Fresh & Fast Vegetarian_ Recipes That Make a Meal - Marie Simmons [11]
1½–2 pounds ripe tomatoes, cored
2–2½ pounds watermelon (preferably seedless) or cantaloupe, skin and seeds discarded
1 tablespoon chopped peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon chopped seeded jalapeño pepper, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro, plus 2 tablespoons torn leaves for garnish
¼ cup fresh lime juice, plus more to taste Coarse salt
½ cup diced (¼ inch) red onion
½ cup diced (¼ inch) crisp, seedless cucumber
Cut enough tomatoes and melon into ¼-inch dice to measure 2 cups combined (1 cup of each). Place the fruit in a bowl large enough to accommodate all of the soup and refrigerate.
Cut the remaining tomatoes and melon into ¾-inch chunks. Puree in a blender, in batches if necessary. Add the ginger, jalapeño, chopped cilantro, lime juice and 1 teaspoon salt and puree until the mixture is smooth.
Add the puree to the refrigerated chunks of tomato and melon. Stir in the red onion and cucumber. Taste and add more lime juice, jalapeño and salt, if needed.
Refrigerate the soup until well chilled, at least 2 hours. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish each with a shower of torn cilantro.
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Make a Meal
Serve with Shredded Tuscan Kale, Tomato and Avocado Salad ([>]) and Confetti Grain Salad ([>]).
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WHITE BEAN AND FENNEL SOUP Vegan
White Bean and Fennel Soup ([>]) and Braised Swiss Chard with Pecorino Curls ([>])
Cannellini, fennel and sweet red onion make up one of my favorite salads, so I thought, Why not try them in a soup? The result is rich and satisfying.
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Serves: 4
1 fennel bulb (about 12 ounces)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
1 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, grated
3½ cups cooked or canned (two 15- to 16-ounce cans) cannellini or other white beans, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoons coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup finely chopped red onion
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
Cut a thin slice from the base of the fennel bulb. Cut off and discard most of the green stalks. Finely chop 2 tablespoons of the fernlike tops and set aside. Use a vegetable peeler to remove any bruises from the outside ribs. Halve the fennel bulb lengthwise. Place cut side down and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices. Chop enough of the slices into ¼-inch pieces to measure 1 cup. Reserve the remaining fennel for another use.
Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium-low heat until it is hot enough to sizzle a piece of fennel. Add the chopped fennel bulb and cook, covered, over low heat, for 10 minutes. Do not brown. Add the 1 cup chopped onion and cook, covered, over low heat for 10 minutes more, or until both the fennel and onion are soft but not browned. Stir in the garlic.
Add 4 cups water, the beans, tomato paste, salt and a generous grinding of pepper. Bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, over low heat for 15 minutes, or until the flavors are blended.
Combine the red onion, the reserved chopped fennel tops and the orange zest in a small bowl. Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle the red onion mixture on top, dividing evenly. Drizzle each bowl of soup with about 1 teaspoon olive oil.
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Make a Meal
Serve with Chopped Tomato, Celery and Kalamata Olive Salad ([>]) and Olive Bread Toasts ([>]) or Quick Melted Comté Cheese Crisps ([>]).
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TOMATO AND WHITE BEAN SOUP WITH SPINACH PESTO Vegan (omit cheese from pesto)
My favorite beans for this soup are those I've taken the time to cook from scratch and stash in my freezer (see [>]), but good-quality canned beans are a great alternative.
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, grated
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes with juice
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons torn fresh basil
Coarse salt
1¾ cups cooked or canned (15–16 ounces) rinsed and drained cannellini or other white beans
Freshly ground black pepper
Spinach Pesto
2 tablespoons pine nuts or chopped skin-on almonds or walnuts
1 garlic clove
¼ teaspoon coarse salt
2 cups loosely