November Soups

Minestra Toscana

Ingredients

¼ cup olive oil

½ of a yellow onion, chopped

3 cups vegetable or chicken broth

1 cup white wine

1 bouquet garni (thyme, oregano, bay leaf, tied together)

Salt and pepper to taste

1 carrot, sliced julienne

½ red pepper, sliced julienne

1 small zucchini, diced

8 spinach leaves

¼ cup olives (black or green, pitted)

¼ cup Italian rice or small noodles

Grated Parmesan or Romano cheese for garnish

Pour the olive oil into a large soup pot and saute the onion slightly for about 2 minutes over medium heat. Add the broth, wine, bouquet garni, salt, and pepper and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the carrots, pepper, zucchini, spinach, and olives. Cover the pot and cook slowly for 1 hour. Add the rice and more broth if necessary, and simmer the soup for 15 to 20 minutes more. Remove the bouquet garni. Serve hot and garnish with grated cheese.

 Yellow Lentil Soup

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 celery stalk, thinly sliced

1 carrot, thinly sliced

1 medium turnip, diced

4 cups water

½ butternut squash, peeled and chunked

¾ cup yellow split lentils

1 sprig of thyme

1 bay leaf

Fresh parsley, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Pour oil into a soup pot. Saute onions over medium heat until soft. Add celery, carrot, and turnip. Saute another minute. Add the water, squash, lentils, thyme, bay leaf, and parsley. Bring to a boil and reduce to medium for 30 min to an hour until the lentils completely break down. Salt and pepper to taste. Remove the bay leaf before serving.

 Polish Pearl Barley Soup

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 ½ leeks, chopped

1 carrot, peeled and sliced

1 celery heart, chopped

1 turnip, diced

4 cups beef broth

Salt and pepper to taste

1/3 cup parsley, chopped

Sour cream

Pour the oil into the saucepan and gently saute the leeks, carrots, celery, and turnip for 3 minutes stirring often. Add the broth, barley, salt, and pepper and bring the soup to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 45-50 minutes. Add the parsley, turn off  the heat, and rest the soup for 10 minutes. Serve the soup hot with a teaspoon of sour cream if desired.

Jerusalem Artichoke Soup

Ingredients

4 cups water

5 Jerusalem artichokes, washed and sliced

3 medium waxy potatoes, peeled and sliced

1 leek, thinly sliced

1 onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

3 Tbsp oil or butter

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup milk or unsweetened soy milk

Fresh parsley or chives for garnish

Pout the water in a soup pot and add the Jerusalem artichokes and potatoes. Cover the pot, bring the water to a boil, and then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer gently for 45 minutes. Slice the leek and onions, and mince the garlic. Place them in a separate pot, add the oil or butter, and saute over low heat with the pan covered for 3 minutes, maximum. Stir frequently, and see that the vegetables don’t burn. Add the leek-garli-onion mixture to the soup and continue cooking for and added 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the soup to cool. Blend the soup in a blender or food processor or pass through a sieve. Return the soup to a clean pot and add the seasonings and milk. Mix well and reheat the soup, bringing it to a boil. Turn off the heat and rest covered for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley or chives. Can also be refrigerated and served cold.