Beets and Sweets Soup

This rich creamy soup is the perfect first course and it is a nice pot luck addition as it is vegan (without the suggested topping) , low fat, and gluten-free. I made up the recipe for my One Pot Wonders class which focuses on dishes that take less than an hour to cook and as the name indicates are make using only one pot. I also try to use local ingredients for the recipes and the root vegetables can be sourced at the Winter farmers markets.

Here is the recipe and serve plain steamy hot in mugs or small bowls and top with Greek yogurt, sour cream, crème fresh, and a sprinkle of walnuts, pistachios, or dried cranberries.

Beets and Sweets Soup
2 cups beets (peeled and cubed)
3 cups sweet potatoes (peeled and cubed)
1 cup white or yellow potatoes (peeled and cubed)
1/2 medium fennel bulb
1 medium onion
1/2 cup apple cider
3 1/2 cups vegetable stock
2 Tbs vegetable oil (or cooking spray)
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground cardamom (more to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Peel and cube beets and potatoes
2. Slice the fennel thinly
3. Peel and rough chop onion
4. Heat oil in a medium stock pot
5. Sauté onion and fennel until just tender
6.  Pour in vegetable broth and apple cider
7. Add potatoes and beets
8. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 30-40 minutes until all vegetables are soft.
9. Blend with a stick blender or food processor or blender

Corn and Caramelized Onion Soup

Two simple ingredients plus a handful of spices are all that are need to make this creamy non-fat,vegan corn and caramelized onion soup.  Perfect for a dinner party starter, travels well to pot luck parties, and freezes well for a quick weekday supper paired with a big salad and crusty bread. Grab the last of the fresh New England corn and a few onions at the farmers market this week and make this soup!

Corn and Caramelized Onion Soup
12 fresh ears of corn
2 large onions
cooking spray or 1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 bay leaf

Corn Stock
Remove husks and silk from corn
Slice the kernels off of the cobs and place the cobs in a large kettle
Reserve 6 cups of corn kernels for soup and 1 cup of kernels for garnish (skip garnish if freezing)
Pour 16 cups of water over the cobs and add salt, pepper, coriander seeds, and bay leaf.
Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer and cook for about one hour
Remove cobs and discard (compost if possible)
Strain through a sieve

Caramelized Onions
Slice the onions as thin as possible
Coat the bottom of a large skillet generously with cooking spray or olive oil
spread the onions out in the pan and toss to coat with spray or oil
cook over medium low heat adding a little water if needed and adjusting the heat so onions cook slowly and do not brown or crisp.  Cook for about 30 minutes until onions are very soft, add sugar and cook another 10-15 minutes until onions are soft brown color and very tender.

Soup
Place 6 cups of corn kernels in food processor or blender
Add 1 cup of the caramelized onions
1 cup of corn stock
Process until a thick paste
Strain through a coarse sieve to remove solids
Pour into a large pot and heat for a few minutes
Slowly pour in 6 cups of stock and stir (remaining stock can be frozen and used for other recipes)
Boil gently for about 10 minutes
Place some corn kernels and caramelized onions in each bowl
ladle hot soup into each bowl

Chilled Pea and Cucumber Soup

As weather heats up and the peas and cucumbers mature in my garden, I am thinking about my favorite light summer supper, Chilled Pea and Cucumber Soup served with crusty bread topped with soft herbed butter and sliced radishes.  This refreshing soup can be made with no fat and features a great combination of early summer flavors.

Chilled Pea and Cucumber Soup
1 spring onion chopped
2 cups fresh shelled peas
4 small cucumbers
2 cups vegetable stock
2 tsp sugar
1 cup lowfat (or non-fat) buttermilk
1/2 tsp nutmeg
non-stick spray
1 tsp finely chopped chives (optional)
Sour cream or yogurt for garnish if desired

Spray a saucepan with non-stick spray and saute onion briefly. Add peas, stock, and sugar and cook for about 15 minutes until peas are tender. Set aside to cool.
Peel cucumbers and cut into chunks in place in food processor bowl with steel blade. Add cooled pea mixture. Process until fine. Strain through a couse sieve and discard solids.
Mix in buttermilk and nutmeg and chill for at least one hour.
Serve cold with a dollop of sour cream or non-fat yogurt and a sprinkle of chives

Old School Matzo Ballin’

While I enjoy the creativity of dishes that are updated, deconstructed, or chemically induced into fascinating forms, I sometimes crave more classic flavors.  Dishes prepared as they have been for generations have a way of satisfying hunger of the belly and the heart. 

For Passover, I made matzo balls prepared with shmaltz (chicken fat) and  a simple chicken soup .  The plump orbs bursting with rich chicken essence floating in golden liquid produced from simmering a local stewing hen and farm vegetables would have made any Jewish grandmother proud.  I hope that next holiday time you will throw away that dusty box of soup mix and try the recipe below.

Matzo Balls
1 cup matzo meal
4 eggs (beaten)
4 tablespoons melted chicken fat (skimmed from chicken soup)*
5 tablespoons cold water
Dash of salt & white pepper

In a bowl, mix all ingredients, cover with plastic wrap, and chill for 20 minutes
Meanwhile, heat a large pot of salted water until simmering.
Wet hands with cold water and scoop the matzo mixture by small handfuls about 1″ around into the simmering water.  Do not pack the mixture in tight balls.
Cover the pot and simmer gently for about 10 minutes and then turn the matzo balls, cover, and cook for 10-15 minutes more.  Serve in hot chicken soup.
Makes about 18. 

*Note: you can also use frozen chicken fat, butter (if you are not concerned with keeping the dish Kosher), or Parve margarine

Kale and White Bean Soup

There are lots of hearty soup and stew recipes for a cold winter night but what if you are looking to warm up a friend on a vegan diet.  What if that vegan friend also needs to watch their salt and keep their food nearly fat-free? No Problem!

The individual flavors of the winter vegetables sing through this soup which is elegant in its simplicity.

Kale and White Bean Soup
Broth
10 cups water
1 1/2 cups rough chopped celery including leaves
2 cups carrots cut into rounds
1 cup parsnips cup into rounds
1/2 turnip cut into  1″ cubes
1 large onion rough sliced
1 6 ounce can tomato paste
handful of flat leaf parsley, thyme sprigs, dill
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste (salt is optional)

Kale and Beans
4 cups of chopped kale
1 16 oz can of Cannellini beans (drained and rinsed)
1/2 cup shallots
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 cloves of roasted garlic or roasted garlic paste
1/4 tsp smoked paprika or more to taste
cooking spray or few tablespoons olive oil

Combine all the broth ingredients except tomato puree in a large pot
Heat to a simmer and then add the tomato puree
While the vegetable are cooking , spray garlic cloves with cooking spray and wrap in foil.  Roast in the oven at 375 degrees until soft (about 20 minutes)
When the vegetables in the broth begin to get tender, saute the shallots in a large shallow pan using cooking spray or olive oil. As soon as the shallots get soft, add the kale and turn the heat to high, pour in the wine and cook for a few minutes.
Add the kale, roasted garlic, beans, and paprika to the broth and cook for 15 minutes or more.