Tiny New York Kitchen™

Potage Paysanne

Potage Paysanne or Peasant Soup is easy to make and absolutely delicious. 

INGREDIENTS

2 Diced Carrots

2 Cubed Potatoes

2 Sliced Leeks

1 Diced Onion

1/4  Head Rough Chopped Cabbage

2 Chopped Tomatoes

2 Cubes Diced Celery

6 Minced Garlic Cloves

1/2 Cup Olive Oil

2 Cups Cooked White Beans

6 Cups Vegetable or Chicken Broth

1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt

1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper

2 Tablespoons Parsley

1 Tablespoon Red Pepper Flakes

In a stock pot add the olive oil and heat over a medium heat.  Add the carrots, potatoes, garlic, onions, leeks, celery, cabbage, salt pepper, red pepper flakes and parsley.  Cook for 8 minutes stirring frequently.  Add the vegetable or chicken stock.  Cook for two hours on medium low heat.  Stir frequently.  Add the cooked white beans, chopped tomatoes and cook on medium heat for another 30 minutes.  Transfer to soup bowls or a soup tureen and serve.  Serves 4

Feast of Saint Ives

Sancto Yvo erat Brito,

Advocatus et non latro

Res Miranda populo.

The popular verse in Brittany, where in the 13^th century Saint Ives followed the profession of lawyer and judge with distinction, as the verse say of him:

Lo!  A Marvel past belief,

A barrister who’s not a thief!

Although possessed of wealth, he lived as a Franciscan tertiary, dressed in coarse clothing, and cared for the poor and unfortunate, keeping, it is said, up to seven orphans in his family manor of Kermartin.  His benefactions to the poor continued after his death, and it is not surprising that his feast is observed in Brittany by the one of the many Pardons or local religious pilgrimages of this Celtic part of France called the Pardon of the poor at Minihy.

After his death, Saint Ives’ manor was left to the poor, and here they continued to come especially on the eve and day of his feast.  On one occasion in the 19^th century so many beggars presented themselves that no one knew how they would be fed.  But no matter how much was dipped out of the kettles on the hearth, they were always found filled to the brim with good, nourishing soup. 

No record is made of just what went into these kettles, but in honor of Saint Ives, the saint of the poor and the patron of lawyers, I suggest Potage Paysanne.

Cheese on 62nd

Each week I try to visit a food shop or an interesting restaurant that I have never been to before.  This week, by chance, I ran across a cute little cheese shop not far from Bloomingdales.  Cheese on 62nd is the name of the shop and it is aptly named as it is on 62^nd & Lexington.  The refrigerated case was filled with nice cheeses, there were many hanging salamis and a nice variety of oils, vinegars and packaged treats.  All in all a nice selection of Mediterranean goodies. They also make lunchtime sandwiches which looked good. The prices didn’t seem crazy (at least for New York) and the man behind the counter was very friendly as well.  If you’re in the neighborhood you just may want to swing by and check it out. 

Cheese on 62^nd

134 E 62^nd Street

New York, NY 10065

212-980-5544

Subway: Lexington Ave/63^rd Street (F Train)

               Lexington Ave/59^th Street (N, Q, R Trains)

               59^th Street (4, 5, 6 Trains)