The 30-Minute Vegan - Mark Reinfeld [55]
SERVES 6
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 medium-size red onions, cut into half-moon slices (6 cups)
4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 cup grated carrot
1 cup thinly sliced celery
2 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon, or 2 teaspoons dried (optional)
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon fennel seed (optional)
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon celery seeds
2 tablespoons soy sauce, or to taste
6 cups water or vegetable stock
2 tablespoons miso paste (preferably dark miso)
6 slices baguette, toasted (optional)
1. Begin to sauté the olive oil, onions, garlic, and salt in a large pot over medium-low heat. Cover while you work on preparing the carrots and celery. Add them to the pot and cover it.
2. Add the remaining ingredients, except the baguette, stirring and re-covering as necessary. Cover and allow the soup to cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, or more if you have time, until the onions are tender.
3. Serve immediately with toasted baguette slices, if desired. Otherwise, allow to cool completely before refrigerating in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Variations
• Try toasting the baguette covered in a vegan cheese. Then serve with or in the soup.
• Adding 1 cup of thinly sliced fennel bulb would give this soup even more of an enticing flavor.
• Tofu lovers can add up to 1 pound of plain or roasted tofu cubes (see page 28) to the soup along with the vegetables.
• If you cannot get enough greens, add 2 cups of thinly sliced kale or collard greens about 5 minutes before the soup is done cooking.
Quicker and Easier
Miso Soup is the poster child for quick and easy soups. Simply dissolve a tablespoon or two of your favorite miso paste in not quite boiling water. If you wish, you can add diced green onion, minced garlic or ginger, and small cubes of tofu. Top with some shredded nori, season with soy sauce to taste, and you are good to go. Ordinarily you do not boil miso as it destroys some of its valuable nutrients, although it is okay in such recipes as Red Onion Soup because it is being added as a flavor enhancement.
PERUVIAN QUINOA-VEGETABLE SOUP
On our honeymoon in Peru, after politely refusing the house specialty of fried guinea pig, we would typically opt for this yummalicious soup. From the mountains of Cusco to the jungles of the Amazon to the islands of Lake Titicaca, we were happily treated to this national favorite time and time again. Most of these ingredients grow in the Andes Mountains and are popular among the locals. It was amazing to see quinoa growing in its natural environment. If you can’t find purple potatoes, any will do.
SERVES 6
7 cups water or vegetable stock
3 tablespoons soy sauce
¾ cup uncooked quinoa
1½ cups chopped purple potatoes, or potatoes of choice
1 large carrot, sliced
¾ cup diced yellow onion
4 large garlic cloves, pressed or minced
1 cup sliced cabbage
1 tablespoon seeded and minced jalapeño or other chile pepper
2 large tomatoes, chopped
¼ cup minced fresh cilantro
¼ cup minced fresh Italian parsley
1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
½ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
1. Place the water and soy sauce in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the quinoa.
2. Begin prepping the vegetables and place them in the pot as you go. Start with the potatoes, carrot, onion, garlic, cabbage, jalapeño, and tomatoes.
3. Cook until the potatoes are tender and the quinoa is cooked, about 20 minutes from when the quinoa was added. Add the cilantro, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Viva Peru!
Variations
• This is an oil-free soup. You may sauté the onions and garlic in 2 tablespoons of olive oil for additional flavor before adding the water, quinoa, and remaining ingredients.
• Add 1 pound of extra-firm tofu, cut into small cubes (see page 27) after adding the vegetables.
Superfoods for Health
Quinoa is perhaps our favorite grain. As one of the easiest and quickest grains to cook, it is definitely the grain of choice for the 30-Minute