Some of my favorite classes to teach are the ones which demystify culinary building blocks for newcomers to the kitchen. In both my Mastering Italian Series and Mediterranean Diet Made Easy Series at L'academie de Cuisine, I share my favorite recipes for stock, beans, and lentils. While these classes don't offer the "wow" factor of those that teach stuffed calamari or steamed mussels, they DO set students up for success. By learning how to make base ingredients which are integral to the Mediterranean Diet from scratch, they save money, calories, and fat while gaining flavor and nutritional benefits. I urge students to make these basics at least once a month in the beginning. The leftovers can be frozen and smaller portions can be thawed in the refrigerator for easy weekday use.
Homemade Vegetable Stock/Brodo di verdura
Serves: 14
1 onion, peeled and halved
1 carrot, peeled, trimmed, and halved
1 stalk celery, trimmed and halved (can include leaves, if desired)
1/4 pound (4 ounces) cherry tomatoes
4 sprigs fresh basil, with stems
1 small bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, with stems
1/2 teaspoon salt
In a large stock pot, place the onion, carrot, celery, cherry tomatoes, basil, and parsley. Cover with 4 quarts (16 cups) of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium low. Add salt and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Drain stock, reserving liquid. Discard the rest.
Homemade Chicken Stock/(Brodo di pollo)
Serves: 14 | Serving Size: 1 cup
Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cooking Time: 40 minutes
1 medium onion, peeled and cut in half
1 medium carrot, peeled, trimmed, and cut in half
1 medium stalk celery, trimmed and cut in half
1 1/4 pounds chicken bones or carcasses
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 dried bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon salt
1. In a large stock pot, place onion, carrot, celery, chicken bones, peppercorns, and bay leaf. Cover with 4 quarts (16 cups) water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low.
2. Skim off the residue that forms on top of the stock and discard. Add salt and simmer, uncovered, for 40 minutes.
3. Drain stock, reserving liquid. Discard the rest.
Dried Beans/(Fagioli secchi)
Serving Size: 1/2 cup cooked beans
Prep Time: 1 hour (or overnight) bean-soaking time
Cooking Time: Approximately 25–50 minutes
Purchasing dried beans and cooking them yourself is more economical and healthful than purchasing the canned variety. Popular bean types used in Italian recipes include cannellini beans, borlotti (cranberry) beans, fava beans, chickpeas, and broad beans. All of these can be prepared in advance using this recipe and then stored in the refrigerator for up to a week for later use in various other recipes.
Dried beans (any variety)
1/4 teaspoon unrefined sea salt
1. All beans must be soaked overnight in cold water, or covered in boiling water for 1 hour prior to cooking.
2. To prepare, drain the soaked beans and place them in a saucepan. Add salt, cover beans with water, and bring to a boil over high heat.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and let cook until beans are tender, about 25–50 minutes. (This may take longer depending on the size of the beans.)
4. Drain and cool. If not using right away, store beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Choices/Exchanges 1 1/2 Starch
Calories 110 | Calories from Fat 0
Total Fat 0g | Saturated Fat 0.0g | Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 120mg
Potassium 370mg
Total Carbohydrate 20g | Dietary Fiber 8g | Sugars 0g
Protein 8g
Phosphorus 120mg
Lentils/LeNTICCHIE
Serving Size: 1/2 cup
Prep Time: 1 minute | Cooking Time: 5–30 minutes
Unlike beans, lentils do not need to be soaked overnight. Instead, simply pour the lentils into a shallow bowl and sort through them with your fingers, making sure that there are no stones or unwanted particles.
Dried lentils (any variety)
1/4 teaspoon unrefined sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
1. Rinse the lentils in a colander.
2. Place lentils in a saucepan and add enough water to cover the lentils twice. Add sea salt, pepper, and the bay leaf. Bring to boil over high heat. Then reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until lentils are tender, about 5–30 minutes depending on the variety. (Red lentils are the quickest-cooking variety, followed by green and brown, and then black.)
3. If not using right away, store cooked lentils in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Choices/Exchanges 1 1/2 Starch
Calories 120 | Calories from Fat 5
Total Fat 0.5g | Saturated Fat 0.0g | Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 120mg
Potassium 365mg
Total Carbohydrate 20g | Dietary Fiber 8g | Sugars 2g
Protein 9g
Phosphorus 180mg
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