Celery And Potato Soup With Feta And Rosemary

Ingredients:

7 cups low-fat vegetable stock
3 cups chopped celery
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 medium potatoes, peeld and cubed
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup crumbled light feta cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley


Directions:
In a large soup pot, bring 1/2 cup of the stock to a boil. Add the celery and onion; saute gently for 4 minutes. Add the wine, saute another 2 minutes.

Add the potatoes, mustard, rosemary, salt, pepper, bay leaf and remaining stock. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes or until potatoes are cooked.

Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the feta cheese and parsley. Serve immediately.

Colombian Chicken and Potato Soup

Ingredients:

3 1/2 pounds frying chicken, cut up
3 quarts regular-strength chicken broth, homemade or purchased
2 large russet potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 large onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 pound medium-size red thin-skinned potatoes
3 large carrots, cut into %-inch-thick slices
1 bay leaf
3 ears corn, cut into 1-inch lengths
2 firm-ripe avocados
Lime wedges
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro (coriander)
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions (including tops)
1/3 cup drained capers
1 cup whipping cream




Directions:
Reserve chicken neck and giblets for other uses, if desired. Rinse chicken, pat dry, and place in an 8 to 10-quart pan; add broth, russet potatoes, chopped onions, garlic, thyme, and cumin. Bring to a boil over high heat; then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.

Cut thin-skinned potatoes into halves; add to pan with carrots and bay leaf. Cover and continue to simmer until meat near thighbone is no longer pink when slashed (20 to 25 more minutes). Skim and discard fat from broth. Add corn; cover and simmer until corn is hot (about 5 more minutes). Meanwhile, pit, peel, and quarter avocados.

Ladle broth, chicken, and vegetables into wide soup bowls. Pass lime wedges to squeeze into soup; offer avocados, cilantro, green onions, capers, and cream to add to individual portions. Eat with knife and fork.

Italian Potato Salad

Italian Potato Salad

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
2 pounds new potatoes, preferably red-skinned, well-scrubbed and cut into quarters or eighths
8 ounces young carrots, sliced (about 12 carrots)
8 ounces snap beans, ends removed, and cut into 1-inch lengths
2 small zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 crookneck or summer squash, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 bunch scallions, chopped
1/4 cup red-wine vinegar, diluted with 1 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
6 leaves radicchio, butterhead lettuce or ruffled kale

1. Combine oil, garlic and lemon zest in a measuring cup; set aside. Arrange potatoes in a steamer basket. Add carrots and steam for 8 minutes. Add beans, zucchini and summer squash, and steam just until tender-crisp, 3 to 5 minutes longer. Do not overcook. Lift out steamer and transfer vegetables to a large bowl.

2. Add scallions and splash vegetables with 2 tablespoons of the vinegar mixture. Toss gently, and let sit until cooled, about 15 minutes. Combine remaining vinegar mixture with oil mixture and drizzle over salad. Season with salt and pepper and serve on lettuce leaves.