The Houndstooth Gourmet

I wanted to put this event on your radars, to help a cause and the merchants who support it. By buying or eating in Alexandria on October 21st, you can help support Alexandria’s Breast Cancer fund at INOVA Alexandria Hospital Foundation. From the City of Alexandria website:

We hope you will mark your calendar to come out and participate in the 4th Annual Dine Out and Shop for the Walk to Fight Breast Cancer to be held on Tuesday, October 21, 2008. Restaurants, retail stores, spas, and many other businesses throughout Alexandria will be contributing a portion of their proceeds throughout the day to the Walk to Fight Breast Cancer. All funds raised from this event will go to support Alexandria’s Breast Cancer Fund at Inova Alexandria Hospital Foundation.

Restaurants participating include La Strada and Taqueria Poblano in Del Ray, Southside 815 and Stardust in Old Town and Tempo in the West End. Visit Let’s Meat on the Avenue and buy Steve’s delicious lamb, and 20% of the proceeds will go to help fight breast cancer.

You can also literally go one step farther and join in the 15th anniversary of the Annual Walk to Fight Breast Cancer on October 25th, at 8 a.m., along Eisenhower Avenue. Join in for a 1.5K, 3.5K or 5K walk or run.

Tags: Alexandria, events, restaurant by Ramona
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Oh boy, I know I’m going to get flack for using a Rachel Ray neologism, but there you have it. This soup is thick-really thick like a stew and takes about 30 minutes to make. Now, I promise that I didn’t say EVOO, grunt mm, mm, mm or gesticulate wildly while creating this stoup. But hey, if you want to, that’s alright with me.

Tuscan Stoup is loaded with flavor and nutrients, using dark, leafy, phytonutrient and anti-oxident rich greens and tomatoes, protein-rich cannellini beans, Parmesan cheese and  ok, there’s sausage too. That’s just decadent and delicious-and we all deserve that. This stoup is de-lish (somebody stop me….).

My inspiration for this soup was coming across beautiful tatsoi at Spring Valley Farm’s stand at the Alexandria Farmers market. Tatsoi is delicious raw or cooked, but like any green, it wilts down significantly so a little won’t go a long way. It’s more like a lot goes a long way. If you can’t find tatsoi, you can substitute greens such as spinach, kale or escarole.

Tuscan Stoup

makes a lot of stoup

Ingredients

• 1 lb. bulk Italian sausage
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs
• 3 large bunches of tatsoi (about 6 cups) washed thoroughly and chopped
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, more for passing
• 2 cans cannellini beans, drained and 1 can mashed until creamy
• 1 can chopped tomatoes
• 8 cups good quality chicken stock
• 1/2 cup small pasta such as arancini or ditalini

Directions

In a heavy-bottom pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and saute for 4-5 minutes, until translucent. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add sausage and cook through (do not brown), crumbling it into small pieces as you cook. Add shredded tatsoi and cook until wilted. Add a pinch of kosher salt and several grinds of fresh black pepper. Add Parmesan cheese and stir to incorporate.

 

 Add tomatoes and beans. Stir to incorporate. Add the chicken stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Add pasta and stir. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until pasta is throroughly cooked and plumped. Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve with parmesan for passing at the table.

Tags: Recipe, soup by Ramona
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