SPLIT PEA SOUP

While my Mom is good at cooking many things, my Dad and I both agree that she is especially great at making delicious, comforting soups.  From minestrone and lentil to chicken tortilla and roasted butternut squash, she would be the first to point out that, “it’s kind of hard to screw up soup”.  Ever the modest chef, my Mom’s casual approach to cooking is something I look to emulate in the kitchen on a daily basis.  With a propensity to sweat the small stuff when it comes to recipe components and cooking techniques, it is while making soup that I feel the most at ease.  In fact, I’ve found that soup making can be one of the most relaxing of kitchen tasks.  Throw a bunch of quality ingredients in a pot, simmer low and slow until the flavors come together and you have a simple and satisfying supper with leftovers for the week.
A hearty and warming soup, split pea with ham is one of my all-time favorites for the Fall because of its earthy flavor, rustic texture and tender shreds of smoky pork.  There are countless way to make this comfort classic, but I am particularly fond of adding bit of cream sherry at the end of cooking for a unique, sophisticated sweetness.  This is a very simple soup to prepare and certainly one falls into the category of dishes that are difficult to screw up.

SPLIT PEA SOUP

Adding the dried peas to the pot in two installments guarantees a good amount of texture to the soup.  Be sure to simmer the soup for the entire recommended length of time before adding any salt as the smoked ham hock will contribute a good amount of its own.  The addition of cream sherry at the end of cooking makes for a grown up flavor that slightly sweetens the soup while adding complexity and another dimension of flavor. This soup really thickens after a bit of refrigeration.  When reheating, it’s best to keep some extra stock (or water) on hand to thin down the soup to your desired consistency.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup chopped yellow onion (about one medium onion)
• 1/2 tablespoon garlic (about 1-2 cloves)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano or dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups diced carrots
• 1 cup diced, unpeeled red skin potatoes
  
• 1 pound dried split peas
• 8 cups chicken stock or water
• 1 2 1/2 – 3 1/2 pound bone-in, smoked ham hock
  
• Kosher salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon cream sherry (optional)
  

METHOD:

1. In a 6-quart pot, heat olive oil over medium heat and sauté the onions, garlic, dried herbs and pepper until translucent and soft, about 10 minutes.
2. Add the smoked ham hock and sauté briefly until it begins to color slightly, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the carrots, potatoes and 3/4 of the dried split peas.  Add in the stock or water, bring to a boil and then turn the heat down to low and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes.  Skim off foam periodically as it collects on the surface.
4. After 40 minutes, add in the remaining split peas and continue to simmer for another 40-50 minutes, stirring every once in a while to make sure that the peas don’t scorch on the bottom of the pot.
5. Carefully remove the ham hock from the hot soup to a clean plate.  Allow the ham to cool slightly before pulling the meat from the bone and shredding it into bite size pieces.
6. Return the shredded ham to the pot and swirl in the optional cream sherry.  Add kosher salt to taste.
   
7. Serve warm in bowls garnished with a Parmesan crouton.
   

Serves 5-6

PARMESAN CROUTONS

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 sourdough baguette
• Olive oil for brushing
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Finely chopped fresh thyme or oregano

METHOD:

• Preheat the oven to 400º.
• Slice baguette on a bias into 1/4 thick pieces.  Place bread slices on a baking sheet and brush each with olive oil before sprinkling on kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Top each slice with a sprinkling of grated cheese and minced herbs and bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly.
• Serve croutons at room temperature.

PESTO PIZZA WITH ROASTED GARLIC & POTATO

Mention potatoes on pizza and you’ll get one of two responses. From the folks who’ve tried it, you can expect an enthusiastic thumbs up. From everyonce else: a resounding “huh?” That’s the thing about pizza with potato – it sounds strange, until you try it, and then you just get it.
Tasting the ‘You Say Potato’ slice for the first time at Escape from New York Pizza on Haight Street in San Francisco was this moment for me.  Still in high school at the time, far out pizza toppings went about far as bacon and clams as in my Dad’s favorite New Haven-style pie from Pepe’s in New Haven, Connecticut.  A diehard pepperoni fan, I was blown away by the idea of putting a potato on a pizza.  Actually I probably wouldn’t have tried it had my vegetarian buddy not touted it as being “the best” slice of pizza he’d ever eaten.  He was right. Tender yet toothsome potatoes and savory whole-roasted garlic cloves come together in a one of a kind pesto pizza experience.
Over a decade later, I finally got around to trying it at home.  Don’t wait as long as I did; add this unbeatable flavor combination to your pizza-making repertoire now.  Then when someone mentions potatoes on a pizza, you’ll know.

PESTO PIZZA WITH ROASTED GARLIC & POTATO

Inspired by the You Say Potato Slice at Escape from New York Pizza, San Francisco

As the addition of potatoes are what really sets this pizza apart, it is important to make sure they are cooked and seasoned properly before they go on top of the pie.  To ensure that the potatoes are cooked all the way through when the pizza comes out of the oven, I blanch them in boiling water, just until they lose their crunch.  After draining them off, toss them them with a bit of leftover oil from the roasted garlic, sprinkle with herbs and a bit of salt and they’ll be ready to shine. By the way, making this a second time I added in crumbled bacon I had lying around and it was excellent; I highly recommend it to my pork-loving comrades.

INGREDIENTS:

• 24 ounces homemade or store-bought pizza dough, divided
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, for dusting
• About 1 cup homemade pesto (or store-bought)
• 2-3 cups grated mozzarella/provolone cheese
• 1 cup roasted or confit garlic cloves (recipe below)
• 4 red skinned potatoes, very thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Crushed red pepper flakes

METHOD:

1. Place a pizza stone in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 500°.  Allow the stone to heat for at least half an hour before baking pizzas.
2. Allow the pizza dough to come to room temperature.  On a lightly-floured work surface, form the dough into two large balls, collecting the sides and tucking them under to create a smooth outer surface.  Cover the dough with a damp towel and allow to rest for at least 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, blanch the potato slices in boiling water until just cooked through, anywhere between 1 – 2 minutes.  Drain and allow to cool slightly before drying the slices with paper towels and coating them with a touch of olive oil, a pinch of Italian seasoning and kosher salt.
4. Generously dust a wooden peel or the back of a sheet pan with flour or cornmeal. With lightly-floured hands, press the dough with your fingertips to form a flattened disk.  Lift the dough up and use the back of your knuckles to stretch and thin-out the dough into a circle with a diameter of 12-inches. Be careful to preserve the edge of the dough if you want a light, chewy crust. Carefully position the stretched dough onto the prepared peel or baking sheet.
5. Using a large spoon, spread an even layer of the pesto onto the dough and carefully spread it to within 1/2-inch of the edge, being careful to leave a sauce free edge.  Top with an even layer of the grated mozzarella/provolone cheese followed by slices of parboiled potatoes and roasted garlic cloves.  Top with a light sprinkling of a bit more mozzarella, season with salt to taste and a pinch of red pepper flakes.  Lightly brush the exposed crust with a bit of olive oil (or leftover garlic) oil to promote browning.
6. Carefully slide the pizza onto the preheated stone and bake until the crust is crisped and golden and the cheese is bubbling and just beginning to brown, about 6-7 minutes.  Remove the pizza from the oven and allow it to rest for a few minutes before slicing.

Makes enough for 2 pizzas

Roasted or Confit Garlic

In this recipe I like to confit the garlic cloves as opposed to roast them whole in an effort maintain the integrity of the garlic.  If you have some roasted garlic cloves laying around or prefer to roast a head of garlic wrapped in foil, feel free to do that instead.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 or 2 head of garlic, broken down into individual cloves and peeled
• Olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• Kosher salt

METHOD:

1. Preheat the oven to 300.  Add the peeled garlic cloves to a small saucepan and pour in olive oil until just barely covered.  Add a pinch of Italian seasoning and Kosher salt and roast in the oven for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until golden brown and soft.  Remove the saucepan from the oven and allow the garlic confit to cool.  Remove garlic cloves and store infused oil in the fridge for up to a week for another dishes.