Fresh & Fast Vegetarian_ Recipes That Make a Meal - Marie Simmons [9]
Chilled Watermelon and Tomato Soup [>]
Hot Soups
White Bean and Fennel Soup [>]
Tomato and White Bean Soup with Spinach Pesto [>]
Lentil and Vegetable Soup with Smoked Paprika [>]
Red Lentil Soup with Coconut Milk and Toasted Cumin [>]
Lentil and Shiitake Soup with Leafy Greens [>]
Pureed Black Bean Soup with Piquillo Peppers [>]
Curried Chickpea Soup with Summer Vegetables [>]
Carrot, Sweet Potato and Ginger Soup with Baby Bok Choy [>]
Leek and Potato Soup with Roasted Cauliflower [>]
Winter Borscht [>]
Pumpkin and Tomato Soup with Cheese [>]
Farro and Kale Soup with Orange Gremolata [>]
Miso Soup with Spinach, Curried Tofu and Shiitake [>]
Curried Coconut-Squash Soup with Peanuts [>]
Vegetable, Black-Eyed Pea and Orzo Soup [>]
Vegetable Broth
Easy Basic Vegetable Broth [>]
Of all the meals I enjoy cooking, soup is my favorite. Soup-making technique is not etched in stone. The experience can be fluid, generous and spontaneous. You can follow a recipe or not.
Here are some quick tips to get you started.
A large (5- to 8-quart capacity) wide pot with two opposing handles, often called a Dutch oven, works best for soup.
The fresher the ingredients, the better the soup. Relegate limp and tired vegetables to the compost bin.
Cook onions and other aromatic vegetables like celery, carrots and parsnips in olive oil over medium-low heat, stirring, until they are the color of straw. Golden vegetables add depth of flavor to the water, turning it into a deliciously light vegetarian broth.
If you have a mishap and the vegetables turn black, throw them out. All the spices in the world can't mask burned vegetables. Take a deep breath and start over.
Boxed and canned vegetable broths are inconsistent in flavor and therefore are not used in these recipes.
Easy Basic Vegetable Broth ([>]) can be made ahead and frozen.
If using garlic, add it after the vegetables are golden and cook briefly—1 to 2 minutes at the most—over low heat, to soften. Dark brown or burned garlic will contribute an off taste to the soup.
Warm spices in olive oil over low heat, 1 to 2 minutes, perhaps with the garlic, if using. Warmed, lightly toasted spices release their flavor and add a full, complex taste to the soup.
Dried herbs are twice as strong as their fresh counterparts and should be used sparingly. Add them to the hot broth or other liquid, where they will slowly rehydrate.
Add fresh herbs at the end of the cooking time so they retain their bright, fresh taste. Stir half of them into the soup and use the remainder to sprinkle on top as a garnish.
Take advantage of fresh seasonal ingredients when planning your soup menu: bright-tasting herbs, green beans, fresh tomatoes, corn, summer squash and tender greens in the spring and summer and hard-shelled winter squash varieties, tender carrots, apples, leeks and dark leafy greens in the fall and winter. Freshly harvested produce adds superior taste, along with wholesome nutrients.
Tender fresh vegetables like zucchini, peas, green beans and greens should be added at the end of the cooking time so they keep their texture and subtle flavor.
Taste, taste, taste. A balance of fat, acid and salt is essential for a satisfying dish. The fat adds a round, full flavor. Acid acts as a counterpoint to the fat, and salt balances the first two. Olive oil is my fat of choice. If a thick vegetable soup that began with olive oil needs a fuller flavor, I drizzle a half teaspoon of my best full-bodied olive oil on top. For the acid edge, I often add a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, tomato paste, vinegar or chopped tomato. Salty additions include a spoonful of tamari or soy sauce, chopped olives or sun-dried tomatoes.
For a hint or a big hit of heat, try a pinch of cayenne or crushed red pepper, a drop or two of hot pepper sauce, a half teaspoon of minced chipotle in adobo (it's hot!), minced jalapeño or a generous grinding of black pepper.
If your soup is a little blah, it may simply need a squirt of fresh lemon or lime juice, an extra shower of finely chopped herb, a