Antoni in the Kitchen

No, this isn’t the soup you get in real ramen shops. But I have to say, the flavour is pretty great! Shop-bought miso paste and chilli garlic sauce give a kick of umami. The toppings can be mixed and matched to your liking, depending on what’s fresh and available at your market. Since the stock freezes beautifully, I often make a few batches at once, which means I can enjoy ramen on weeknights.

Optional toppings: 1 sheet nori, quartered and cut into strips; bean sprouts, sunflower sprouts or microgreens; thawed frozen corn; toasted sesame seeds; and/or chopped fresh coriander

For the soup base: Mound the garlic with ¼ teaspoon salt on a cutting board. Using a chef’s knife, mash and chop together into a paste. Set aside.

In a large casserole or other wide heavy saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil over medium heat. Add the pork and ½ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently and breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until the pork is cooked through, about 2 minutes.

Transfer the pork to a plate. Add the remaining teaspoon of sesame oil to the pan, then add the carrots, spring onion whites, half of the spring onion greens and ⅛ teaspoon salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are tender, 2 to 3 minutes.

Push the vegetables aside to clear a space in the centre of the pan. Add the ginger, chilli garlic sauce and reserved garlic paste to the cleared space and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in the pork and any accumulated juices, then add about 60ml stock. Scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, then add the remaining stock, increase the heat to high, and bring just to a boil, skimming any foam from the top. Remove from the heat. Adjust the salt to taste. (The soup base can be cooled, covered and kept in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.)

To assemble and serve: Pour boiling water into four large soup bowls to heat them. Set aside. Bring a pan of water to a boil for the noodles.

Meanwhile, bring a medium saucepan of water to a gentle simmer. Gently lower the eggs into the water and cook for 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the eggs to a bowl filled with iced water. Set aside.

Add the noodles to the pan of boiling water and cook according to the packet instructions. Drain and set aside.

Heat the soup base just to a boil, then remove from the heat. Add the miso and butter and stir until the miso is fully dissolved. Cover to keep warm.

Peel the eggs and cut in half. Drain the hot water from the serving bowls, then divide the noodles among them. Ladle the hot soup over the top. Top with the egg halves, the remaining spring onion greens, a drizzle of sesame oil, and the added toppings of your choice, including more chilli garlic sauce if you want a kick of heat.

Tips

Chilli garlic sauce is a spicy, tangy Asian chilli paste that goes with all sorts of dishes and is a great all-purpose hot sauce. Indonesian sambal oelek is similar, but without the garlic. Sriracha is a pureed and slightly sweeter version. All of these sauces are sold in ethnic food shops and big supermarkets, and online, and you can often use them interchangeably.

The eggs, plus a dab of butter, are the keys to the richness that makes this such a satisfying meal!

Chilled Beet Soup

WITH PICKLES + DILL (CHLODNIK)

This could be considered Poland’s version of gazpacho. In a cuisine that doesn’t fear fried pork chops, lard and potatoes, its freshness is a welcome change. Chlodnik (pronounced hwahd-nihk), meaning ‘a little cold something’ or ‘the cooler’, is a stunning magenta, flecked with crunchy vegetables and pickles, with a swirl of sour cream. Though pickles in soup might sound strange, they add bright flavour. This dish was a family mainstay when I was growing up, enjoyed on many hot summer afternoons in our backyard in Montreal. The photo is on pages 118–119.

In a bowl, whisk together the borscht concentrate, stock and half of the sour cream until smooth. Add a handful of ice cubes and chill, covered, for a couple of hours, until cold. (The soup base can be prepared up to 3 days ahead and kept covered in the fridge.)

Meanwhile, fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a simmer. Using a slotted spoon, gently lower the eggs into the water, taking care not to drop them into the pan. Cook for exactly 10 minutes, then transfer the eggs to a bowl of iced water and let cool for about 5 minutes. Drain the eggs and chill, covered, until you’re ready to serve the soup. (The shell-on eggs can kept in the fridge for up to 5 days.)

To assemble the soup: peel the eggs and quarter or halve each one. Toss together the cucumber and ⅛ teaspoon salt in a bowl.

Divide the pickles, cucumbers and half of the dill among four soup bowls. Ladle the chilled soup into the bowls. Top with the eggs, radishes, chives or spring onions and the remaining dill and sour cream. Serve immediately.

Tip

I urge you to go the extra mile to track down borscht concentrate, which is super flavourful and can be found at Polish markets and online; it’s simply concentrated beetroot juice with salt and natural spices. Instead, you can substitute two 700ml bottles of borscht, available at most larger supermarkets, and omit the veg stock.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

WITH GINGER + LIME

My middle sister, Aleksandra, first made a puree like this for me when I was a picky kid who refused to eat his veg. Roasting the squash caramelizes it, and lime juice and peppery dried chilli perk things up.

Put the squash and carrots on a baking tray and toss with 2 tablespoons of the oil and ¾ teaspoon salt. Roast, stirring once halfway through, until lightly golden in spots and the carrots are crisp-tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven.

In a large casserole or other wide heavy saucepan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add the onion and coriander stems, if using, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic, lime zest, honey and ¾ teaspoon salt and stir for 1 minute, then add the roasted vegetables.

Add a splash of the stock and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release all of the golden bits. Add the remaining stock and 250ml water, increase the heat to high, and bring just to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook the soup until the flavours come together, 7 to 10 minutes.

Working in batches, carefully puree the soup in a blender until smooth. (The soup can be chilled for up to 5 days. If you’re making it ahead, wait until you’ve reheated it before adding the lime juice; it loses its oomph when reheated.) Stir in the lime juice, then adjust the salt to taste.

Ladle the soup into bowls. Swirl 2 tablespoons sour cream into each bowl. Sprinkle with the cashews. Finish with coriander, if using, and a pinch of red chilli flakes.

Five-Onion Soup

WITH CRISPY SHALLOTS

This recipe was inspired by my junior high school years, in West Virginia, when my family belonged to a country club called Glade Springs. After tennis practice, I would go to the resort’s restaurant and order the onion soup. It was rich, creamy and divine. One day a waiter asked me if I’d like to put the order on my parents’ tab. Clever teen that I was, I said, ‘Sure!’ and then proceeded to enjoy the soup three times a week for a month, until my father received a very unwelcome bill. But it was totally worth his ensuing wrath. Caramelized roasted onions blitzed with heavy cream is the soup equivalent of my spirit animal.

2 medium leeks, white and light green parts only, cut lengthways in half and then into 5mm (¼in) half-moons

For the crispy shallots: Combine the shallots and oil in a small frying pan (not non-stick) and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 18 to 22 minutes; pay close attention towards the end of the cooking time, when they will quickly become golden. Remove from the heat.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shallots to a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl. Let drain for 5 to 10 minutes, then transfer the shallots to kitchen paper, season generously with salt and set aside (the shallots will continue to crisp as they sit).

Put the sweet onion, white onions and red onion on a large baking tray and toss with the oil and ¾ teaspoon salt. Roast, stirring once halfway through, until the onions are tender and golden, 14 to 16 minutes.

Meanwhile, wash the leeks well and pat dry. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the leeks, garlic, thyme and ½ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are tender, 12 to 15 minutes (do not brown). Add the Cognac or other brandy and cook until the liquid is mostly evaporated, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.

In two batches, combine the roasted onions, leek mixture (set the pan aside) and 250ml stock in a blender or food processor. Pulse until the mixture is mostly smooth, with a few chunky bits. Transfer to the pan, stir in the wine, ½ teaspoon salt and the remaining stock, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Stir in the double cream, bring just to a simmer and remove from the heat. Adjust the salt to taste.

Serve the soup hot, topped with the crispy shallots, fresh thyme leaves and pepper to taste.

Tip

Using a variety of onions results in a complexity of flavour that you don’t get with just one type.

The Polish Hangover Soup (ZUREK)

This tangy, fortifying soup has brought millions of Poles back to life after a hard night of bad decision-making (read: vodka). The healing quality comes, ostensibly, from a fermented sour rye soup starter called zakwas. Though you can buy it at Polish markets, it takes just a few minutes to mix it up yourself. Just build in a few days to your soup-making plan for the fermentation to take place. The hearty combination of root vegetables, kielbasa, pickles, sour cream and hard-boiled eggs makes this soup a meal.

8 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus finely chopped fresh parsley for garnish

3 or 4 hard-boiled eggs (for ½ egg per serving; see page 117), peeled and halved

For the zakwas: Pour 500ml boiling water into a heatproof 1-litre jar or glass bowl. Let cool to warm.

Stir the flour, garlic and bay leaf into the warm water. Tightly cover/seal the jar or bowl with cling film (use a rubber band or two to hold the cling film tightly) and let sit in a warm, dark place (like a cupboard) for 4 to 5 days; ‘burp’ the mixture every 2 days by removing the cling film to let the air out, then resealing it again (this will prevent a little culinary explosion). Alternatively, you can seal the jar or bowl with muslin (more breathable), held tightly with a rubber band, and you will not have to burp the mixture.

The zakwas is ready when it has a pungent fragrance, a solid, spongy deposit on top, and a light brown-gray liquid at the bottom. Scrape off any green or mouldy bits that appear on the top (a healthy sign of the fermentation process and not dangerous!), and remove and discard the bay leaf. Strain the zakwas through a sieve into a bowl; discard the solids. You’ll have about 375ml liquid. Use however much you have; the exact amount is not important.

For the soup: In a large casserole or other wide heavy saucepan, cook the bacon over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a medium bowl. Add the onions to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and lightly golden, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the bacon. Add the kielbasa or bratwurst to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to the onion mixture. Pour off and discard the fat from the pan.

Add the carrot, parsnip, celery, parsley sprigs, bay leaves, marjoram, allspice, 1 teaspoon salt and 1.75 litres water to the pan, bring to a simmer, and cook until the vegetables are almost tender but with a little bite, 12 to 15 minutes.

Add the zakwas, horseradish and onion mixture to the pan, return the soup to a simmer, and cook until the vegetables are tender and the stock is flavourful, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the white pepper. Season to taste with salt. Remove and discard the parsley sprigs and bay leaves.

Spoon the soup into bowls. Top each bowl with a big dollop of sour cream, a hard-boiled egg half, the chopped pickles and some dill or parsley, and serve.

Rich Turkey Chili

WITH DARK BEER + CHOCOLATE

I’ve made this so many times for my BFF Reema Sampat that she now calls it her own. The day I discovered that chocolate and beer add a rich, malty depth to the warm, spicy flavours of chilli was a life-changing one, in the culinary sense. This is a one-pot situation that’s great for parties. The chilli also freezes well, so you can make big batches ahead and have it at the ready.

1 tinned chipotle chilli in adobo, seeded and finely chopped (about 2 teaspoons), plus 2 tablespoons of the adobo sauce

For serving: Sliced avocado, chopped fresh coriander, pickled jalapeños, grated cheddar, diced white onion, lime wedges and/or Greek yoghurt or sour cream

In a large Casserole or other wide heavy saucepan with a lid, cook the bacon over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp and golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a large bowl. Cook the turkey in the remaining bacon fat over high heat, stirring frequently and breaking up the meat into small bits with a wooden spoon, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Season with 1½ teaspoons salt, then transfer the turkey and any juices to the bowl with the bacon.

Heat the oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the veg are softened and the onions are golden, about 8 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring, then stir in the chipotle and adobo sauce, oregano, cumin and 2 teaspoons salt. Cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes, then add the beans, tomatoes, beer, stock, chocolate and turkey mixture. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the chilli is deeply flavourful, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vinegar and molasses or brown sugar. Adjust the seasoning to taste. Serve hot, with your favourite accompaniments.

Tip

To save the rest of an opened tin of chipotles in adobo, scoop small mounds onto a parchment-lined baking tray and freeze until firm (4 to 6 hours). Transfer to a zip-lock freezer bag and keep frozen until ready to use. You can use the chipotles straight from the freezer.

Pomegranate-Walnut Chicken Stew (FESENJAN)

This alluring Persian stew, called fesenjan, is typically prepared during the winter solstice holiday Shab-e Yalda, but it’s also a great dinner party or, really, anytime dish. I love the way the warming spices and tangy pomegranate molasses and juice combine to produce a rich, tart sauce. Ground walnuts add toasty notes and thicken the dish. I generally make fesenjan with chicken, though duck is also common. Serve Rice and Potato Tahdig with Saffron and Turmeric (page 154) or a bowl of steamed long-grain rice alongside.

900g boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into to 4 to 5cm (1½ to 2in) cubes

Spread the walnuts on a baking tray and bake until fragrant and lightly toasted, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool completely, then pulse in a food processor to finely chop (do not make a paste). Set aside.

Season the chicken with 1½ teaspoons salt. In a large casserole or other wide heavy saucepan with a lid, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Working in two or three batches (taking care not to crowd the pan), brown the chicken until lightly golden on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the browned pieces to a plate as you go. Set aside.

Add the onions to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden, about 10 minutes. Push the onions to the edges of the pan to clear a space in the centre. Add the tomato paste, brown sugar, turmeric and cinnamon to the cleared space, quickly stirring the mixture until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken, with any accumulated juices, and stock and, using a wooden spoon, scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the pomegranate juice, pomegranate molasses and walnuts. Increase the heat to high and bring the liquid just to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Partially cover and simmer until the sauce is dark brown and slightly thickened, 20 to 25 minutes.

Uncover the pan and continue cooking until the sauce is thickened and has turned a deep mahogany brown, about 10 minutes more.

Serve the stew garnished with pomegranate seeds and parsley or coriander, if desired.

Tip

Pomegranate molasses, a thick, concentrated syrup made by reducing pomegranate juice, adds a fruity tang to both sweet and savoury dishes. (It’s also great as a flavouring fizzy water!) It’s available at health food stores, ethnic markets, and larger supermarkets.

Boeuf Bourguignon

WITH PARSNIPS + COGNAC

I have Julia Child – via Meryl Streep, who played her in the movie Julie & Julia, and Amy Adams, who played the famous blogger Julie Powell – to thank for this one. They inspired me to master this OG French comfort stew. It’s actually quite easy and a real crowd-pleaser. I mix in some parsnips along with the carrots, because I like the earthy sweetness they lend to the dish. Marinating the beef in wine overnight (or for at least 8 hours) is way worth it, enhancing both the flavour of the beef and the rich red wine notes. Serve this with a side of buttery mashed potatoes or a warm crusty baguette for sopping up the magical sauce.

Place the beef, onion, carrots, parsnips, garlic, thyme and bay leaves in a large bowl. Add the wine. Chill, covered, for at least 8 hours, or overnight.

Remove the beef from the marinade and pat thoroughly dry on kitchen paper. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the carrots and parsnips to a bowl; set aside. Reserve the marinade and aromatics.

Generously season the beef with salt and pepper. In a large Casserole or other wide heavy saucepan with a lid, cook the bacon over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to kitchen paper to drain. Working in batches (do not crowd the meat), brown the beef on all sides in the hot bacon fat, 7 to 9 minutes. Transfer to a bowl as you go.

Return all the beef and the bacon to the pan. Sprinkle in the flour and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes to cook out the raw taste of the flour. Add the Cognac or other brandy and cook, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, until the liquid is mostly evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add the reserved marinade, with the bay leaves and thyme, and 500ml water and bring just to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 2½ hours.

Add the reserved carrots and parsnips and cook until the beef is very tender and the vegetables are tender but with a little bite, 30 to 45 minutes more. Remove and discard the thyme and bay leaves, and skim off some of the fat before serving. (The stew, which gets better as it sits, can be made up to 3 days ahead, cooled, covered and chilled. As it chills, the fat rises and solidifies, so you can easily lift it off and discard. Reheat over low heat.)

Tip

Before cutting the bacon, toss it in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes, which will make it easier to slice into neat, even pieces.

New-Style Polish Hunter’s Stew (BIGOS REVISITED)

OK, fine, so unless you’re Polish, you’ve probably never heard of this, but that’s about to change. Every member of my family and all the friends in my parents’ social circle each had their own version of this meat, kraut and cabbage stew, along with endless debate as to the best mix of ingredients to include. My version uses prunes, which impart a subtle caramel-like sweetness, and wine in place of the traditional beer, for a little French influence. (In a perfect world, I’d suggest letting the stew sit for a day or three in the fridge before serving, to enhance the flavours even more.) Serve this with rye bread slathered with cold salty butter and you’ll feel a little Polish – I promise.

450g Polish kabanos (see Tip) or other smoky dried pork sausage, cut into 2.5cm (1in) thick slices, or an extra 225g kielbasa

1 (450g) green cabbage, halved, cored, and cut crossways into 2.5cm (1in) wide strips

In a large Casserole or other wide heavy saucepan with a lid, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until golden and crispy, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a large plate. Add the kielbasa and kabanos or other sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is golden and crispy, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the sausages to the plate with the bacon. Add the pork loin to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, about 6 minutes. Transfer the pork to the plate with the bacon and sausages.

Add the onion to the fat left in the pan and cook over medium heat until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Add the cabbage and cook until the vegetables are softened, 6 to 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, lift the mushrooms from the soaking liquid and transfer to a plate. Reserve 250ml liquid.

Stir ½ teaspoon salt into the cabbage mixture, then add the sauerkraut. Make a well in the centre of the pan, add the bay leaves, marjoram, allspice, drained mushrooms and sausage mixture, and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the beef stock, wine, prunes and reserved mushroom stock and stir well. Then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, getting into the edges of the pan with the spoon, for 30 minutes.

Uncover and continue cooking until the liquid is reduced a bit and the stew is flavourful, about 45 minutes more.

Remove and discard the bay leaves. Serve hot, with rye bread and butter, if desired.

Tip

Kabanos is a smoked and air-dried Polish sausage, typically seasoned with black pepper, garlic, caraway and allspice. It is used for both cooking and snacking. A ‘gourmet’ beef or pork stick will work as a substitute, as long as it doesn’t have added flavours like barbecue or chipotle.

SOUPS AND STEWS

Easy Bastardized Ramen