Jill Horn's Potato Leek Puree - Vichyssoise

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch leeks, tuft ends and fiberous green part cut off, slice length wise and then cut into 1/3 inch pieces; thoroughly soak, rinse and drain
• 4 baking potatoes, peeled and cut into one inch chunks
• 1 large onion, peeled and diced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter (optional)
• 1 pint plain nonfat yogurt (optional)
• scallion--garnish, diced

The careful preparation of the leeks is necessary because they can be very sandy. Heat the oil in a heavy gauge pot and saute the leeks and onion until soft and translucent, approximately 10 minutes. If the soup is to be served hot and a richer taste is desired add the butter at this point adjusting the heat lower to avoid burning. Add the potatoes and stir to coat them with the cooked mixture. Add 4 cups of water and simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are soft. Puree in a food processor using the on/off pulse to avoid making the potatoes gummy. Salt and pepper to taste. To serve cold, don't use butter in the preparations, chill the mixture and swirl in nonfat yogurt before serving.

Serving ideas:
Garnish with diced scallions or minced chives. For a richer soup--hot or cold add a dollop of yogurt or sour cream.

Yield: 8 cups

Aliza Green's Cuban Black Bean Soup with Sofrito and Smoked Turkey

Servings: 8 to 10

Ingredients:

• 1 pound (2 cups) dried black turtle beans, soaked
• 1 onion, peeled and stuck with 8 whole cloves
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 pound smoked turkey legs
• 4 cups (1 quart) Light Chicken Stock
• 4 cups (1 quart) cold water
• 1 large white onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon ground toasted cumin seeds
• 2 tablespoons annatto oil, or peanut oil plus 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 (15-ounce) can plum tomatoes, chopped
• 2 tablespoons malt or sherry vinegar
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Drain and rinse the soaked black turtle beans. In a large soup pot, add the beans and enough water to cover. Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain the beans, discarding the water.

Place the beans back in the pot along with the whole onion, bay leaves, and turkey legs. Cover with the Light Chicken Stock and 16 cups cold water. Bring to a boil, skim off any white foam impurities that rise to the surface and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook very slowly until the beans are quite soft, about 2 hours. (Alternatively, cook the beans in a pressure cooker for 25 minutes, starting the timer after the steam has built up pressure in the pot.) Remove the onion and bay leaves and discard. Remove the turkey legs, and when cool enough to handle, dice the meat and reserve. Puree three-fourths of the beans, along with their liquid, in a blender or a food processor. Leave the remaining beans whole. To make the soup easier to digest, strain the bean puree through a sieve or food mill to remove the skins. Return to the pot with the whole beans.

In a skillet, saute the diced onion,. Garlic, reserved diced turkey meat, and cumin in the oil until softened. Add the tomatoes and vinegar. Add the sauteed vegetable mixture to beans. Bring the soup back to a boil and season to taste with salt and pepper.