ReportWire

Tag: Recipe Review

  • I Tried Martha Stewart’s Most “Beloved” Cozy Soup and I’ve Already Made Two Pots in a Week

    I Tried Martha Stewart’s Most “Beloved” Cozy Soup and I’ve Already Made Two Pots in a Week

    [ad_1]

    We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.

    This time of year I can’t help but crave a hot bowl of soup. As the year comes to an end, soup becomes that meal I can totally rely on to warm me up and give me the nutrients I need as I power through the rest of the day. I’m a big fan of all different types of soup (I recently experimented with a delicious take on Dolly Parton’s Stampede Soup that set me off on my current soup kick).   

    After stumbling upon a how-to video for a classic Italian minestrone shared to TikTok by Martha Stewart Living, my interest was piqued by the “use what’s in your fridge” nature of the recipe. In the video, Stewart schools viewers on the meaning of minestrone, stating that it “generally means bigness,” noting how it fits due to it having so many ingredients. Minestrone can vary depending on who is making it, but it mainly contains lots of vegetables, leafy greens, and beans. A combination of celery, carrots, and onions (known as a soffritto) acts as the foundation of flavor within minestrone.  

    As a devout fan of the Queen of Domestic Arts, naturally I was immediately searching my refrigerator for ingredients. After acquiring all the pieces I needed, as well as a fresh loaf of bread to toast and complement the soup, I was ready to dive into making this Italian minestrone.

    How to Make Martha Stewart’s Minestrone

    As noted earlier, there are many minestrone variations. If you are in a time crunch, this version of Stewart’s recipe, which I opted for in this review, is what you’ll want to follow. However, if you would like to make this soup as authentically as possible, using dried beans which need to be soaked overnight, the TikTok version above is going to be more of your jam.  

    Start by heating olive oil in a large pot over medium heat to make the soffritto. Add onions, carrots, celery, red pepper flakes, rosemary, and salt and pepper; cook until the onions turn golden, stirring occasionally, for about 5 to 8 minutes. 

    Add the tomatoes and cook for about a minute, allowing for some of the liquid to evaporate. Toss in the potatoes, cabbage, cannellini beans, then add 7 cups of water. If you are using canned cannellini beans, be sure to drain and rinse thoroughly. Bring everything to a boil, then stir in the chopped green beans. 

    At this point, you’ll want to reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the vegetables until they are all tender, which will take about 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper before stirring in the garlic and torn basil for the finishing touches. Once seasoned to your liking, serve topped with a drizzle of olive oil, a dollop of pesto, freshly grated Parmesan, and a sprinkle of torn basil.

    My Honest Opinion of Martha Stewart’s Minestrone

    There is really no possible way to hate this soup. I did take a tip from the TikTok recipe, in which Stewart suggests adding an end piece of prosciutto to the mix before simmering. However I couldn’t find a full chunky piece of prosciutto in my neighborhood in time, so I opted for a package of smaller cubed prosciutto instead. I added the cubed prosciutto after adding the water, allowing it to simmer with the rest of the soup. The results, in my opinion, were still just as fantastic and I appreciated the flavor that the prosciutto brought to the mix. 

    I think what I loved most about Stewart’s beloved minestrone is just how easily it all comes together. Most of the work lies in the prep, but after that it is smooth sailing to Flavortown. I’ll be keeping this recipe in my back pocket, as I’m excited to try some other variations as we head into the cold winter months. If you’ve been on the hunt for an authentic Italian peasant soup, this is a fantastic recipe to start with.

    3 Tips for Making Martha Stewart’s Minestrone

    [ad_2]

    Nathan Hutsenpiller

    Source link

  • I Tried Brie Larson’s “Superior Lasagna” from “Lessons in Chemistry” and the Bolognese Sauce Is So Worth It

    I Tried Brie Larson’s “Superior Lasagna” from “Lessons in Chemistry” and the Bolognese Sauce Is So Worth It

    [ad_1]

    We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.

    Lasagna has always been that dish for me. It’s an absolute staple in my home, and my mother would always make variations of it while I was growing up. Lasagna has the ability to not only give me comfort when I need it most, but it also reminds me of the simple pleasures in life. The older I get, somehow this delicious layered pasta dish never gets old with me, and I get just as excited as I was as a child when a slice is put on my plate. 

    That being said, not everyone knows how to make a lasagna that stands the test of time. Some lasagnas are lacking in the flavor department, and others miss the mark on the overall structure to get that perfectly layered slice. All parts of the recipe need to be working in unison, so when one ingredient is off, it can affect the rest of the dish. So when I came across Brie Larson’s recipe for the ‘Superior’ Lasagna from her hit AppleTV+ show, Lessons in Chemistry, I couldn’t help but see if the lasagna lived up to the hype. 

    Knowing that the Captain Marvel star actually has real-life kitchen skills that she was able to adapt for her role in Lessons in Chemistry made this recipe even more appealing to me. I was excited to get started, as I was long overdue for making the comforting pasta dish I love. Here’s how it went.

    Get the recipe: The Perfect Lasagna from Lessons in Chemistry

    How to Make Brie Larson’s Lasagna

    Lasagna is no cake walk; there are multiple steps that need to be done precisely in order to have a beautiful and delicious end product. That being said, this recipe is pretty in-depth, but I promise that the outcome is more than worth the cost of labor.

    Starting with the Bolognese, heat olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the finely chopped carrot, celery, and onion. Sauté until the onions are translucent, stirring occasionally. Season with salt, add garlic and chili flakes, then cook for an additional minute. Add tomato paste and cook down until the paste coats the bottom of the pan and turns a deep brick red, about 3 minutes. 

    Add ground beef, ground pork, and pancetta to the vegetable mixture, cooking until no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Season with salt as it cooks and use a wooden spoon or spatula to break the meat into small bits. Stir in the milk and wine and bring to a simmer before adding oregano, reducing the heat to low, and covering to let simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Stir occasionally until ready to remove from heat. Finally, skim off most of the fat and season with more salt if needed. 

    While the Bolognese simmers, start on the ricotta béchamel. Melt butter in a medium pot over medium-low heat. Add flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Whisk in the milk and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat for 1 minute to thicken. Stir in salt and nutmeg and remove the pot from the heat. Let it cool for 15 minutes, then stir in the ricotta cheese, seasoning with more salt if needed.

    Boil the lasagna noodles in a large pot of heavily salted water to just under al dente. As the lasagna cooks, preheat your oven to 375°F and brush a 9×13-inch pan with olive oil. When ready, drain the noodles and slick them with olive oil to help prevent sticking. 

    Now you are ready to assemble. Spread 3/4 cup of the ricotta béchamel on the bottom of your prepared pan and top with a layer of noodles, careful not to overlap. Spread another 3/4 cup of béchamel on top of the noodles, then spread 1/4 of the Bolognese (about 1 1/4 cups) on top. Top with a healthy dusting of Parmesan cheese (1/3 cup) then add another layer of noodles on top of that. Repeat this layering process four more times, resulting in five layers of pasta. By the fourth layer, you should be using the last of the Bolognese. The top final layer of noodles will have the remaining béchamel spread over it, as well as the remaining Parmesan and all of the mozzarella cheese.

    Bake uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the sauce bubbles up on the sides and the top is perfectly browned. Once removed from the oven, let the dish cool for 15 minutes then sprinkle the chopped parsley on, slice, and enjoy!

    My Honest Opinion of Brie Larson’s Lasagna

    Truthfully, I went into this recipe with very high expectations that only Captain Marvel herself could live up to. Anytime I have lasagna, I am fully comparing it to what my mother used to make when I was growing up, so no lasagna recipe is safe from the wrath of my core childhood memories. Thankfully Brie Larson’s recipe absolutely delivered in the best ways possible. I loved that the recipe called for five layers, each packing its own punch of delicious flavors, and the three-meat combination was a nice touch that I myself had never used together before. 

    I will certainly be keeping this recipe in my rotation, and I honestly do not plan on making lasagna without a Bolognese ever again. This is truly the best way to make it and I couldn’t have been more satisfied with each fantastic bite. Now it’s time to heat up some more leftovers and flick on an episode of Lessons in Chemistry.  

    3 Tips for Making Brie Larson’s Lasagna

    [ad_2]

    Nathan Hutsenpiller

    Source link