By Seared Lightly

 Soup is a siren song for creative kitchen types and herein we hum praise to Marlene Delkin, who has added her personal touches to a classic Italian Wedding Soup

recipe:

   Marlene’s Masterpiece

  4 quarts water                    1 tbsp. White Pepper
  1 Onion, chopped        Salt to taste
  3 tbsp. ground Cumin       1 cleaned Chicken carcass
 
Break up Chicken in small sections, bring water and other ingredients to a boil, 
add Chicken and reduce to a simmer for 45 minutes.  This is the Chicken Stock
for the following ingredients:

 ½ Celery Root, peeled, then grated
 1 Fennel Root, chop one half, grate the other half
 4 Carrots, peeled & finely chopped
 1 large Potato, peeled & chopped
 1 large Onion, chopped
 3 cloves Garlic, peeled & crushed
 3 tbsp. chopped fresh Basil
 4 tbsp. extra virgin Olive Oil
 4 Tomatoes, peeled & chopped
 ½ head White Cabbage, chopped
 1 cup fresh Green Beans
 1 lb. Sweet Italian Sausage, ground
 ¼ cup Orzo dry pasta

Saute’ in a large soup pot: Celery Root, Onion, Fennel in Olive Oil for 6 minutes, add Carrots, Tomatoes and saute’ 4 minutes, then add drained Chicken Stock, Garlic, Basil, Cabbage & Beans…cook one hour at low to medium (do not boil)…add Orzo, simmer 15 minutes.  Meanwhile form ground Sausage into
24 small meatballs and place these in freezer for 20 minutes to firm, then drop
into the simmering pot, cover and simmer another 10 minutes.  

These efforts produce a memorable, hearty melange of flavor.  This is an ideal August evening repast.  You should also consider a cold concoction to remove the summer sweat from your brow:

   Andalusian White Sangria

 This is an ideal way to convert inexpensive wine into a very palatable potion that will slake a summer thirst.  The Cucumber takes away the acidity.  Combine these ingredients in a large pitcher, stirring to dissolve the sugar and refrigerate for two hours or longer:

   1.5 liter bottle of under $8 White Wine
   1 large Cucumber, peeled, seeded, sliced in strips
   1 Lemon, sliced thinly
   1 Orange, sliced thinly
   1 Apple, cored & sliced in small sections
   ½ cup Sugar  

© 2003 Oregon Magazine