Farro and Chickpea Soup

Farro and Chickpea Soup

1 1/2 cups of farro soaked in water for at an hour

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 celery stalk, finely diced

2 tablespoons of fresh rosemary, chopped

2 tablespoons of fresh oregano, chopped

2 tablespoons of parsley, chopped

3 bay leaves

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 garlic clove, smashed

1-inch piece of Parmesan rind

6 cups of vegetable stock

2 cups of tomato juice

2 cups of cooked chickpeas

1 cup of spinach, chopped

salt and pepper

olive oil

1 teaspoon of fresh rosemary, minced

freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Drain farro.
2. Heat oil in a wide soup pot and add onion, celery, rosemary, parsley, oregano, bay leaves, and tomatoes.
3. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until onion is softened but not browned, about 5 minutes.
4. Add garlic, cheese rind, drained farro, stock, and tomato juice.
5. Bring to a boil, then cover pan and simmer until the farro is tender about 20 minutes.
6. Add chickpeas and spinach for 5 minutes.
7. Taste and correct for salt and pepper.
8. Ladle soup into bowls, drizzle some olive oil, add rosemary, and grate some Parmesan cheese.

Plantain Soup

Plantain Soup

·       3 green plantains, peeled

·       1 teaspoon olive oil

·       2 cloves garlic, minced

·       ½ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, divided

·       9 cups veggie broth

      ½ lime juice

·       ½ teaspoon salt

·       Freshly ground pepper, to taste

·       8 teaspoons finely shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

       1.  Shred plantains using the large holes of a box grater.

2      2.  Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.

3      3.  Add garlic and ¼ cup cilantro; cook, stirring, until the garlic is softened, 1 to 2 minutes.

4      4.  Add broth and bring to a boil.

5      5.  Stir in plantains and lime juice and reduce heat to a simmer.

6      6.  Simmer until the plantains are tender and the soup is thickened 25 to 30 minutes.

7      7.  Season with salt and pepper.

8      8.  Sprinkle each serving with 1 teaspoon Parmesan cheese and garnish with a cilantro.

Curried Spinach Potato Soup

Curried Spinach Potato Soup

3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts

3 tablespoons curry powder or paste

dash cayenne
8 cups vegetable stock
4 ½ cups potatoes, cut into ½ inch pieces
2 teaspoons salt
12 packed cups fresh baby spinach leaves
6 cups milk
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
sour cream and lemon peel, for garnish

1.  Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat.

2.  Add leeks and 3 tablespoons water, and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes.

3.  Add curry powder and cayenne, and stir 30 seconds. 

4.  Add stock, potatoes, and salt, and bring to a boil.

5.  Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until potatoes are tender about 10 minutes.

6.  Stir in spinach; cook until just wilted, about 1 minute. Cool slightly.

7.  Purée soup in a blender until almost smooth; work in batches if necessary.

8.  Return soup to saucepan. 

9.  Add milk, and cook over medium-low heat.

10.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

11.  Garnish with a swirl of sour cream and serve.

Fennel and Potato Soup

Fennel and Potato Soup

3 medium fennel bulbs

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon of thyme

1 clove of garlic, minced

3 shallots, finely chopped

4 cups veggie stock

1 large russet potato, cubed

2 tablespoons of lemon juice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Trim, quarter, and core fennel, then slice into medium-size pieces, reserving feathery leaves from one of the bulbs. (You will need about 2 tbsp. of fennel leaves.)

2. Heat butter and olive oil together in a medium pot over medium-low heat.

3. When butter has melted, add sliced fennel, thyme, garlic, shallots, and 1 cup of the stock.

4. Cover and simmer gently until fennel is soft and translucent, about 15 minutes.

5. Increase heat to medium, add potatoes and remaining 3 cups stock, and bring to a boil.

6. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently until potatoes are very soft and cooked for about 25 minutes.

7. Season soup to taste with lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

8. Gently mash the vegetables with a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon until the soup is thick and chunky (but not puréed), adding a little additional stock if it becomes too thick.

9. Remove soup from heat and set aside for 5 minutes to allow flavors to develop.

10. Ladle soup into four bowls and serve warm, garnish with fennel fronds.

Egg Drop Noodle Soup

Egg Drop Noodle Soup

½ teaspoon salt

3 packages ramen noodles, flavor packets discarded

10 ½ cups veggie broth

2 ½-inch-long piece ginger, lightly smashed

3 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon soy sauce

6 small scallions, thinly sliced

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1. In a large pot over high heat, bring 6 cups salted water to a boil.

2. Add noodles and cook for 3 minutes.

3. Drain noodles and set aside. Rinse pot.

4. In the same pot over medium-high heat, bring broth, ginger, garlic, and soy sauce to a simmer.

5. Add all but 2 tablespoons scallions, and cook until vegetables are tender about 3 minutes.

6. Use a slotted spoon to remove ginger and garlic.

7. In a medium bowl, lightly beat together eggs, sesame oil, and salt.

8. Gently stir broth, then pour seasoned eggs into the pot.

9. Let sit undisturbed until eggs are cooked, 40 to 60 seconds.

10. Stir with a wooden spoon to break up eggs.

11. Return noodles to pot and cook for 1 minute.

12. Divide soup among 6 bowls and garnish with remaining scallions. Serve immediately.

Tomato Fennel Soup

Tomato Fennel Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 medium fennel bulb, cut into 1-inch pieces, fronds reserved for garnish

1 medium onion, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1/4 cup Pernod liqueur

4 cups of diced tomatoes

2 cups of vegetarian broth

4 juniper berries

2 teaspoons fennel seeds

salt and black pepper to taste

Croutons

1.  In a large pot over a medium-low, sauté the onion and the fennel in the olive oil

     and butter. 

2.  Cook, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes, until golden brown.

3.  Add the garlic and continue cooking for 2 minutes.

4.  Turn off the heat or move the pot away from the stove and add the Pernod slowly.

5.  Add the tomatoes, plus 2 cups broth. 

6.  Bring to a boil for 1 to 2 minutes, reduce the heat to low, and simmer.

7.  Meanwhile, in a small sauté pan over low heat, toast the juniper berries and the fennel

     seeds.

8.  Swirl them in the pan until fragrant and golden, about 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside to

     cool.

9.  Grind the spices until slightly chunky.

10.  Add to the soup and cook 45 minutes.

11.  Puree the soup in batches in the food processor.

12.  Season generously with salt and pepper. 

13.  Serve hot, garnished with croutons, fennel fronds, and drizzle olive oil.

Tuscan Bread and Bean

Tuscan Bread and Bean

2 cups of cannellini beans, rinsed

2 bay leaves

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 leek, chopped

¾ cup olive oil

½ savoy cabbage, chiffonade

1 bunch swiss chard, chiffonade

6 cups veggie broth

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

½ loaf of day-old bread

Parmesan cheese, shaved (optional)

1.      Cover the beans with water and soak them overnight.

2.      Cook the beans with the bay leaves and half of the garlic cloves until they are soft, about 1 hour.

3.      Strain them, reserving 1 cup of the liquid to add to the soup.

4.      In a food processor, shred the remaining 2 cloves of garlic with the celery, carrot, onion, and leek until very fine; still with tiny pieces of the vegetables, not a purée.

5.      Sauté the vegetables in a ¼ cup of olive oil on medium-low heat, about 10 minutes, or until it is fragrant and slightly colored.

6.      Add the cooked beans and the 1 cup cooking water, cabbage, swiss chard, and veggie broth.

7.      Bring to a simmer and cook for approximately one hour.

8.      Season to taste with salt and pepper.

9.      Tear the stale bread into small chunks and place a handful of the bread in each bowl.

10.  Ladle the soup over it and let it sit for a few minutes for the bread to soften and the broth to be absorbed.

11.  Finish each bowl with olive oil, freshly ground black pepper, and Parmesan cheese.