Spicy Sundried Tomato Soup with White Beans & Swiss Chard

Spicy Sundried Tomato Soup with White Beans & Swiss Chard

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes 

medium onion, chopped 

2 medium carrots, sliced 

2 ribs celery, chopped

1 small zucchini, sliced 

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

2 cups vegetable broth

4 cups diced tomatoes

2 cups cannellini beans, cooked

1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped

6 ounces Swiss chard, chopped

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1 cup torn fresh basil

1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat.

2.  Add garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook 1 minute, or until garlic is fragrant.

3.  Stir in onion, carrots, celery, zucchini, and rosemary, and cook 10 to 15 minutes, or until onions are soft.

4.  Add broth, 2 cups tomatoes, and beans.

5.  Scoop 1 cup mixture into food processor or blender, and add remaining tomatoes, and sun-dried tomatoes.

6.  Purée until smooth, stir mixture into soup, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. 

7. Simmer10 minutes.

8.  Add Swiss chard and thyme; simmer 5 minutes more, or until chard is wilted.

9.  Remove pan from heat, and stir in basil.

Asparagus & Rice Soup

Asparagus & Rice Soup

     4 cloves garlic, crushed 

     1/3 cup olive oil

     2 cups potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

     3 cups leeks, chopped, 1/4 inch of white and all green parts

     2  bay leaves

     1 tablespoon salt, plus more to taste

     1 1/2 pounds fresh asparagus, cut into 1/3-inch chunks, plus more spears for garnish

     1 cup Arborio rice

     Freshly ground pepper, to taste

     1/2 cup grated Parmigiano cheese plus more to taste

1. Sauté garlic with olive oil in a heavy-bottomed, 6-quart pot over medium-high heat for 1 to 2 minutes. 

2. Add potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until crusty but not browned, 4 to 5 minutes. 

3. Add leeks and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes

4. Add 5 quarts water, bay leaves, and 1 tablespoon salt. 

5. Stir well, scraping potatoes from pot bottom. 

6. Cover, bring to a boil and add cut asparagus. 

7. Lower heat to vigorous simmer and cook, uncovered, about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally until reduced by a third.

8. Add rice, bring to a boil, and cook 10 minutes. 

9. Remove from heat and season with pepper and more salt to taste. 

10. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1/2 cup grated cheese. 

11. If desired, steam remaining asparagus and garnish. 

12. Serve hot.

Tortellini & Zucchini Soup

Tortellini & Zucchini Soup

·       1 tablespoons olive oil

·       1 large carrots, diced

·       1 celery, diced

·       1 large onion, diced

·       2 tablespoons minced garlic

·       1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

·       6 cups vegetable broth

·       2 medium zucchini, diced

·       2 cups cheese tortellini

·       4 plum tomatoes, diced

·       2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

    1.  Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat.

    2.   Add carrots, celery, and onion; stir, cover, and cook stirring occasionally until the onion is soft and just beginning to brown, 6 to 7 minutes.

      3.  Stir in garlic and rosemary and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

      4.  Stir in broth and zucchini; bring to a boil.

      5. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is beginning to soften, about 3 minutes.

      6.  Add tortellini and tomatoes and simmer until the tortellini are plump and the tomatoes are beginning to break down 6 to 10 minutes. 

      7. Stir vinegar into the hot soup just before serving.

Italian Noodle Soup

Italian Noodle Soup

4 cups vegetable broth

12 ounces fettuccine pasta 

10 ounces spinach

6 cups tomatoes, diced

1 onion, chopped

5 cloves of garlic

1/2 tablespoon basil

1/2 tablespoon oregano

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

pepper to taste

Serve with toasted French bread

Parmesan cheese, grated

1. Put your broth in a large soup pot, heat until bubbling.

2. Add all the other ingredients (yes it's that simple) and cook until noodles are al dente.

3. Don't stir too much and you will probably want to break your noodles in half for them to fit into the pot.

4. Serve hot with French bread. 

Sorrel Pea and Leek Soup

Sorrel Pea and Leek Soup

white and pale green parts of 3 leeks, chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small boiling potato 

4 cups vegetable broth

1/2 cup shelled fresh peas

3 cups sorrel, cut crosswise into thin strips

1/3 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste

Garnish: drizzle sour cream and minced chives

1.  In a large saucepan cook leeks in oil with salt and pepper to taste over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened.

2.  Peel potato and cut into 1-inch cubes.

3.  Add potato, broth, and leeks and simmer, covered, about 10 minutes, or until potato is tender.

4.  Stir in peas and simmer, uncovered, about 5 minutes, or until peas are tender.

5.  In a blender purée potato mixture with sorrel in 2 batches until very smooth, transferring to a bowl.

6.  Whisk in sour cream.

7.  Chill soup, covered, at least 2 hours, and up to 24.

8.  Just before serving, stir in lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.

9.  Garnish soup with sour cream and minced chives.

Asparagus and Potato Soup

Asparagus and Potato Soup

2 cloves garlic, crushed 

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup new red potatoes cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 ½ cups leeks, chopped

2 quarts of vegetable stock

1 teaspoon thyme

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

1 pound fresh asparagus, cut into 1/3-inch chunks

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

red pepper chili flakes as garnish

chives, chopped as a garnish

1.  Sauté garlic with 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high

      heat for 1 to 2 minutes.

2.  Add potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until crusty, 4 to 5 minutes.

3.   Add leeks and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes.

4.  Add stock, bay leaf, thyme, and salt.

5.  Stir well, scraping potatoes from pot bottom.

6.  Cover, bring to a boil and add cut asparagus.

7.  Lower heat to vigorous simmer and cook, uncovered, about 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally

     until reduced by a third.

9.  Remove from heat and season with pepper and more salt to taste.

10. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle chives, and red pepper flakes.

Watercress Soup with Toasted Almonds

Watercress Soup with Toasted Almonds

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium onions, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

2 medium potatoes, diced

3 cups vegetable broth

3 bunches watercress, roughly chopped

¼ cup Greek yogurt

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 dashes of cayenne

2 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds

watercress, diced

olive oil 

1.      In large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.

2.      Add onions and garlic; cook 3 minutes.

3.      Add potatoes; sauté 3 minutes.

4.      Add broth; simmer, covered, 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

5.      Add watercress to pan; cook 3 minutes, until wilted.

6.      In batches, purée soup in a blender; return to pan.

7.      Whisk in ¼ cup yogurt, salt, pepper, and cayenne; reheat gently (do not boil).

8.      Serve with remaining 3 tablespoons yogurt and almonds.

9.    Garnish with almonds, watercress, and drizzle olive oil.