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Turnip and Turnip Greens Soup by Alice Waters (Serves 4 to 6)
From The James Beard Foundation’s Best of the Best,
A 25thAnniversary Celebration of America’s Outstanding Chefs
2 1/2 pounds young turnips with greens, washed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
2 quarts chicken stock
2 ounces prosciutto or smoked bacon, diced
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil, for garnish
Parmesan cheese, grated, for garnish
- Trim the turnips, reserving the leaves. Peel the turnips unless very small and tender. Cut them crosswise into thin slices and reserve.
- In a non-reactive saucepan over low to medium heat, combine the oil, butter, and 1 tablespoon water. Add the onion and garlic. Sauté until translucent. Add the turnips and cook until soft, approximately 4 minutes. Add the stock, prosciutto, bay leaf, thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer over low heat until the turnips are very tender, about 1 hour. Working in batches in a blender or food processor, puree the mixture until smooth.
- Bring a small stockpot or large saucepan two-thirds full of salted water to a rolling boil. Blanch the turnip greens by boiling until tender, about 30 seconds; immediately plunge them into ice water. The leaves should be tender but still bright green. Puree the greens with a little of the soup.
- Ladle the soup into serving bowls. Drizzle the blended turnip greens on top, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, and garnish with Parmesan.
NOTE: Water or vegetable stock may be substituted for the chicken stock and the prosciutto omitted for a meatless version of this soup.
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