Around Our Table

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground Italian sausage, hot or mild
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• ½ teaspoon oregano
• 1 pinch cayenne, optional
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• ½ teaspoon mustard powder
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 5 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups kale, chopped
• 2 cups tortellini, just under 10 oz. (refrigerated or frozen)
• Salt, to taste

The mustard powder and hot sauce are subtle, but they enhance the other flavors in the soup — don't skip them.

Method

1. Remove the casings from the sausage if you purchased links. Cook and crumble the sausage and diced onions over medium-high heat until the onions are softened and the sausage is cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the grease, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
2. Add the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
3. Add the basil, oregano, cayenne, hot sauce, mustard powder, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine.
4. Add the chicken broth and use a silicone spatula to "clean" the bottom of the pot. Slowly stir in the heavy cream. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
5. Add the kale and tortellini and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. (If your tortellini needs a longer cooking time, add the tortellini first, then the kale during the last 5 minutes.)
6. Taste the soup and add salt if desired. Start with ¼ teaspoon and add more after that if needed.
7. Transfer to serving bowls and serve.

Tip: Drop the rind from a block of Parmesan or Romano into the pot with the broth and let it simmer along — extra depth, and you likely won't need to add salt.

Storage: Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for 3+ months. The tortellini keeps absorbing broth as it sits — if you're planning on leftovers, boil it separately and add it straight to the serving bowls.

Prep 5 min · Cook 25 min · Serves 10

Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 2 cups small-diced onion (about 1 large)
• 4 celery stalks, cut into medium dice
• 3 carrots, cut into medium dice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 medium poblano peppers, seeded and cut into medium dice
• 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• 8 cups (2 quarts) chicken broth
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 3 cups shredded, cooked chicken breast (home roasted or rotisserie chicken)
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• Tortilla strips and sliced radishes, for garnish

Method

1. In a large soup pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and poblanos and sauté, stirring often, until tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, cumin, and thyme and sauté until caramelized and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes longer.
2. Add the broth and cream, bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, for 15 to 20 minutes to meld the flavors.
3. Use an immersion blender to carefully blend the soup until smooth. (Alternatively, let cool slightly and, working in batches as necessary, process in a stand blender until smooth, filling the blender no more than half full and removing the lid slowly after blending. Pour the soup back into the pot.)
4. Add the chicken and simmer for 15 to 30 minutes to meld the flavors to your liking. Stir in the cilantro. Serve warm, garnished with tortilla strips and sliced radishes.
5. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Prep 20 min · Cook 1 hr 10 min · Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

• 1 cup jasmine rice
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 chicken breasts, cut into ½-inch pieces (about 1 pound)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• ⅔ cup fresh or frozen green peas
• ⅔ cup diced carrots
• ¼ cup diced yellow onion
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 large eggs
• ¼ cup hoisin sauce
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 3 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions, for garnish

Optional Chicken Marinade

• 1 lb chicken, cut into strips
• 1 tbs soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ⅛ tsp baking soda
• 1 tbs corn starch
• ¼ tsp ginger, grated

Combine the soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, baking soda, corn starch, and ginger, then toss with the chicken. Marinate in the fridge for 2 hours.

Method

1. In a medium bowl, combine the rice with cool water to cover. Agitate the rice and pour out the cloudy water, repeating until the water runs clear. Drain in a fine-mesh sieve.
2. In a large saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the rice, return to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 12 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside, covered, for 5 to 10 minutes. Spread the rice onto a baking sheet and let cool to room temperature.
3. In a 14-inch wok or nonstick skillet, heat the vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, soy sauce, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until the chicken is dark golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a medium bowl.
4. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil to the wok. Add the peas, carrots, and onion and cook, stirring often, until almost tender, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the vegetables are crisp-tender and the garlic is fragrant, about 1 more minute. Transfer the vegetables to the bowl with the chicken.
5. Crack the eggs into the wok and cook, stirring constantly, until scrambled, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chicken, vegetables, cooled rice, hoisin, and ginger to the wok and stir until hot and thoroughly mixed. Serve sprinkled with green onions.
6. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Tip: Make the rice a day ahead and place in the refrigerator overnight. This will keep the fried rice from getting mushy.

Prep 25 min · Cook 40 min · Cool 30 min · Makes 4 servings