Bowled over: a rustic, inviting meal based on Italian ingenuity

Thrifty Italian cooks have long been known for their inventive ways with leftovers, and stale bread in particular has inspired a number of famous dishes. One of the most delicious examples is ribollita, which starts out as homemade minestrone made with, say, stock, onions, garlic, carrots, kale, celery, herbs and white beans. A day or so later, the leftover soup is reheated (ribollita means "reboiled") and chunks of day-old crusty Italian bread--sometimes rubbed with garlic or dotted with olive oil or both--are put in the bottom of each bowl or stirred into the pot. The bread acts as a thickener and provides a hearty texture. This rustic bread soup is a meal in a bowl, so all you need to add is a salad and light dessert for a cozy, comforting dinner.</p> <pre> FRISEE AND ENDIVE SALAD WITH OLIVE VINAIGRETTE Serves 6 * Vegan * 30 minutes or fewer Kalamata olives plus red wine vinegar, garlic and fresh parsley add up to a bold dressing that complements the assertive greens. Salad 6 Tbs. sliced almonds 4 cups trimmed frisee leaves (12 oz.) 2 heads Belgian endive (8 oz.), leaves thinly sliced 2 stalks celery, cut in thin, 3-inch-long strips Vinaigrette 3 Tbs. olive oil 1 Tbs. red wine vinegar 1/2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice 1 clove garlic 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped 1/8 cup chopped parsley 1. To make Salad: Toast almonds in heavy-bottomed small skillet over medium heat, stirring often, 5 to 7 minutes, or until golden. Set aside. 2. Combine frisee, endive and celery in large bowl; toss to mix. 3. To make Vinaigrette: Put olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic and pepper to taste in blender or food processor, and blend until smooth. Add olives and parsley, and pulse to combine. 4. Add dressing to greens, and toss well. Divide salad among serving plates, and sprinkle each with almonds. PER SERVING: 140 CAL; 2G PROT; 12.5G TOTAL FAT (1.5G SAT. FAT); 6G CARB; 0MG CHOL; 189MG SOD; 3G FIBER; 1G SUGARS </pre>

<pre> RIBOLLITA Serves 6 * Vegan If starting with fresh bread, slice it and bake at 200F until dry, about 8 minutes. Make the soup even heartier by ladling it over toasted country bread that has been rubbed with garlic. 2 Tbs. olive oil 2 cups shredded cabbage 1 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup diced carrot 1/2 cup diced celery 4 sprigs fresh thyme 5 cups low-sodium vegetable broth 2 cups canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (about 1 1/2 cans) 1 14-oz. can whole plum tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped 3/4 cup diced zucchini (1 small) 1/2 cup peeled, diced potato 2 1/2-inch-thick slices stale crustless country bread, broken into pieces Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling 1/4 cup chopped parsley for garnish 1. Heat olive oil in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add cabbage, onion, carrot, celery and thyme, and cook, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes, or until softened. Add broth, beans, tomatoes, zucchini and potato, plus 1 cup water. Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, covered, about 15 minutes, or until potato is tender. Remove thyme sprigs. 2. Add more water if soup seems too thick. Stir in bread pieces, and simmer 5 minutes, or until soup is thickened. Add salt to taste. 3. Ladle soup into bowls; drizzle each with olive oil, and sprinkle with parsley. Serve. PER SERVING: 288 CAL; 7G PROT; 14G TOTAL FAT (2G SAT. FAT); 33G CARB; 0MG CHOL; 557MG SOD; 6G FIBER; 7G SUGARS </pre> <pre> COCONUT ICE CREAM WITH RASPBERRY SAUCE Serves 6 * Vegan The ice cream can be made up to 3 days ahead. Coconut Ice Cream 2 14-oz. cans unsweetened coconut milk 2 Tbs. arrowroot powder 1/2 cup sugar Raspberry Sauce 1 10-oz. pkg. frozen raspberries, thawed 1/2 cup maple syrup 1 tsp. lemon juice 1. To make Coconut Ice Cream: Pour coconut milk into medium saucepan, and whisk. Transfer 1/2 cup coconut milk to small bowl, and stir in arrowroot. Set aside. 2. Add sugar to coconut milk in pan; cook over medium-high heat, whisking often, about 5 minutes, or until just beginning to boil. Whisk in arrowroot mixture, and cook, whisking constantly, 3 to 4 minutes, or until mixture bubbles and begins to thicken slightly. Remove from heat; let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate 1 to 2 hours, or until completely chilled. 3. Process mixture in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer ice cream to container, cover and freeze until firm, about 1 hour. 4. To make Raspberry Sauce: Puree all ingredients and 1/2 cup water in blender or food processor. Strain through fine mesh sieve set over small bowl. Sweeten with more syrup if desired. Serve over Coconut Ice Cream. PER SERVING: 351 CAL; 3G PROT; 28G TOTAL FAT (25G SAT. FAT); 28G CARB; OMG CHOL; 18MG SOD; 1G FIBER; 21G SUGARS </pre> <p>PHOTOGRAPHY BY JACQUELINE HOPKINS FOOD STYLING BY FRANK MELODIA

Cooking instructor and food writer Myra Kornfeld loves--and has a knack for--creating simple dishes with direct flavors.

COPYRIGHT 2006 Vegetarian Times, Inc. All rights reserved.
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning