz, or Tus cany's Ribollita. Where those iconic s oups are thick, chunky and multi-layered in flavor, this deli- cately flavored soup is an elegant melding of root vegetables sim- mered together in brodo di pollo (chicken broth) and pureed into a vellutata, Italy's version of cream soup. Smooth and luxurious, this genre of soup owes its body and velvety texture to starchy russet potatoes and a final enrichment of cream. This soup is the perfect complement to an Easter ham. Vellutata di Sedano Rapa Cream of Celery Root Soup serves 4 to 6 • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter • 2 leeks, white part only, cut into ¼" slices• 1 parsnip, peeled, cut into ¼" dice • 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled, cut into ¼" inch dice • 3 celery roots, peeled, cut into ¼" dice • 7-8 cups brodo di pollo (recipe follows) • ¼ cup heavy cream • fine sea salt • freshly ground white pepper • minced prezzemolo (Italian parsley) or chopped chives, to garnish Melt the butter in a 6-quart heavy bottom saucepan over low heat. Add the prepared leeks and parsnip, along with a pinch of fine sea salt, tossing to coat the vegetables with butter. Cover the saucepan, and sweat the vegeta- bles over a low flame until the leeks are quite soft and somewhat translucent, stirring frequently. Do not allow the leeks to brown or they will take on a decidedly unpleasant bitter flavor. Add the diced potatoes and celery root along with 7 cups of brodo di pollo. Stir well. Increase the flame, bringing the soup to a boil. Reduce to a very gentle sim- mer. Cover and cook, maintai- ning a gentle simmer, for about 50-60 minutes, until the vegeta- bles are well softened. Remove the soup from the heat and allow it to cool for about 10 minutes. Puree with an immer- sion blender, leaving a bit of tex- ture. The s oup may als o be pureed using a food processor. To use the processor, fit the work- bowl with the metal blade and remove the pusher from the feed tube, setting the pusher aside. An Elegant Soup for a Celebration ADRI BARR CROCETTI Removing the pusher will pre- vent a buildup of steam in the workbowl which could force the top of the food processor off creating both a hazard and a mess. Puree the vegetables in batches, adding about ¼ cup of cooking liquid to each batch to aid in pureeing. The soup may be frozen at this point, for up to 3 weeks. To serve, return the mixture to the saucepan and warm it. Add ¼ cup of heavy cream, and combine well, being careful to keep the soup off the boil to pre- vent the cream from curdling. Add ½ teaspoon each of fine sea salt and freshly ground white pepper. If desired, add the final cup of brodo, ¼ cup at a time to slightly thin the soup. Taste, adding more salt and pepper, as needed. Serve topped with min- ced prezzemolo or chopped chi- ves. Brodo di Pollo makes about 2 quarts • 1 chicken, about 4 ½ to 5 pounds, cut up, visible pieces of fat removed and discarded • 2 leeks, rinsed, dark green leaves discarded, white part cut into 1" slice • 2 carrots, peeled, cut in 1" chunks • 2 ribs of celery, leaves atta- ched, cut in 1" chunks • 8 sprigs of Italian parsley • 10 black peppercorns • about 2 quarts filtered water, to cover the chicken and aroma- tics Place chicken in an 8-quart s tockpot. A dd cold w ater to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat. Skim frequently to remove foam and scum. Once the pot has reached a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, adjusting to maintain a lazy s immer. Continue s kimming until no more foam or scum rise. Add 1 cup very cold water to encourage the last of the scum to rise. Skim. Add the vegetables, parsley, and peppercorns. With the stock- pot partially covered, continue simmering about 2 hours, skim- ming frequently. Check the color at 2 hours; it should be a light yellow. For a darker brodo, sim- mer 30 minutes longer. Remove from the heat, and strain through dampened cheesecloth or a fine sieve into a glass container. Let brodo drain off of the meat and vegetables. Do not press; that will cloud the brodo. Discard bones and vegetables, reserving the meat for another purpose. The brodo is now ready to use, however it is best to refrige- rate it overnight and remove any solidified fat the next day. These last steps, refrigerating the brodo and removing the last bit of fat, contribute to a clear brodo. Store, well covered, in the refri- gerator 2 days or freeze 6 months. Q ues tions ? Em ail m e at adri@AdriBarrCrocetti.com or visit AdriBarrCrocetti.com Cream of celery root soup MAESTRO BRAND ITALIAN SAUSAGE Also served at many of your favorite restaurants! www.maestrosausage.com Find us exclusively at the following retailers: Sorrento Italian Market 5518 Sepulveda Blvd. Culver City, CA 90230 Beef Palace Butcher Shop 5895 Warner & Springdale HunƟngton Beach, CA 92649 The Butchery 415 South Associated Rd Brea, CA 92821 The Butchery 103 E. 17th Street Costa Mesa, CA 92627 The Meat House 23982 Alicia Parkway Mission Viejo, CA 92691 Vicente Foods 12027 San Vicente Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90049 Roma Italian Deli & Grocery 918 North Lake Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91104 Bay CiƟes Imports 1517 Lincoln Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90401 Eastside Market Italian Deli 1013 Alpine St. Los Angeles, CA 90012 Eagle Rock Italian Bakery 1726 Colorado Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90041 CavareƩa's Italian Deli 22045 Sherman Way Canoga Park, CA 91303 Mickey's Deli 101 Hermosa Beach Ave. Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 Grand View Market 12210 Venice Blvd Mar Vista, CA 90291 Venice Ranch Market 425 Rose Ave Venice, CA 90291

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