IN A ’S G A R D EN R EC IP E S
I NA (.ART tN
BAREFOOT CONTESSA
PA R TIES*
Ufc‘
UlIVllM M
«.Dttt'wa
i
U
’
€ '
l i
f
1
* . F '
T *
\
When I na Garten, aka the
Barefoot Contessa, prepares
food on camera, her calm
demeanor and love of fresh
ingredients make throwing a
dinner party look downright
relaxing. She's also the author
of six beautiful and inspiring
cookbooks, beginning with
Barefoot Contessa Cookbook
in 1999. Ina's since cooked
and written her way through
Barefoot Contessa Parties!
(2001),
Barefoot Contessa
Family Style
(2002),
Barefoot
in Paris
(2004), and
Barefoot
Contessa at Hom e
(2006). Her
new book,
Barefoot Contessa
Back to Basics
(Clarkson Potter,
2008; $35), shows home cooks
how to turn ordinary ingredients
into extraordinary meals.
Her royal moniker comes from
a specialty food store she once
owned in the Hamptons. Ina
bought the business with its
name,
The Barefoot Contessa,
which was taken from the 1954
movie starring Ava Gardner. Ina
now sells a line of food products,
Barefoot Contessa Pantry (see
page 176).
Ina films her Food Network
show,
Barefoot Contessa,
right
at home—in her barn, a new
building on her property that's
complete with a gorgeous
kitchen. It's here that she whips
up mealsfor her husband,
Jeffery, her friends, and her
viewers. Her kitchen/barn offers
ample dining space—and opens
up into her garden where she
serves cocktails (or s'mores)
around a massive fire pit.
FRESH PEA SOUP
Whether the peas are from the garden or the
freezer, this flavorful soup is a taste o f spring.
Copyright
2006
,
Barefoot Contessa at Home,
Clarkson/Potter Publishers, all rights reserved.
PREP:2 5MIN. COOK:
8
MIN.
2
Tbsp. unsalted butter
2
cups chopped leeks, white and light
green parts (2 leeks)
1
cup chopped yellow onion
4
cups chicken stock, preferably
homemade (see recipe
,page
770)
5
cups freshly shelled peas or 2 (10-oz.)
packages frozen peas
2/3
cup chopped fresh mint leaves,
loosely packed
2
tsp. kosher salt
V i
tsp. freshly ground black pepper
V i
cup crème fraîche
V i
cup chopped fresh chives
Garlic croutons, for serving
1. Heat butter in a large saucepan,
add the leeks and onion, and cook over
m edium -low heat for
5
to
10
minutes,
until onion is tender. Add the chicken
stock, increase heat to high, and bring
to a boil. Add the peas and cook for
3
to
5
minutes, until peas are tender. (Frozen
peas w ill take only
3
minutes.) Remove
from heat; add the m int, salt, and pepper.
2. Purée soup in batches: Place
1
cup of
soup in a blender, place lid on top, and
purée on low speed. W ith blender still
running, open the vent hole in the lid and
slow ly add more soup until blender is
three-quarters full. Pour puréed soup into
a large bowl and repeat until all the soup is
puréed. W h isk in the crème fraîche and
chives and taste for seasoning. Serve hot
w ith garlic croutons,
m a k e s
6
s e r v in g s .
EACH SERVING
298
cal,
14
g fa t (8 g sat. fat),
42
mgchol,
913
mg sodium,
3 2
gcarbo, 8 g fiber,
12
g pro. Daily Values:
53
% vit. A ,
96
% vit. C,
9
% calcium,
23
% iron.
m
SALAD WITH WARM
GOAT CHEESE
I f you cannot fin d crottins, use a log offresh
goat cheese and cut vertically into slices.
Copyright
2 0 0 4
,
Barefoot in Paris,
Clarkson/
Potter Publishers, all rights reserved.
PREP: 10 MIN. BAKE:
8
MIN. OVEN:450CF
3
or 4 fresh small goat cheeses
(crottins)
8
slices country white bread
Good olive oil
Salad greens for 4 salads
Green Salad Vinaigrette
,page 170
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Preheat oven to
450
°F.
2. C u t each goat cheese round horizontally
into
2
or
3
h alf-inch slices. Place bread on a
baking sheet, brush lightly w ith olive oil,
and place a slice of goat cheese on each piece.
Bake for 8 to
10
minutes, until bread is
toasted and cheese is warm.
3. Meanwhile, place salad greens in a large
bowl and toss w ith enough Green Salad
Vinaigrette to moisten. D ivide the salad
among
4
lunch plates. Place
2
slices of
toasted bread on each salad, sprinkle with
salt and pepper, and serve,
m a k e s 4 s a l a d s .
EACH SERVING
565
cal,
45
gfat
(11
gsat,fat),
75
mgchol,
998
mg sodium,
2 9
gcarbo,
2
gfiber,
12
gpro. Daily Values:
25
% vit.A ,
9
% vit. C,
2 0
%
calcium,
18
% iron.
G O
O
D
T O
K N
O
W
______
Ina likes to use the best ingredients.
Some of her recipes call specifically for
“good” items, such as olive oil. She
describes a good ingredient as one she's
taste-compared with others and liked
best. To find a good olive oil, for example,
she suggests buying several bottles at
once and tasting them. All can be used
and you’ll find a favorite for the future.
l6 8
MARCH 2009 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
