alternative.
For the Parmesan-Asiago crisps: Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/Gas 6. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or baking parchment.
In a small bowl, combine the Parmesan and Asiago. Put 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture onto the baking sheet and lightly pat it with your fingers into a 10cm round. Repeat with the remaining cheese to make 6 rounds, leaving a 1cm space in between each. Bake until golden and crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.
When ready to serve, preheat the grill.
Ladle the soup into 6 ovenproof soup bowls, lay one cheese crisp on top of each (it should float), and then lay 1 slice of Swiss cheese over each crisp. Put the bowls on a baking sheet.
Grill until the cheese melts, watching closely so that it doesn’t burn, 3 to 4 minutes. Serve hot.
skinnyscoop
For perfect Parmesan-Asiago crisps every time, I’ve found it’s best to grate the cheese yourself. Pre-grated cheese just doesn’t have enough flavour or the right texture.
Italian Escarole and White Bean Soup
Serves 6
I love the old-world, rustic flavours of this hearty soup. Credit for this recipe goes to my friend Julia. Her parents emigrated from Sicily to America, and cooking is in her veins. Italians are known for feeding large families on tight budgets with peasant dishes such as this, and beans were often used because they are inexpensive, filling and nutritious. This dish takes about 20 minutes to make, start to finish. Leftovers are great for lunch.
275g ditalini pasta (use brown rice pasta for gluten-free)
Sea salt
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
8 cups (2 litres) low-salt chicken or vegetable stock*
1 (400g) tin cannellini beans,* rinsed and drained
Freshly ground black pepper
1 head escarole, leaves washed and torn into a few pieces
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)
*Read the label to be sure this product is gluten-free.
Cook the pasta to al dente in a pot of salted boiling water according to packet directions. Drain and set aside.
Heat a large nonstick pot over medium heat. When hot, add the oil and onion and cook, stirring, until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the stock and beans and bring to a boil. Season with black pepper to taste, and then add the escarole. Cook until the escarole wilts, about 15 minutes.
To serve, divide the cooked pasta among 6 bowls. Ladle the soup over the pasta and sprinkle with Parmesan, if desired.
skinnyscoop
Nothing can ruin a dish like mushy pasta. To avoid that situation, cook the pasta in a separate pot. Then, when you’re ready to serve, divide the pasta among serving bowls, ladle in the soup and top with cheese.
FOOD FACTS meet escarole
Escarole (pronounced ESS-ka-roll) is a variety of endive whose leaves are broader, paler and less bitter. It contains a number of nutrients, including folate, fibre and vitamins C and K. If you can’t find it, you can substitute Swiss chard or any other leafy green vegetable.
Too-Good-to-Be-True Baked Potato Soup
Serves 5
This soup is one of my most popular recipes on Skinnytaste. It offers everything you love about a baked potato in soup form! In fact, a fan once described it as a ‘warm bowl of awesomeness’. You can totally enjoy it without the guilt because it’s soooo much lighter than a baked potato. That’s because I hide some cauliflower in there, which gives the great taste and texture for fewer calories.
2 medium baking potatoes, about 170g each
3½ cups (450g) cauliflower florets (from 1 small head)
1½ cups (350ml) low-salt chicken stock*
1½ cups (350ml) skimmed milk
½ cup (125g) light soured cream
6 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
¾ teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
10 tablespoons grated lighter mature cheddar cheese
3 slices centre-cut or back bacon, cooked and crumbled
*Read the label to be sure this product is gluten-free.
Pierce the potatoes all over with a fork and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Turn them over and microwave until tender, 3 to 5 minutes longer. (Alternatively, bake at 200°C/180°C fan/Gas 6 for 1 hour or until tender.) Allow to cool. When cool enough to handle, peel and coarsely chop the potatoes.
Set a steamer basket in a large pot and fill with about 2.5cm of water. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Add the cauliflower, cover and steam until tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain, remove the steamer basket and return the cauliflower to the pot.
Set the pot over medium heat and add the stock, milk and potatoes. Bring to a boil. Use a hand blender to purée the soup until smooth. Add the soured cream, 3 tablespoons of the chives and season with the salt and black pepper to taste. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until thick and creamy, 8 to 10 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat. Ladle the soup into bowls. Top each with 2 tablespoons of cheese and divide the remaining chives and the bacon among them. Serve hot.
FOOD FACTS ANOTHER CRUCIFEROUS STANDOUT
Cruciferous vegetables are one of the most potent disease-fighting groups of foods out there. You’ve probably heard all about broccoli’s benefits, but cauliflower offers some health perks, too. The veggie contains glucosinolates, compounds that may have anticancer properties, according to some studies.
Cinnamon-Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Serves 6
I get inspiration for my soups from the fresh produce available as the seasons change. Butternut squash is wonderful when roasted with nutmeg and cinnamon. I then balance out the sweetness with sautéed shallots and purée the whole thing until it’s creamy and velvety. I had an ‘aha’ moment when I was trying to think of a good garnish for the soup. I just happened to be making Coconut Chicken Salad (here) for lunch while testing this recipe when it hit me: toasted coconut!
1.2kg peeled and seeded butternut