The Celebration of Comfort

Cream of Tomato Basil Soup

Recently, with a dear friend, we have been putting ourselves through what we’ve jokingly referred to as a “deep thoughts” process. Deep Thoughts are guided by a series of mental exercises meant to put a framework around setting professional and personal goals. Yesterday, she asked me the “9 lives” question and that really got me thinking. The gist of the question is that if you could have 9 lives and you have to work in all 9 lives (no winning the lottery) but you assume you have the training and skill to accomplish the goals and the prestige is the same within each job, what would you do?

Before I could stop the thought, my answer was open Comfort. 

The first steps of Couscous Royale

Comfort is the restaurant that lives in my head with a menu centered on those soul nurturing dishes that recharge your psyche with memories of home however that place is defined in your heart. And although I think there are as many variations of comfort food in the United States as there are people, Comfort’s menu is centered on my culinary framework of comfort food. Nothing on the menu requires tweezers to plate or micro greens for garnish although a few in-depth descriptions might be necessary. 

Starter salads on the menu are mezze salads like Moroccan carrots, a roasted red and green pepper with cooked tomato salad called chakchouka (my first post) and of course, guacamole. Soups range from matzah ball to a chicken tortilla soup. And the main courses ensure multiple countries are well-represented since I will serve Couscous Royale (stay tuned for that recipe), garlic rosemary leg-of-lamb a la Provençale, slow roasted chicken, falafel, the obligatory brisket tacos and well … mac and cheese.

While we have several restaurants within walking distance of our home, this week our neighborhood has needed Comfort close by. After a long battle with a developer who wants to put a very unsafe street through our neighborhood (think no sidewalks, no streetlights combined with a hair-pin turned called “Dead Mans Curve”), and tear down a heritage tree in the process, the city planning commission voted against us. 

Past Halloween in our neighborhood

For the kiddos in our neighborhood, it means that the 4 acre tract of land that they have named “The Sunflower Forest” and where they have spent countless hours exploring, exchanging secrets and playing, is being torn down. So when my kiddos asked for tomato basil soup with grilled cheese on Thursday night for dinner, I knew they needed a culinary hug. And yesterday evening when we gathered for neighborhoods annual Halloween pot-luck, costume parade and trick or treat extravaganza, I brought Comfort to the pot-luck table in the form of mac and cheese.

These recipes are battle-tested and while they can’t make a bad decision, a bad day or a bad feeling go away they can renew your spirit with a little positive energy. Welcome to Comfort.

Cream of Tomato Basil Soup

(adapted from The New Basics Cookbook)

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 2 cans (35 oz each) plum tomatoes, with their juice. Be sure to get high quality canned tomatoes with nothing added
• 1 bunch fresh basil
• Pinch of sugar
• 4 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth
• ½ teaspoon allspice
• 1 cup heavy or whipping cream (the recipe calls for 2 cups but honestly, 1 cup is plenty)

 This recipe is a great excuse to buy an immersion blender if you don’t have one already. It’s one of the best tools you’ll have in your kitchen and it’s absolutely necessary in making soups without mess.

What to do:

  

Melt the butter in a large soup pot. Add the onions, carrot, and garlic. Cook over medium heat until the vegetables have wilted, about 10 minutes.

Softening the veggies

Add the tomatoes and their juice, ½ bunch basil (slightly chopped), sugar, and salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes. Then add the stock and allspice, and slowly bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, partially cover and simmer for 50 minutes.

Simmering the soup.

Puree the soup in batches using an immersion blender, blender or food processor. Return the soup to the pot if you uses a blender or food processor.

Slowly add the cream while stirring the soup. Adjust the seasonings and serve with chopped basil as a garnish.

Using the immersion blender for the soup.

Adding the cream

Making some gruyere toasts for the soup. Just toasted french bread
Add a little gruyere to each toast and put in the oven until golden. Finished toasts below. 

 Mac and Cheese

(adapted from The New Basics Cookbook)

Ingredients:

• 1 lbs elbow macaroni (or you can use penne)
• 4 cups milk
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 6 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
• 4 garlic cloves - minced
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• Pinch of nutmeg
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 oz Gruyere cheese (shredded)
• 8 oz part skim Mozarella (shredded)
• 8 oz Sharp Cheddar (shredded)

What to do:

1..Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the elbow macaroni and cook according to instructions. Once cooked, rinse the pasta under cold water. Set aside. You can also do this ahead of time and put the pasta in the fridge.

2.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

3.  Shred the cheeses and combine in one bowl.

4.  Put the milk in a  microwave safe container (I use a 4 cup measuring cup) and microwave until very hot (under a boil) and set aside.

5.  Meanwhile, melt the butter in a heavy pot. Add the minced garlic and let saute for 1 minute, stirring.

6.  Add the flour, and whisk over low heat for 5 minutes. The flour will clump at first but as you whisk, you’ll have what looks like a smooth paste. Be sure not to let the flour brown too much or burn.

Butter, garlic, flour before milk is added. 

7.  Remove from heat and add the smoked and regular paprika. If you don’t like smoky tastes, just omit the smoked paprika and double the regular paprika.
Slowly add the hot milk to the flour mixture and whisk well. Season with salt and pepper and return the pan to the heat. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 5-8 minutes.

8.  Add the elbow macaroni and mix so the pasta is coated. Add about ¾ of the shredded cheeses and mix once again.

9.  Spray a 13 x 9 x 2 inch oven safe baking dish, and fill it evenly with the macaroni.
Distribute remaining grated cheeses evenly over the top of the pasta. If you are making this dish for later (or to deliver to someone), cover with aluminum foil and place in fridge. Be sure to bring dish to room temp before putting in oven for cooking.

Ready for the oven! 

10.  Place the dish on a baking sheet, and bake until hot and bubbling about 20-25 minutes
Place the dish under the broiler for an additional 3 to 4 minutes until the cheese is golden.

11.  Serve immediately.