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Navy Bean Soup

I loved my grandpa’s navy bean soup as a kid.  This is a vegan twist on the original with smoked olive oil for richness + collard greens in place of celery. Its perfect with glass of red wine for a very satisfying winter meal.

1 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 Onion [about 1 cup, chopped]
2 Carrots [about 2 1/2 cups, sliced]
3 Garlic Cloves [minced]
1 Yukon Gold Potato [skin on, chopped]
2 Tbs Tomato Paste
4 cups Vegetable Broth [or water with good quality veggie bullion]
Sea Salt [to taste]
1 Tbs Smoked Olive Oil
2 1/2 cups Navy Beans [cooked till very tender*]
6 Collard Green Leaves [about 3 cups, sliced thinly]

Heat extra virgin olive oil in a large pot. Sauté onion for about 5 minutes, add carrot + garlic and sauté a few minutes more. Add remaining ingredients + bring to a boil. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are very tender, about 25 minutes. Season with sea salt to taste.

*If you use canned beans, don’t add salt until the end of cooking so the beans cook the whole while + get very tender. I always pressure cook my beans. It yields a far better texture in a fraction of the time of stove top cooking. Its easy to pressure cook a big batch + freeze a few two cup containers for easy same day use. No need to ever buy another can of beans.

Spicy Carrot Ginger Soup


1 cup Sweet Onion [chopped]
2 Garlic Cloves [minced]
1-1/2 Tbs Ginger Root [peeled + chopped]
2 Tbs Butter
5 Carrots [chopped, about 3 cups]
2 cups Vegetable Broth
dash Smoked Hot Spanish Paprika [to taste]

Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Saute onion, garlic + ginger till softened, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots and saute a few minutes more. Add broth + paprika and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the carrots are very tender. Puree with a blender till very smooth.

Serves 2.

Tex-Mex Breakfast Stew


1 cup Onion [minced]
1 Tbs Olive Oil
2 Garlic Cloves [minced]
1 tsp Chili Powder
1/4 tsp Chipotle Chili Powder
1/2 tsp Cumin
5 Sun Dried Tomatoes [chopped]
14 oz Diced Tomatoes [+ their juices]
2 cups Black Beans
4+ Eggs [free range, no more than 1 week old]
Cilantro
Tortillas

Heat olive oil in a shallow 5-1/2 quart sauce pan. Saute onion for about 5 minutes, then add garlic + spices, stirring for a few minutes more. Add the diced + dried tomatoes + bring to a gentle simmer. Allow to simmer for about 10 minutes, until flavors are well blended. Stir in the beans.

Make 4 depressions in the stew with a spoon + break an egg into each. Cover + allow to simmer for about 5 or so minutes until the eggs are poached to your liking. [You can carefully remove the eggs + poach more as desired.]

Serve a couple eggs + a scoop of stew in a shallow bowl topped with cilantro with tortillas on the side.

Simple Split Pea Soup


1 cup Green Split Peas
1 Onion [chopped]
3 Garlic Cloves [chopped]
1 Tbs Olive Oil
2 cups Vegetable Broth
dash Turmeric
1/4 cup Flat Leaf Parsley [fresh, chopped]
2 Tbs Meyer Lemon Juice

Heat olive oil in a medium sauce pan.  Saute onion for about 5 minutes, add garlic + saute 1 minute more.  Add split peas + veggie broth.  Simmer till peas are very tender, about 1 hour.  Mash a few of the split peas with a fork until soup reaches a thicker consistency. Stir in parsley + lemon juice.

Serves 2 for dinner with a tasty salad + some crusty bread.

Spinach Stracciatella

4 cups Vegetable Broth [low sodium or unsalted]
2 Tbs Miso
2 Eggs
2 Tbs Semolina Flour
2 hand fulls Spinach [fresh, torn to bite size pieces]
Fresh Parsley [for garnish]

In a small bowl, beat eggs, semolina flour and 2 Tbs of water until well blended. Set aside.
Heat broth till just about to boil. Stir in miso to mix very well. Bring broth to a very gentle boil + slowly whisk in the egg mixture, stirring constantly. Stir in the spinach and reduce to a simmer for a couple minutes. Serve garnished with fresh flat leaf parsley.

Serves 2 to 4.

Winter Squash Soup

5 cups Winter Squash [1 delicata, 1 acorn, 1 small pumpkin, peeled + chopped]
3 Garlic Cloves [minced]
1 Celery Rib [chopped]
1 Carrot [chopped]
1 Tbs Olive Oil
2 cups Vegetable Broth
1/2 tsp Smoked Spanish Paprika
1 Tbs Chives
Sea Salt
Balsamic Vinegar [for drizzling]

Heat oil in a medium sized soup pot. Saute garlic, celery + carrot for several minutes then add all of the squash. Cook over medium heat until the squash is tender + browning, about 15-20 minutes. Add the vegetable broth, paprika + season with plenty of salt. Cover and simmer until all the vegetables are very tender + can be easily mashed with a wooden spoon. Mash as much of the squash as desired or until the soup is thick and well blended.

Serve with a little bit of nicely aged balsamic vinegar on top. About 4 main course servings.

Black Bean Spinach Soup


2 cups Black Beans [dried, soaked 8 hours]
Olive Oil
3 Garlic Cloves [minced]
1/2 cup Onion [chopped]
1 can Tomatoes [chopped]
1/4 cup Sun Dried Tomatoes [not in oil, chopped]
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Chipotle Chili Powder
1/4 tsp Cumin
1/4 tsp Marjoram
1/2 cup Vegetable Broth
2 cups + Spinach

Pressure cook the beans till very tender, reserve liquid.

Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a medium sauce pot. Saute onion + garlic for 5 minutes, till softened. Add tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes, broth, herbs + spices. Simmer for 5 minutes more. Add beans + spinach, simmer for another 5 minutes. Stir very well, mashing some beans till soup has thickened slightly or add reserved bean cooking liquid till desired consistency.

Serves 4 to 6.

Southwest Pinto Stew

1 cup Onion [chopped]
3 Garlic Cloves [minced]
1 Carrot [sliced]
1 Bell Pepper [chopped]
1 Zucchini [chopped]
2 cups Pinto Beans
1-14 oz can Tomatoes
2 Tbs Olive Oil
Sea Salt [or Redmond salt]
2 cups Vegetable Broth
dash Chipotle Chili Powder
1/4 tsp Marjoram
1/4 tsp Cumin
1/2 tsp Chili Powder [a good blend with oregano]

Heat oil in a large stock pot. Saute onion, seasoned with salt, for 5 minutes over medium heat. Add carrots, peppers, and garlic + saute for 5 minutes more. Add zucchini + cook for 5-10 minutes, until all vegetables have softened. Add spices, stirring till fragrant. Add tomatoes, vegetable broth + beans. Simmer for 15 minutes.

Serves 4. Great with homemade tortillas + avocado slices.

Grilled Stew

3 Yukon Gold Potatoes [cut in half]
6 Tomatoes [cut in half at their core]
1 Hatch Chili
2 Ears of Corn
1 Onion [peel + sliced in half]
Olive Oil
Salt + Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1/2 – 1 cup Vegetable Broth
1/4 tsp Marjoram [dried]
1/2 tsp Chipotle Chili Powder

Toss potatoes, tomatoes, hatch chili + onion with a little olive oil. Place all veggies on the grill, over hot coals, cut side down. Place hatch chili along the edges so that its skins do not blacken. Grill, turning once. Remove each veggie as it is finished cooking, 7-15 minutes. Corn + onions should have grill marks, tomato + potato skins browning + blistering.

Roughly chop the grilled vegetables + add to a medium sauce pot. Add vegetable broth + spices. Bring to a simmer. You will need to adjust the vegetable broth depending on the moisture in your tomatoes. Simmer 5-10 minutes.

Serves 6.  Great with cornbread + a side of black eyed peas.

This recipe came from excellent collaboration with Jane Middleton.

Melon Mint Soup

1 Melon [sugar sweet white flesh, peeled + chopped]
1/4 cup Mint [fresh]
1-1/2 lemons [juice only]

Puree all in a blender + chill.

Serves 6 as a first course.

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