Trieste-Style Sauerkraut and Bean Soup (Jota)

Another Great one from Huffington Post

This hearty soup, whose name is also spelled jote, iota, and yota, is enormously popular in and around Trieste. In restaurants, the meat that has been simmered in the soup is usually lifted out before the soup is served and offered later as a separate course. At home, it's more typically removed from the bone and mixed into the soup. Suban, which makes jota with pancetta in place of other cuts of pork, also leaves the meat in the soup. We adapted this recipe from La Cucina di Lidia (Doubleday, 1990) by Lidia Bastianich and Jay Jacobs.


1/2 lb. dried borlotti beans or kidney beans

2 smoked ham hocks

1 lb. pork ribs

2 bay leaves

1/4 lb. (4 strips) bacon, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped

2 lbs. sauerkraut, drained

3 medium russet potatoes, peeled and quartered

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Put beans into a large heavy-bottomed pot, cover with cold water by at least 3", and set aside to soak at room temperature for at least 4 hours or overnight. Drain beans in a colander, then rinse and drain again. Return beans to pot, add ham hocks, pork ribs, bay leaves, and 12 cups cold water, and bring to a boil over high heat, skimming any foam that rises to the surface.

2. Meanwhile, mince bacon and garlic together with a sharp kitchen knife until they form a smooth paste, then add to pot with beans. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, partially covered, until beans are just soft, about 1 hour.

3. Rinse sauerkraut thoroughly in a large bowl of cold water, then drain in a colander and rinse again. Drain sauerkraut and add to pot with beans. Add potatoes to pot and continue simmering, partially covered, until potatoes are soft when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, about 30 minutes.

4. Using a slotted spoon, transfer potatoes to a large bowl and coarsely mash with back of spoon. Return mashed potatoes to pot and season to taste with salt and pepper. Partially cover pot and continue simmering soup, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 20–30 minutes more. Pick meat off bones, discarding skin and bones, and add meat to soup, if you like. Discard bay leaves before serving.

Umbrian Vegetable Soup



This recipe courtesy of the Huffington Post


1⁄2 cup packed basil leaves
1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

2 tbsp. minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
4 cloves garlic
1⁄2 medium onion, cut into chunks
8 oz. red new potatoes, cut into 1⁄2" cubes
3 stalks celery, minced
2 medium carrots, minced
2 plum tomatoes, cored and minced
Kosher salt, to taste
3 oz. spinach, trimmed and rinsed
(about 2 loosely packed cups)

1 1⁄2 cups canned cannellini beans, rinsed
1 cup fresh or frozen green peas

1⁄2 small head frisée, leaves cut into bite-size pieces (about 2 cups)
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Freshly grated Grana Padano or Parmesan, for serving

1. Place half the basil, 2 tbsp. oil, parsley, garlic, and onions in the bowl of a food processor and process until slightly chunky. Heat remaining oil in an 8-qt. pot over medium-high heat and add herb–garlic mixture. Cook, stirring often, until no liquid remains, about 5 minutes. Add potatoes, celery, carrots, and tomatoes. Cook, stirring often, until vegetables are golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add salt and 4 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

2. Stir in spinach, beans, peas, and frisée and cook until greens are wilted and just tender, about 10 minutes; season with salt and pepper and stir in remaining basil. To serve, ladle soup into bowls, sprinkle with Grana Padano, and drizzle with oil.

SERVES 12

Apple Stuffed Pork Chops

1 tablespoon chopped onion

1/4 cup butter

3 cups soft bread cubes
2 cups finely chopped apples
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
6 bone-in pork loin chops (1-1/2 inches thick and 7 ounces each)
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

In a small skillet, saute onion in butter until tender. Remove from the heat; add the bread cubes, apples, celery, parsley and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Cut a pocket in each chop by making a horizontal cut through the meat almost to the bone. Sprinkle inside and outside with pepper and remaining salt. Spoon stuffing loosely into pockets.

In a large skillet, brown the chops on both sides in oil. Place in an ungreased large baking pan. Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 30 minutes longer or until meat thermometer reads 160° when inserted into the meat and juices run clear. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutrition: 1 pork chop equals 364 calories, 19 g fat (8 g saturated fat), 107 mg cholesterol, 534 mg sodium, 15 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 32 g protein.