This post is about soup. It contains a relatively simple and delicious recipe. I just thought I'd say that up front, in case you don't have the wherewithall to get through the preamble.
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| Soup, glorious soup! |
The events of November 8th have definitely left an impact on me. Aside from sending some of my clients into crisis (I'm a psychologist, remember?), it's emboldened some assholes* in my city to be more visible in their hate mongering. I've been stepping up my game as an activist in response. That means more time writing about social justice, attending meetings, and reaching out. It also means less time doing creative writing, or working on this blog. *sigh*
The good news is that my most recent writing project stalled after reaching 41,474 words. That's in four weeks of writing. I'm damn proud of myself. If you're a serious writer, you know that kind of productivity is a gift--and a rush to boot. As I adjust to my new obligations, I hope to find time to get back to it soon.
In the meantime, there is one joy that life thrusts upon me daily, no matter what else is going on in the world: food! We all need it. Obtaining a meal can be a chore, it can be a side-effort, or it can be an opportunity for self-care and celebration.** The weather is cold and some of us are in need of a little comfort, so the obvious answer? Soup.
Or pie. But today's recipe is soup.
This is a recipe inspired by a Majorcan vegetarian bread stew. What the heck is a bread stew, you ask? It's a soup finished with slices of bread on top, adding thickness and heartiness. Lovely, but not always practical. So here's my adaptation (I apologize there are no pictures, but every step looks pretty much as you might imagine, so no surprises):
Z.D.'s Vegetable Soup with a Spanish Flair
Ingredients:
1 Tbs olive oil
4 thick slices smoked bacon, coarsely chopped
1 large sweet onion, coarsely chopped
1 large green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 small head cauliflower, rinsed, drained, and cut into 1/2 - 3/4 inch florets
1 half small head green cabbage, cored and coarsely chopped
2 large, firm red tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
3/4 tsp dried rosemary
3/4 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
4 Cups (32 oz) low-sodium chicken broth
1 Tbs white flour
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions:
- Heat olive oil over in a large pot over medium heat. Add bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until fat has rendered and bacon is just starting to crisp.
- Meanwhile, line a plate with paper towels. When bacon fat is rendered, remove bacon with a slotted spoon to prepared plate. Pour off all but 2 Tablespoons of the fat from the pot. Reserve 1 Tablespoon in a small bowl, discard remaining (or put it in a jar in your fridge for another use--like frying eggs, or caramelizing onions).
- Increase heat to medium high. Add onion and bell pepper to the pot and cook, stirring once, for four minutes. Squeeze in the garlic with a garlic press and stir for one minute, until vegetables are softened and starting to brown around the edges.
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| Yes, a garlic press! That way all the oils spray into your pot instead of being left on your cutting board. If you don't have one, go ahead and mince your garlic--then go buy a garlic press!!! |
- Add in the cauliflower and cabbage and cook another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in the tomatoes and herbs, and stir well to combine. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the paprika and stir continuously for 1 minutes. Add in the broth, increase the heat, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, add a lid slightly ajar, and cook for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add flour to reserved Tablespoon of fat, and stir into a slurry. Stir into the soup and simmer, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes, until slightly thickened.
- Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with reserved bacon, and serve hot with crusty bread.
You can substitute turkey bacon if you want, but then double the amount of olive oil and don't pour any off. You can also omit the meat entirely and make this a vegetarian dish. Finally, if you like vegetable soup - or even if you just tolerate it - I highly, highly, HIGHLY recommend this Winter Vegetable Soup by Alton Brown. It takes all afternoon to make, but holy crow, you will be flabbergasted that a vegetable soup can taste this good. |
| This is not the soup we're making, but your finished product will be about this thickness, more stew-like and therefore more satisfying. |
Eat well. Live well. Help others to eat and live well, too.
*I will not use a softer word, because this one isn't strong enough.
**Oh yeah, don't we have a holiday coming up that has a lot to do with food?