Rania's Recipes: One-Pot Main Dish Recipes
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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- This week, Rania Harris is in the Pittsburgh Today Live kitchen with two recipes sure to warm you up on these cold winter days. She's continuing her easy one-post main dish recipe series.
Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small white onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 cups vegetable stock (I use the boxed vegetable stock)
- 2 cups half-and-half
- 2 small heads broccoli, cut into florets and stems cut into 1-inch pieces (8 to 10 cups)
- 3 ounces sharp white cheddar, grated (1-1/2 cups)
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Pinch of nutmeg
- Greek yogurt or sour cream, for garnish (optional for garnishing the soup)
Directions:
- In a large pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until soft, 5 minutes. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, 1 minute. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until it turns golden, 3 minutes.
- Add broth and half-and-half and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and add broccoli. Simmer until broccoli is bright green, 4 minutes, then remove four broccoli florets (for garnish) and rinse under cold water. Reduce heat to low and cover partially; simmer until broccoli is tender, 15 minutes.
- Using an immersion blender, puree soup in pot. If you do not own an immersion blender, puree the soup in a blender, working in batches. Be very careful as the hot soup will jump up in the blender once you start to puree the liquid. I use a kitchen towel on the top of the blender, to protect any risk of burning my hands. Pour pureed soup into a large bowl. Immediately whisk in cheddar and season with salt and pepper and nutmeg.
- Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with Greek yogurt or sour cream (if using), black pepper, and reserved broccoli.
Serves: 4
WATCH: Cooking With Rania (Pt. 2) --
Pasta e Fagoli
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ pound Italian sausage (sweet or spicy)
- 1 medium sweet onion, finely chopped
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 (15-ounce) cans Great Northern Beans (do not drain)
- 1 (15-ounce) can diced Italian tomatoes
- 4 cups boxed low sodium chicken stock
- 2 sprigs rosemary, leaves finely chopped
- 1-1/2 cups Ditalini pasta
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish
- Freshly chopped Italian parsley, for garnish
Directions:
- In a large, deep pot over medium heat, heat oil. Add sausage and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir in onion, carrots, and celery and cook until slightly softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute more. Season with salt and pepper, then, add in beans (with their liquid), diced tomatoes, chicken stock, and rosemary. Bring to a boil, then, stir in Ditalini.
- Reduce heat to medium and cook until pasta is al dente, about 8 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
- Serve in bowls garnished with Parmesan and parsley.
Serves: 6