1 Organic leek; therefore much
- narrower in diameter than
- the typical
1 Vidalia onion wedge (yellow
- onion)
Finocchio
2 c Sediment from your last bean
- or lentil boil, or 2 cups
- soup stock
8 Okra pods (approximate)
6 Shitake mushrooms (approximate)
1/4 Red bell pepper
1/3 x A bunch of spinach, the
- fresher and younger the
- better
Black pepper
Lemon wedge
(I know of finocchio from an Italian friend, it looks like a bulbous
stalk of celery with fine dill like tendrils at the top, its flavor is
one of anise, it is also called fennel and used in making dried
fennel, but has a ligher flavor when fresh). Remember Good 'n Plenty,
:), not that strong.
Preparation: Slice the leek (mostly just the white part), and chop
onion fine, simmer in with the 2 cups lentil stock. Slice or chop
thin pieces of the finocchio, including part of the dill like
tendrils, and getting down near the base if you can, use as much as
you can handle, about equal to the amount of leek/onions you used. Add
this to the simmering stock. Chop okra, discarding the stems, and add
this to the stock. Chop shitake mushrooms, discard stems (or eat
while cooking), leave a few whole caps, add to stock.
By this time, the stock will begin to thicken, so lower flame when the
stock gets reduced to your favorite consistency (stew like thick for
me).
It needs some color now, so add semi-finely chopped red bell pepper.
Continue to simmer at low heat with the lid on the pot---almost done.
Quit within a few minutes, or when the red pepper is to your liking.
Let the dish cool, helped along by adding torn pieces of spinach
leaves, and baby spinach leaves, and stir this in.
Note, the dish is no longer on the flame. Spice with black pepper,
and a squeezed wedge of lemon. Garnish with thinly sliced finocchio.
From: Lu Bozinovich
Date: Fri, 06 Aug 93 21:43:30 CDT
Converted to MM format by Dale & Gail Shipp, Columbia Md.
