Eat Simply, Eat Well

Zuppa di Ceci

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As my Dad used to say: “it’s been another fun-filled week around here!” Good projects, good people, good food. What more can you ask for?

And now I’m ready to move full-speed into the weekend. It’s pouring down rain here in Helsinki, but I have high hopes for a sunny Saturday so that I can put the new fence around my allotment garden – last year the rabbits had a nightly feast on onions, kale, and anything else edible that reached the soil’s surface. Not this year. I’m saving the produce for myself and my friends. Those bunnies? They’ll have to find sustenance elsewhere.

I’ll plan to plant the cold-tolerant crop seeds during the coming week: parsnips, spinach, mache, carrots, bok choy, potatoes…the veggies I think…hope…can withstand the chilly temperatures of the Finnish April, where the temps still drop to +1 or +2° C every night. BRRRRR! Come on, Spring! We’re ready for you.

As promised last week, here’s a round-up of some of the news links I loved from this past week. I hope you enjoy!

And because no weekend should begin without delicious food being involved, I bring you this beloved recipe from Tuscany: Zuppa di Ceci or Chickpea Soup. 

I enjoyed this in a back-alley restaurant in Rome – a modernized trattoria celebrating Bufala Mozzarella. And the mozzarella was indeed amazing…but it was this soup that stole my heart away. I’ve made it many times already since returning home, and it’s one of the easiest, most delicious & nutritious soups you could ever hope for. Fragrant with rosemary enhanced by just a pinch of chili, this soup and a slice of good sourdough is all you need for a hearty, happy meal anytime.

There are many versions of Zuppa di Ceci out there – this is mine. I hope you love it as much as we do!

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Zuppa di Ceci (Chickpea Soup)

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, minced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 stalk celery, diced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
  • 4 cups/1 liter cooked chickpeas + chickpea liquid
  • water to cover (see instructions below)
  • salt & pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery and carrot, and saute until tender and translucent; about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and rosemary and cook one minute more.

Add 3 cups of chickpeas + chickpea liquid to the pot (reserve the rest of the chickpeas for later). Add the tomato paste and chili flakes. Pour enough water into the pot to just cover the top of the chickpeas (the amount will depend on how much chickpea liquid you have already added).

Bring the soup to a boil, lower to a simmer, and cook an additional 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Puree the mixture until smooth with an immersion blender. Alternatively, transfer the soup to a blender and puree until smooth.

Warm the remaining chickpeas in a small pot with a little water, or in the microwave until they are warm to touch. Add the chickpeas to the soup, reserving a few to garnish each bowl. Taste the soup, and adjust the amount of salt and pepper to your liking.

Divide the soup between 4 bowls, garnish with a few chickpeas and a small handful of sprouts, and enjoy.

Serves 4.

Eat simply, eat well,

Ann

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Asparagus Soup and a Secret Ingredient

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Spring has arrived at last. And as I look around me at an awakening world, and I can’t help but think: T.S. Eliot had it all wrong about April. In The Wasteland he writes:

April is the cruellest month, breeding

Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing

Memory and desire, stirring

Dull roots with spring rain.

Winter kept us warm, covering

Earth in forgetful snow, feeding

A little life with dried tubers

Dear poet, I humbly disagree. April is far from cruel.

For those of us who endure Winter’s long months and embrace wholeheartedly the departure of snow and ice – April, with it’s spring rain and sun warming the dull roots to life, coaxing the bright green leaves from beneath the crust of melting snow and into broad daylight; with the return of migrant birds to nest in the waters outside our windows; with newly purchased vegetable and flower seeds for our gardens just waiting to fulfil the potential of their tiny existence – April is a month of hope and renewal.

And, with April comes asparagus.

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Easter came in March this year, and with it, asparagus too early for its time and flown in from too far away from its origins – some farm in Peru. Now, it’s still too early for Finnish asparagus; for that we wait until May. However, our dear European friends in Italy have an abundance of asparagus, thanks to enviable warmer climates, and those slender, bright green spears fill the shelves of local supermarkets right now.

And so it’s asparagus in the morning with eggs; asparagus on toast; asparagus steamed to eat with just a little salt and nothing else, and a simple asparagus soup, like this one.

This asparagus soup has a secret ingredient, though, to add a smoothness and thickness that asparagus lacks on its own: oatmeal. Typically reserved for breakfast, oatmeal can be undervalued as an ingredient in other meals, but I’ve been adding it to soups lately, and the boost of creamy texture, heart-healthy fiber, and blood sugar regulating properties are only further enhanced by the fact that it makes a soup so much more satisfying to eat. You’re going to love it.

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Asparagus is power food. It has:

  • contains high levels of anti-oxidants including vitamin C, beta carotene and vitamin E
  • contains high levels of anti-inflammatory phytonutrients
  • contains high levels of inulin, which is digested in our large intestine where it is used as food by beneficial digestive bacteria Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli, both of which help with nutrition absorption
  • contains 3 grams of fiber per cup
  • contains 4-5 grams of protein per cup

A few other things to know about asparagus:

  • it has a high respiration rate, the metabolic activity in the plant that breaks down the starch and sugars. This means that asparagus is not a vegetable you want to keep hanging around in your refrigerator for many days after purchase. Try to use asparagus within 48 hours or so after purchase as the quality and level of nutrients start to deteriorate pretty quickly. Eat up and enjoy!
  • Asparagus can be eaten raw, roasted or lightly steamed – but it needs very little cooking time; and in fact, long cooking periods tend to negate much of its nutritional value. The easiest way to cook asparagus is to trip the bottom ends by about 1/2″/1.5 cm. Then place just enough water in a pot to cover the bottom, bring it to a boil, add a small amount of salt, place the asparagus spears in, cover, and steam for one minute. Pour the water out and serve hot, warm or cold.

This asparagus soup is simple, quick and delicious – exactly what you hope for when your moving at full speed the rest of your day. So get this short list of ingredients ready and settle in – your soup will be ready in no time.

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Asparagus Soup

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, minced
  • 1 leek, white parts only, sliced in half lengthwise and thin into thin half moons
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 500 g asparagus, 
  • 1 cup cooked oatmeal
  • 5 cups water
  • 1 teaspoons salt
  • parmesan cheese to serve, optional
  • toasted sourdough bread to serve, optional

Prepare the asparagus:  Cut off the bottom 1/2″/1.25 cm of the asparagus and discard. Cut off the tips of the asparagus so that each tip is about 2″/5 cm long. Set aside.  Cut the remaining stalks of asparagus into chunks.

Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, then add the onion and leek. Cook slowly until translucent and very tender; about 10 minutes. Add the garlic an cook for one minute more. Add the asparagus chunks, oatmeal, water and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to as simmer, and cook for 5-6 minutes or until asparagus is tender. Remove from heat, and using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. (If you don’t have an immersion blender, transfer the soup in small batches to a heat-proof blender and blend until smooth. Return the soup to the pot and rewarm if necessary).

Place a small pot over the stovetop and pour in 1/2 cup water, or enough to cover the bottom. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Add the reserved asparagus spears, cover with a lid, and steam for one minute. Remove from heat and drain the water.

To serve, divide the asparagus soup evenly between four bowls. Arrange the asparagus spears on the top, and if you wish, grate fresh Parmesan cheese over the top and serve with toasted sourdough bread.

Serves 4.

Do you have other tips to share about how you cook asparagus? Let me know in the comments below! And if you like this recipe, please share it with your friends!

If you haven’t already, be sure to sign up for our newsletter before you go (it’s back up on the right at the top of the page).

To your health & joy.

Ann

Spring in Rome and an Orange & Fennel Salad

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A recent trip to Italy has inspired me to cover my table in seasonal fruits and vegetables. Leaving a snow-covered Helsinki behind, we arrived in Rome to sunny-cloudy skies, early buds just emerging on trees, low levels of tourists (a huge win!) and pleasant temperatures that required only a light jacket and scarf for warmth while touring this beautiful city.

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Rome is one giant museum, and best seen by walking around, so we were glad we’d packed great walking shoes. Everywhere you look, there are bits and pieces of ancient Rome, with layers brought in by all the subsequent generations, each looking to make their mark on the city they call(ed) home, while literally and figuratively building on the work and lives of the city’s previous residents. We visited the major sites: the Colesseum, Forum, Pantheon, Vatican, St. Peter’s Basilica. We stepped inside multiple churches to enjoy the intricate architecture, artwork, and in some delightfully surprising cases, groups of locals singing and enjoying their daily lives.

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We wandered down winding side streets leading to courtyards and plazas and parks in the back streets of Rome.

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We took selfies and panorama shots, alongside other tourists from around the world, in front of the fountain by the Spanish steps; from the rooftop of Castle d’Angelo, in front of ruins in the Jewish Ghetto, in the midst of headless statues inside the Forum. We sat overlooking the Tiber river, watching the world go by, enjoying the unscheduled days and the warmth of the Spring sunshine.

And we ate. We dined on the usual suspects of pizza and pasta…

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…and the more surprising and enjoyable offerings on the menu: arugula salad topped with fennel and orange; local goat cheese and toasted hazelnuts on dark greens; zucchini, sundried tomato and pecorino souffle; Roman-style artichokes – Carciofi alla Romana; and became completely addicted to Brutti ma Buoni – the “ugly but delicious” cookies made from toasted hazelnuts – a completely irresistible chewy-crunchy (we went back to the same bakery 3 times).

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We enjoyed gelato from Gelateria del Teatro – more than once. We consumed many, many oranges and blood oranges – too many to count.

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We drank cappuccinos literally all over the city, soon discovering our favorite places for the first cup of the morning, the second cup an hour or so later, the place to go after lunch, the mid-afternoon pick-me-up. When in Rome… We drank coffee as the locals did: standing up at the coffee bar, knocking back a freshly pulled espresso shot, or sitting at the outside tables, enjoying a cappuccino while watching the world go by.

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Here’s what we discovered while walking and eating our way through Rome for four days:

  • The local pasta and pizzas are great, but eat these daily and you’ll soon be craving vegetables – the pasta dishes tend to be very simple, for example the cacio e pepe made with cheese, butter or olive oil and black pepper over pasta – a delicious dish, but one screaming to be served with a side of vegetables or a salad. One trick is to ask for two plates and share the pasta dish, and then order several of the vegetables or salads along with it. Trust me, your gut, waistline and energy levels will thank you for this.
  • The most interesting dishes were found in from the list of appetizers, side dishes or salads. It is here that the local chefs are most adventurous, and where some of the best food in Rome. Sometimes, we ordered only side dishes – and these turned out to be our best meals.

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  • Local markets let you see what’s in season. During our visit in early March, the markets were loaded with wild asparagus, broccoli rabe, and artichokes. So whenever we came across these items on the menu, we ordered up! Wise choice – they were always fresh and delicious. The broccoli rabe at Pizzeria del Francesco was steamed and then dressed with garlic toasted in olive oil and a generous douse of black pepper – a perfect predecessor to the crisp pecorino, wild asparagus white pizza, topped with a fresh egg and baked in the wood-fired oven.
  • When looking for good food, here are a few rules:
    • Don’t rely only on the guide books – their recommendations will likely lead you to places overcrowded with tourists and dishes that are less than stellar. Instead ask a local in their late 20’s thru early 50’s where they eat. They are likely to give you the address of the trendier new restaurants cooking up Italian food with a modern twist.
    • If the menus are in English only, skip it.
    • If you’re looking for food after visiting a tourist attraction, follow the “rule of 3” shared with us by tour guide Chad: turn your back on the tourist site; walk 3 blocks in any direction and the food will be 3 times better and 3 times cheaper. It’s true.
    • Don’t look for dinner before 7:00 PM. Expect to pay extra for bread, water, plus a service fee.
    • You want a restaurant in which (most) of the guests are speaking Italian. If not, keep walking.
    • The best food is found on the side streets in smallish restaurants.
    • Use the local WiFi to check out “restaurants near here” on Google maps. You’ll get up-to-date comments from people like you about restaurants in the vicinity. We had really good luck with this, and found one of our favorite restaurants, dar sor Olimpio al Drago in Trastevere this way.
    • Be adventurous. Try foods you’ve never heard of. Share dishes so you can enjoy more new flavors without stuffing yourself.
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Pecorino, Zucchini & Sundried Tomato Souffle; Eggplant Involtini; Carciofi alla Romana; Tiramisu

To get you started, here are three of our favorite food stops from the trip:

  • dar sor Olimpio al Drago, Piazza del Drago 2 in Trastevere – Impeccable service in a charming restaurant, and where we found one of my favorite dishes of the trip: a souffle of pecorino cheese, zucchini and sundried tomato. Everything on the menu was excellent. Unusually for us – we ate here twice!
  • Gelateria del Teatro, Via dei Coronari, 65 – This is one place where the guide books get it right – truly the best gelato in Rome with authentic gelato flavors masterfully made in-house. Your only regret will be limited capacity as you’ll want to try every single flavor.
  • Baylon Cafe, Via di San Francesco a Ripa 152 in Trastevere – fresh juices and the best cappuccinos in the city. Also serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Well-loved by the locals and has a wonderful staff and decor that made me smile. This place really felt like “home”.

In case it may be a while before you visit the Eternal City, here’s a refreshing Spring salad inspired by our trip. This simple combination makes the best of a few ingredients, so look for the best quality of each that you can find. This will be on our Easter table, reminding us of those delightful days in Rome, and promising that Spring is nearly here – even in Helsinki.

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Orange, Fennel and Carrot Salad

  • 1 head of Lollo Rosso lettuce, or dark greens of choice
  • 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced lengthwise, reserving 8 whole slices from the center.
  • 1 orange, peel and outer pith cut away, cut into fourths and then into slices, reserving a few slices
  • 1 carrot, peeled and cut into thin, short strips
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon high-quality balsamic vinegar

Wash the dark greens and spin dry. If large, cut into bite-sized pieces. Place the greens in a large bowl. Add the fennel and orange except for reserved slices, and the carrot pieces. Add salt, pepper, olive oil and vinegar. Toss well to coat vegetables with the dressing.

Divide the vegetable mixture between 2 plates for a main course and 4 plates for a side dish. Garnish with reserved fennel and orange slices. Serve immediately.

Serves 2 as a main course and 4 as a side dish.

Have you been to Rome? Share your favorite food stops and tips in the comments below! Dreaming of Rome? What would you love to see or eat there?