One day I happened to watch Jacques Pépin cut an apple on public television. He cut out a circle around the stem, one around the blossom, halved the fruit and cut two more quick circles removing the core. He stated very simply that this was the correct way to do it, even making a joke about his last name, which means “pip, or small seeds” in French. So great is my regard for him that, despite a lifetime of quartering apples, I was immediately converted.
He’s known as a master of technique, which is one of the reasons I’m so devoted to his instruction. He doesn’t just give a recipe; he teaches the tools needed to improvise unlimited variations from that recipe—the kitchen version of teaching one how to fish rather than just feeding one a fish (no matter how delectably prepared).
His book Fast Food My Way is a treasure trove of ideas for busy cooks. One of my favorite quick lunches comes from this book. In my house, we refer to it as “Box Grater Soup,” since the technique of grating all the vegetables is a constant; though the veggies change around each time, depending on what’s in the fridge. It’s one of the fastest and healthiest ways to get some food on the table. If you think making soup from scratch in minutes is just a daydream, take a lesson from Jacques. And be quick!—dinner bells are ringing, dinner bells are ringing!
Instant Vegetable Soup
5 cups water
1½ cups shredded zucchini (about half a zucchini)
1 cup shredded peeled carrot (about 1 carrot)
1 cup shredded onion (1 medium onion)
1 cup shredded white button mushrooms (2-4 mushrooms)
⅓ cup minced scallions (about 3 scallions)
2 cups (loosely packed) coarsely chopped salad greens
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons instant grits
About 4 teaspoons unsalted butter or olive oil
1 cup shredded Swiss (Gruyère) cheese
Bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add all the vegetables to the boiling water along with the salt. Bring the soup back to a boil and boil, uncovered, for 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle the grits on top of the soup, reduce the heat to low, and cook gently for 2 to 3 minutes longer. (You will have about 6 cups.)
Serve hot in soup bowls, spooning about 1 teaspoon of the olive oil or butter on each serving and topping each of the bowls with a few generous tablespoonfuls of the cheese.
|
