Zuppa Valdostana
Andrew Zimmern’s Kitchen AdventuresAs a young boy, I spent a lot of time skiing with my dad. Occasionally, I was lucky enough to go to Europe with him and ski in the Arlberg, Zermatt, Cervinia or Val d’Isère. The broad bases of the mid-mountains served as pasture land in summer; in the winter, the cows were often moved down valley or housed in large barns in the towns themselves. So, while the cows of the Alps were transient in a sense, the farmers and their families were not. In winter, they would cook food all day, offering two or three items in trencherman-size portions for lunch to the hungry skiers seeking a seat by a fire and a hearty meal as they made their way up and down the mountains. These meal-in-a-bowl soups were my favorites, along with large chunks of dry-cured sausage, smoked pork and cabbage-and-pea soup with ham hocks; these are some of my most vivid food memories of those years. About 10 years ago I tried recreating one of the soups my dad and I had in the early ’70s in the Italian Alps. I am not sure there is anything honest or authentic about it, but it’s about 90 percent spot-on in agreement with my fondest memories. The dish is now one that I regularly serve at home to rave reviews. Paired with a salad tossed with a punchy mustard vinaigrette and a bowl of crisp sweet pears, this makes a superb Sunday supper.—Andrew Zimmern Warming Soups Hearty Stews