Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Super Soup, Tomato Vegetable Version--Pareve

Tomato Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:
One 26-ounce package of Pomi chopped tomatoes OR equivalent in canned chopped tomatoes
1/2 pound of finely chopped spinach
One extra-large onion
One pound of thinly sliced carrots--you may use frozen
One medium to large zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and then thinly sliced
One medium to large yellow squash cut in half lenthwise and then thinly sliced
1/2 pound of green beans cut in small pieces--frozen or fresh
2/3 of a package of celery, sliced thinly (include leafy tops)
One extra large sweet potato
One handful of dried parsley flakes
Salt to taste
3 tablespoons of garlic powder
2 tablespoons of onion powder

Note: You will need at least a 6-8 quart pot to cook the basic soup mixture in—bigger is better.
Note: This soup freezes incredibly well so do not worry about the amount of soup that will result.
Note: If you like them, add in one rinsed and drained can of chickpeas.

Method.
Put all the ingredients but the spices and sweet potato into the soup pot.
Add water to cover the vegetables.
Add in the spices.
Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer and cook covered until vegetables have all softened.
Meanwhile, bake a sweet potato in the microwave. Puree the flesh with one cup of the soup broth in a food processor. Add the puree mixture into the soup.

NOTE: the soup will be thick at this point. It can be served this consistency or you can ladle as much soup as you want to serve into a smaller pot and add a little water to get to a thinner consistency. Bring to a boil and then serve.

NOTE: When you defrost a frozen soup, defrost completely and add a bit of extra water to the pot you use to warm the soup. Check the spices and adjust if necessary.

7 comments:

Matt said...

Is this soup recipe real, or is it yet another elaborate metaphor for dating or marriage? . . . Don't try to pull a fast one on me, Prof K. I've got my eyes open!

ProfK said...

Matt,
You absolutely must start getting more sleep! A soup recipe as a metaphor for shidduchim and marriage? You mean the part where the various ingredients all come together as individuals and end up as one unit? You mean the one where it takes all kinds of vegetables to make a soup and it takes all kinds of people to make shidduchim? You mean the part where if you leave out the spices you have a bland mix--maybe palatable to some but not for others? I wouldn't think of it.

Commenter Abbi said...

Is there a specific reason to use onion/garlic powder instead of the real thing?

Also I make this with boneless turkey thigh meat or beef stew meat and my husband adores it.

ProfK said...

Abbi,
I'm sure it tastes great made fleishig. I like making this particular soup pareve though because I can serve it to any meal I am preparing and I don't have to worry about whether the meal is fleishig or milchig.

Using the onion and garlic powder is for a few reasons. One, it's awfully convenient just to sprinkle in these two spices. Two, given the amount of seasoning, in the tablespoons, the cost differential between fresh and powdered becomes equal. Three, my family doesn't like the pieces of onion and garlic in this soup but does like the flavor.

Commenter Abbi said...

sorry, my meat suggestions were really for the split pea soup.

For any soup, if you cook your onions for at least 20-30 minutes on a low flame, covered and add the garlic for the last five minutes, they melt into the soup. They also create a richer base for the soup (you're essentially carmelizing them). I find the powders are too heavy and metallic tasting, even after a long cooking.

ProfK said...

Abbi,
It could be just a matter of taste differences or it could be the type of dried spice. Here they sell both granulated and powdered onion and garlic powder. You have to check the brands. The granulated I find works and tastes better. It incorporates more evenly and tastes like fresh. The powdered variety sometimes clumps together giving you an odd taste.

Orthonomics said...

The different veggies look interesting together. But, I'm not sure a soup without fresh garlic and onions would make it past the taste testers in the Sephardi Household, lol. :) Thanks for sharing. Fortunately it is always easy to modify soups.