Hearty Meal For Cold Weather

It's cold in many parts of America, so a hearty meal that's easy on the wallet may be just the ticket.

The Saturday Early Show invited Michael Romano of New York City's Union Square Café, known for its delicious food and warm atmosphere, to perpare a Chef on a Shoestring menu that's perfect for winter, but will be delicious no matter where you live.

Although Romano was born in the then-thriving Italian section of East Harlem in New York City, and grew up on Neapolitan dishes, he excelled in classical French culinary training at New York City Technical College. Following graduation in 1975, Romano trained for several years under Michel Guerard at Regine's in both Paris and New York, and at Eugenie-les-Bains, Guerard's legendary Michelin three-star restaurant, where Romano received his training in modern sauce making. After additional apprenticeships in France and Switzerland, Romano returned to the United States in 1984 to become the first American chef in the 27-year history of New York's La Caravelle.

In the fall of 1988, Romano was lured to Union Square Cafe as executive chef by owner Danny Meyer. Romano easily traded a regimen of cooking refined French food for the high-volume preparation of international food, primarily Italian with American and French accents. At the restaurant, each evening of the week has its own special. Meals are regularly topped off by rich desserts such as Romano's Marble-Fudge Brownies.

Union Square Cafe is near New York's Greenmarket, and Romano takes advantage of the proximity to select fresh produce, as well as meat and fish, for his daily specials. Union Square Cafe has received the New York Times' coveted three-star rating, and in 1991 Food & Wine magazine named Romano one of America's top 10 chefs.

Romano's first true "kitchen job" was at the Serendipity restaurant, in 1971. He was promoted from frozen-drink man to evening line cook, and he said that he had precious little idea what he was doing. Romano just knew he loved to cook. It was the right place to be because, according to him, "the proprietors of Serendipity were kind enough to introduce me to James Beard, who - it was hoped - could advise me in charting my culinary career." The meeting helped Romano find a his direction in becoming a chef.

Romano has co-authored two cookbooks, "Union Square Cafe Cookbook" and "Second Helpings From Union Square Cafe."

Michael Romano's Chef on a Shoestring menu: an appetizer of Minestra De Ceci; an entrée of Chicken Cutlets With Sauteed Spinach; and for dessert, Caramel Baked Apples.

Terminology:

Ditalini Pasta: Chef Romano calls for Ditalini pasta in the soup. This small cylinder-shaped pasta is generally not eaten on its own. Ditalini pasta is considered a great soup pasta because it works best with strong flavors and a creamy sauce. Soup pasta consists of pasta shapes that range in size from small to very tiny. The larger of the soup pastas are used in thicker based soups and the tiny and smaller pasta shapes are used in light or broth based soups. Some of the soup pastas are also used in some pasta salads.

Pecorino Romano cheese: This cheese is used in both the soup and the main course. In Italy, cheese made from sheep's milk is known as pecorino. According to "The New Food Lover's Companion," most of these cheeses are aged and classified as grana (hard, granular and sharply flavored); however, the young, un-aged Ricotta Pecorino is soft, white and mild in flavor. Aged pecorinos range in color from white to pale yellow and have a sharp, pungent flavor. The best known of this genre is Pecorino Romano, which comes in large cylinders with a hard yellow rind and yellowish-white interior. Other notable pecorinos are Sardo, Siciliano and Toscano. These hard, dry cheeses are good for grating and are used mainly in cooking. They can be used in any recipe that calls for parmesan cheese, especially if a sharper flavor is desired.

Sage: Romano uses fresh sage in his chicken dish. Sage is a Mediterranean herb that has been enjoyed for centuries for culinary and medicinal purposes. According to the "The New Food Lover's Companion," the name comes from a derivative of the Latin salvus, meaning "safe," a reference to the herb's believed healing powers. The herb is slightly bitter and has a musty mint taste. When buying sage, make sure the leaves are not brown and that it has a good fresh aroma.

Recipes:
The following recipes are excerpted from chef Michael Romano's cookbook, "Second Helpings From Union Square Café," published by Harper Collins in October 2001

Minestra De Ceci
Serves 4 to 6

In the heart of Tuscany's Chianti Classico region, each family, it seems, has its own cherished recipe for this marvelous chickpea soup. In our version, slow-roast tomatoes, rosemary and pecorino cheese add depth and lots of lingering flavor to every mouthful. You can make the soup up to several days in advance. Just make sure to store it well-covered and refrigerated and don't add the pasta until you're ready to enjoy the soup. Make sure to drizzle your very best olive oil over the top just before serving.

Wine Suggestion: Chianti Classico, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano or any wine made from sangiovese grapes goes hand-in-hand with this soup.

Ingredients:
2 cups dried chickpeas
2 4-inch branches fresh rosemary, leaves chopped (about 2 tablespoons), stems reserved
1/2 cup parsley stems plus 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 bay leaf
6 whole black peppercorns
2-inch square Pecorino rind, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium white onion, coarsely chopped
2 small carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 large stalk celery, coarsely chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
6 cups water
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 cup Ditalini pasta
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano

Soak the chickpeas overnight, or for at least 6 hours, in enough cold water to cover.

Make an herb bundle: in a small piece of cheesecloth, place the rosemary and parsley stems, the bay leaf, the peppercorns, and the Pecorino rind, if using. Close the bundle by tying with a piece of kitchen twine.

In a 3-quart saucepan, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, chopped rosemary and red pepper flakes, and cook until the vegetables are softened but not browned -- about 10 minutes. Drain the chickpeas and add them to the pan along with the herb bundle, the water, and the tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 50 minutes. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt and continue cooking until the chickpeas are tender, about 10 more minutes.

Remove and discard the herb bundle. Scoop out 1 cup of the chickpeas with a slotted spoon and reserve. (It's okay that some of the vegetables will cling to the chickpeas.) In a blender or food processor, puree the remaining chickpeas and vegetables with their cooking liquid, in batches if necessary, until smooth. Return the puree to the saucepan and set aside.

Bring 11/2 quarts of water to a boil with the remaining teaspoon salt. Add the Ditalini and cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain.

To serve: Bring the pureed soup to a gentle simmer. Add the reserved chickpeas, the cooked Ditalini, and the black pepper and heat for 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning to your taste. To serve, ladle into a warm serving tureen or individual soup bowls. Top with the grated cheese and the chopped parsley, and drizzle with the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil. Serve hot.

Note: To store the soup for serving the next day, refrigerate the cooked pasta separately so that it doesn't become soggy. When you're ready to serve, combine the soup and the pasta and heat gently, adding a little water if necessary to thin the soup.

Chicken Cutlets with Sautéed Spinach
Serves 4

If you choose to prepare your own cutlets, here's how to do it: for each boneless, skinless chicken breast, detach the tenderloin and set aside. Use a sharp knife to split the breast in half crosswise, set aside the thinner end and then split the thicker piece in half as if you were opening a book. You will now have 4 pieces of chicken per breast. Place each piece of chicken between two sheets of plastic wrap and use a meat mallet or the bottom of a small, heavy skillet to carefully pound the chicken into very thin cutlets. A good tip to facilitate pounding the cutlets evenly is to sprinkle the top of each piece with a few drops of water before covering with plastic.

Wine Suggestions: Enjoy with an Italian white from Campania or Sicily, or with a youthful red like Sangiovese di Romagna, Rosso di Montalcino, or Barbera d'Alba.

Ingredients:
1 3/4-pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut and pounded into 12 thin cutlets
12 large fresh sage leaves
1/4 cup grated Pecorino
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 lemons, halved

Top each chicken cutlet with 1 sage leaf and lightly press to adhere it to the chicken.
In a shallow mixing bowl stir together the cheese and flour and set aside. Use a fork to beat the eggs with 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a bowl. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.

Sprinkle the cutlets lightly on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat 1/2 cup of olive oil in a medium or large, heavy-bottomed skillet until almost smoking. Dredge 3 or 4 chicken cutlets in the flour and cheese mixture (depending on how many will fit in the pan) pressing the mixture well into the cutlets to completely coat. Dip each floured cutlet into the egg mixture, lift out with your fingers and allow the excess egg to drip off. Immediately place in the hot pan. Sauté until golden brown on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes per side.

Transfer the cooked cutlets to a plate lined with paper towels and keep warm in the oven.
Place 3 cutlets on each of 4 plates and serve immediately garnished with lemon halves and sautéed spinach.

Sauteed Spinach With Garlic
Serves 4

This quick-stir method of cooking spinach requires no draining of water, and allows the spinach to keep most of its bright green color and flavor. You'll find our trick with a fork and garlic clove to be a simple and quick way to give potent garlic flavor to spinach and other greens. Enjoy the spinach with veal chops, steak, chicken or lamb. It also goes well with legumes and grains like lentils, rice and curried cous-cous. If you have leftovers, you can chop them up and make a sandwich on good bread with olive oil and mozzarella.

Ingredients:
2 pounds fresh spinach
1 garlic clove, peeled
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/8 teaspoon Kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon, quartered (optional)

Remove the stems from the spinach leaves. Discard any leaves that are discolored or tough. Soak the spinach in a large bowl of cold water, stirring to dislodge sand and grit. Change the water at least 2 to 3 times to ensure that the spinach is absolutely clean. (Hint: with each change of water, lift the spinach out of the bowl with your hands rather than draining the water into a colander. That way you won't pour the sandy water back onto the spinach.) Thoroughly dry the spinach in a salad spinner or on absorbent towels.

Spear the clove of garlic with the prongs of a dinner fork. Over a high flame, heat the olive oil in a skillet or saucepan large enough to accommodate all the spinach. Add the spinach and stir quickly and constantly with the garlic-stuck fork. Continue to cook until the spinach is wilted, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper just as the spinach begins to wilt. Cook, stirring, 1 to 2 minutes more until the spinach is tender. Serve either hot, or at room temperature, in the Italian style. Serve with a generous squeeze of lemon at the last moment.

Caramel Baked Apples
Serves 4>

Just saying "baked apples" brings a smile to the face of most dessert lovers, and this decadent version - a cross between baked and caramel apples - is certainly the best we've ever had. We use Cortland or Empire apples, but you'll also get good results with Rome Beauty, Jonagold, or Golden Delicious. Feel free to serve the apples as is, ladled with warm caramel sauce or adorn them further as we do, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or a dollop of fresh whipped cream. You can bake the apples a day in advance and refrigerate them. To serve, reheat the apples in a 350 degree F oven for 8 to 10 minutes and warm the caramel sauce in a double boiler or microwave.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 cup heavy cream
4 medium (6 to 8 ounces each) baking apples, such as Cortland or Empire

Stir together the sugar and water in a deep, heavy-bottomed 2-quart pot. Set over high heat and let the sugar cook at a rapid boil for 8 to 10 minutes, without stirring or shaking. When the syrup starts to caramelize, swirl the pan to spread the color. The moment it reaches a dark caramel shade, remove the pan from the heat. Using potholder gloves or a towel to protect your hands, pour in the cream, stirring constantly with a long wire whisk as the caramel bubbles up.

When the cream is incorporated and the bubbling has subsided, reheat the sauce just to the boil, still whisking. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Peel and core the apples. Slice just enough from the top and bottom of each apple, so that it can stand flat on either end. Arrange the trimmed apples in a roasting pan, deep baking dish, or casserole large enough to allow about an inch of space between them and with sides higher than the fruit. Pour the sauce all over the apples and seal the dish with foil or a tight ovenproof cover.

Bake for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven and uncover the dish. Using tongs or two large spoons, gently turn each apple upside-down, re-seal the pan and bake for another 20 minutes. Turn the apples over a second time, cover, and bake for an additional 10 minutes, and then test for doneness by pressing the sides and piercing with the point of a paring knife. The apples should be tender all the way through, but not mushy. If necessary, bake for another few minutes.

When the apples are done, use a slotted spoon to stand each apple upright in a warm serving bowl. Strain the apple-caramel sauce into a saucepan and simmer over medium heat until the juices evaporate and the sauce returns to its original consistency. Pour or spoon even amounts of the sauce over each apple and serve immediately.