A spicy chickpea soup and the most delicious busiate pasta with rabbit, fennel, and green olives.
Plus, a bit of This & That.
During a cloudy and rainy day this past weekend, I came across a picture of the most delicious Bean & Veg Soup on Joe Woodhouse's Instagram and was inspired to make my own version. I had a jar of chickpeas on hand (from this great brand I discovered in Italy) and made a hearty veggie-packed chickpea soup with a little kick. I love the spice of the broth and the creaminess the lentils and potatoes give the soup. A filling dish, serve it on its own or with some toasted bread to soak up all that delicious soupiness at the end.
SPICY CHICKPEA SOUP
Serves 4
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil + more for finishing
2 carrots, peeled and cut into a medium dice
2 celery ribs, cut into a medium dice
1 small leek, ends trimmed, cut into half moons, soaked, and drained
3 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2-1 tsp crushed hot chili pepper in oil
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup dried red lentils
2 cups jarred or canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 small Yukon gold potato, peeled and cubed
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
5 cups water
1 cup kale, stems removed and cut into ribbons
1 cup cabbage, but into chunks
Handful fresh parsley, roughly chopped
1/2 small lemon
Pecorino Romano
Sea salt
Black pepper
Pour the olive oil into a large pot. Turn the heat on medium and add the carrots, celery, and leek. Season with sea salt and black pepper and stir to coat. Cook for 5 minutes or until the leeks soften. Add the garlic and crushed chili pepper, stir, and cook for another minute or two. Add the wine and cook for a few more minutes.
Next, add the lentils, chickpeas, cubed potatoes, canned tomatoes, and another pinch of sea salt. Stir to combine. Pour in 5 cups of water, bring the soup to a boil, and then reduce the heat to medium-low so a gentle bubbling continues. Cook for 30 minutes or until the lentils and potato are tender and cooked through. Taste. Season the soup with sea salt and black pepper as necessary.
Add the kale, cabbage, and parsley, stir, and cook for 5 minutes more just to wilt and soften the greens. Squeeze in the juice of 1/2 a lemon and stir. Divide the soup into bowls and top with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, freshly grated Pecorino Romano, and freshly cracked black pepper.
Busiate with Rabbit, Fennel, and Green Olives
I know, many of you might be thinking, rabbit?! How could I possibly eat rabbit? While it's not something you often see at markets or butcher shops in the US, it's a very popular protein at the macellerias in Italy and in many cuisines across Europe. Rabbit is a lean, nutrient-dense meat reminiscent of chicken in texture (if you need something to compare it to), and it's super delicious. Like many foods I now love, Andre insisted I try it years ago, and I can say it's one of my favorite proteins. While we lived in LA, Andre and I used to special order it from McCall's Meat and Fish when we made dishes like this one on special occasions. This recipe takes some prep and, more than anything, time, as you have to prepare a rabbit stock before cooking the pasta dish. But if you have a long weekend ahead and a desire to cook, this might be the dish for you.
RABBIT STOCK
Extra virgin olive oil
1 rabbit, processed into pieces (the butcher will do this for you)
1 yellow onion, peeled and cut into pieces
4 garlic cloves, peeled, slightly crushed, and left whole
2 celery ribs, ends trimmed, cut into large pieces
2 carrots, ends trimmed, cut into large pieces
Sea salt
Black pepper
Pat the rabbit dry and lay the pieces on a baking sheet or large plate in a single layer. Season the meat on both sides with sea salt and black pepper. Heat a generous amount of olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over high heat—once hot, brown the rabbit pieces in batches. Remove the pieces from the pot and set them aside when golden on both sides.
Once all the rabbit has been browned and removed from the pot, reduce the heat to medium, add a little more olive oil, and add the onions and garlic into the pot. Sauté for a few minutes until the onion is tender, but not browned. Next, add the carrots and celery—season with sea salt and black pepper. Add a drizzle of olive oil if needed. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften. Add a cup of dry white wine. Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the alcohol burns off. Next, nestle the rabbit back into the pot with the vegetables. Cover the rabbit with 5-6 cups of water, and cook uncovered for an hour at a medium rolling boil. Do not stir. After an hour, reduce the heat and simmer for an additional hour. Turn the heat off, remove the rabbit, and place it into a prep bowl. Set the stock aside. Once the rabbit is cool enough to handle, remove all the meat from the bones. Roughly chop the meat and set it aside for your pasta. Strain the stock and set aside for your pasta dish as well. (you can also save the rabbit bones and make another batch of stock from them if you wish)
BUSIATE WITH RABBIT, FENNEL, AND GREEN OLIVES
Serves 4
Extra virgin olive oil
1 shallot, peeled and minced
1 fennel bulb, core removed, cut into quarters, thinly sliced on a mandoline
2-3 rosemary sprigs, wrapped together in a bundle with twine
1 cup pitted green olives (ideally Castelvetrano), quartered
1 1/2 cups of rabbit meat
3 cups rabbit stock
1 lemon or Meyer lemon
12 ounces Busiate pasta
Fennel fronds
Parmigiano Reggiano
Sea salt
Black pepper
Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta.
In a large pan, sauté the shallots in a generous amount of olive oil over medium heat for a minute or two. Next, add the fennel and rosemary sprigs and cook until the fennel softens. Add the green olives and zest from 1 lemon, stir to combine, and add a small ladle or two of stock. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze a little lemon juice into the sauce. Add 1 1/2 cups of rabbit meat. Stir, reduce the heat, and gently simmer.
Once your pasta water is boiling, season it with a little sea salt and cook the pasta only until it is still very al dente. Scoop the pasta out of the water and add it directly to the pan with the sauce. Increase heat to medium-high. Add more stock as needed, stirring the pasta until it is perfectly al dente. Remove the pan from the heat. Remove the rosemary sprigs. Drizzle with olive oil. Stir the pasta to cool slightly, and fold in some freshly grated Parmigiano. Taste and season with salt if needed. Plate and finish with fennel fronds, a drizzle of olive oil, a grating of Parmigiano, and black pepper.
This & That
One of Costa’s favorite things I make is Italian Meatballs. I made a batch on Monday and he ate them three days in a row! He loves them served on their own with the tomato sauce or on top of a big bowl of spaghetti.
Who knew?! Pistachios are quiet luxury.
Came across this Eater article from a few years ago on why we should be eating rabbit meat.