Warming trends

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Now that the holidays are but a memory, it is time to turn attentions to good, old-fashioned comfort foods. I always associate these dishes with cold weather.

To qualify, the recipes must be easy to prepare with a minimum of fuss. Soups and one-pot wonders are among my favorites that fall into this category. Over the past few weeks, a neighbor and I have had a craving for Sweet and Sour Meatballs. This classic Jewish dish can be served as an appetizer or an entrée. There are many recipes floating around and I’ve tried a number of them, but I want to share my favorite with you.

My sister Sandy loves My Bolognese Sauce so much she would be content if I prepared it once a week. I’ve got the beef-to-crushed tomatoes ratio just right after fiddling with the recipe. Bolognese sauce is rich and is best served over spaghetti, fettuccine or linguine so the sauce can cling to the pasta. All you need is a salad and fresh loaf of bread to complete the meal.

While shopping at Reading Terminal Market over the holidays, I saw a woman reach for several handfuls of fresh okra. Okra is a key ingredient in the Creole and Cajun cuisines of New Orleans. I immediately thought of a marvelous soup, akin to Campbell’s Chicken Gumbo I enjoyed as a child. It is not an authentic gumbo, but it is delicious and warming on a winter’s evening.

Our family has been enjoying clementines since they first appeared in the market in November. I use them to dress up a store-bought poundcake. All you have to do is peel six of those delicious sweet oranges from Spain and set them aside. Slice the cake and top with ice cream, some clementines sections and whipped cream.

Here are easy recipes for warming winter foods:

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Ingredients:

3 pounds ground beef
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 (28-ounce) can of crushed tomatoes, with juice
1 (28-ounce) can of diced tomatoes, with juice
1 (15-ounce) can of whole berry cranberry sauce
Fresh lemon juice, to taste, from two to four large lemons

Directions:

Place the beef in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the salt and pepper and set aside.

Place the tomatoes and cranberry sauce in a 4-quart pot. Bring to a boil then place on very low.

Form the meatballs to about the size of a walnut and drop into the sauce. Repeat until all the beef is used. Bring the sauce and the meatballs to a boil, lower to simmer and add the fresh lemon juice.

Place the lid on the pot askew and simmer for at least three hours. Taste the sauce to add more lemon juice, if desired.

Serves four to six.

Note from Phyllis: This recipe usually needs the juice of three to four large lemons. It is best to add the juice of two lemons then check for flavor after the meatballs have simmered for an hour.

I use 93 percent lean ground beef in this recipe.

Some enjoy this dish served over rice.

My Bolognese Sauce

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, diced
2 pounds ground beef
1 (28-ounce) can of crushed tomatoes, with juice
3 fat bay leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup whole milk or half-and-half
Freshly grated Parmesan

Directions:

Heat the oil in a 4-quart saucepan over medium. Add the shallots and sauté until translucent, about three to five minutes. Using a wooden fork, move the shallots to the side of the pot.

Using fingers, crumble bits of ground beef into the pot and break up using a wooden fork. Continue until all the beef is sautéed, constantly breaking up with the wooden fork.

Add the tomatoes, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then lower to simmer. Add the milk or half-and-half.

Place the lid on the pot askew and simmer for one hour.

Pass the Parmesan at the table.

Serves four.

Note from Phyllis: A fork works best when breaking up the beef because it needs to be as fine as possible.

Milk or half-and-half removes much of the acid from tomatoes. I learned this trick from Marcella Hazan, the great Italian cookbook author.

Chicken Gumbo Soup

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 ribs of celery, diced
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 pound fresh or frozen okra, sliced
1 (22-ounce) package chicken stock
1 (28-ounce) can of diced tomatoes, with juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced
Steamed rice, optional

Directions:

Heat the oil in a 4-quart pot over medium. Add the onion, celery, red pepper and okra and sauté for about three to five minutes. Add the chicken stock and tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Lower to simmer and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 30 to 45 minutes.

Add the chicken and heat through. While the soup cooks, put on a pot of rice, if desired. Follow the package directions for two cups, which will be plenty. Place several heaping tablespoons of rice in each serving bowl before adding the soup.

Serves four to six.