A Beautiful Bowl of Soup (10 page)

Vegan recipe

This is a vegetarian version of the seafood soups that are classics of Mediterranean cuisine. Three different kinds of potatoes lend their unique earthy flavors to the soup. Top the servings with rouille, the traditional rust-colored, peppery Provençal sauce.

Makes 10 cups (8 servings)

rouille

¼ cup dried bread crumbs

1 tablespoon water

¼ cup coarsely chopped jarred roasted red bell pepper

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons minced fresh red chili, or to taste

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon capers, drained and rinsed

2 cloves garlic, minced

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teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon saffron threads, crushed

1 tablespoon hot water

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup finely chopped onion

4 cloves garlic, minced

6 cups vegetable stock

3 small red-skinned potatoes (about 6 ounces total), scrubbed and cut into ½-inch dice

1 Yukon Gold potato (about 8 ounces), scrubbed and cut into ½-inch dice (about 1½ cups)

1 small orange-fleshed sweet potato (about 8 ounces), peeled and cut into ½-inch dice (about 1½ cups)

2 large tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 carrot, finely chopped

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

1 teaspoon minced fresh red chili, or
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teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste

½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or to taste

¼ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

½ teaspoon salt, or to taste

Put the bread crumbs in a bowl and sprinkle with the water; squeeze until crumbly and dry. Blend the crumbs with all the remaining ingredients in a small food processor or blender, pushing down the sides occasionally, until smooth. Transfer to a covered container and set aside at room temperature to allow the flavors to blend.

Mix the saffron with the hot water; set aside.

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the saffron mixture and all the remaining ingredients, except the parsley and salt. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat; cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the parsley and salt; taste and adjust the seasoning.

Top each serving with a dollop of rouille.

Refrigerate this soup and the rouille in separate covered containers for up to 5 days. Before serving, bring the rouille to room temperature.

Substitute Roasted Red Pepper Coulis for the rouille.

TIP

Saffron, the yellow-orange stigmas of a small purple crocus, is the world’s most expensive spice. Each flower provides only three stigmas, which must be handpicked, and it takes fourteen thousand of these to equal 1 ounce of saffron. There is no substitute for its exquisite flavor and earthy aroma. Powdered saffron loses its flavor more readily and can easily be adulterated with less expensive powders like turmeric, so purchase whole saffron threads. Heat releases the flavor, so soak the threads in hot water (or milk, depending on the recipe) before using. Store saffron in an airtight container in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months.

Salt is born of the purest of parents: the sun and the sea.

—Pythegoras

Vegan recipe

A family favorite for years, this is fun to serve friends, who are always surprised to find raisins and cashews in their stew. For their visual appeal and texture, use whole cashews, rather than the less expensive halved or broken ones.

Makes 6 cups (6 servings)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups finely shredded white cabbage (see Tip)

2 cups finely chopped carrots

1 cup finely chopped onion

6 cups vegetable stock

¼ cup tomato paste

1 apple, cored, peeled, and cut into ½-inch chunks

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cup long-grain brown rice

½ cup dark raisins

½ cup whole raw cashews

˜ salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the cabbage, carrots, and onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are tender, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together the vegetable stock and tomato paste in a measuring cup; add to the soup pot. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Stir in the apple and rice. Reduce the heat; cover and simmer until the rice is tender but firm, about 35 minutes.

Stir in the raisins and cashews. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender and the raisins are plumped, about 10 minutes. Season to taste.

This stew will keep for up to 5 days in a covered container in the refrigerator. When reheating, stir in vegetable stock or water to thin as desired.

TIP

Choose a heavy head of cabbage with fresh, bright, firm leaves. Tightly wrapped in plastic and refrigerated, it will keep for up to 1 week.

To shred cabbage, remove the outer leaves and the core. Cut the head into 4 to 8 pieces through the stem end. Place a wedge, flat-side down, on a cutting board. Hold the cabbage by its stem end and slice it in straight
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-inch slices. As the slices fall, they will break into thin shreds. To shred in a food processor, run the wedges through the feed tube, shredding with the slicing disk.

Vegan recipe if cheese garnish is omitted

Vegetarian comfort food at its best, this stew is chunky and aromatic. For a hearty dinner in a bowl, serve it over bulgur wheat, a nutritional whole-grain powerhouse.

Makes 8 cups (6 to 8 servings)

bulgur wheat

3 cups water

1 cup bulgur wheat

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large yellow onion, cut into ¼-inch wedges

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 cups vegetable stock

1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes with juice

1 2-pound acorn squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch chunks (about 5 cups)

1 19-ounce can fava beans, drained and rinsed (see Tips)

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

4 cups coarsely shredded Swiss chard leaves (see Tips)

˜ salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

˜ thin slivers of Parmesan cheese for garnish

Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Stir in the bulgur and salt. Reduce the heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand for 15 minutes. Or, prepare according to package instructions. Drain if necessary.

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the cumin; stir for about 30 seconds. Stir in the vegetable stock, tomatoes and juice, squash, beans, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat; cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the squash is almost tender, about 8 minutes.

Stir in the chard; cover and cook until it is wilted and the squash is tender, about 5 minutes. Season to taste.

To serve, fluff the bulgur with a fork and spoon into the bottom of serving bowls. Top with the stew and garnish with cheese.

Refrigerate this stew and the bulgur wheat in separate containers for up to 5 days.

Substitute couscous for the bulgur wheat: Combine 1½ cups vegetable stock and 1½ cups couscous according to the instructions in "
summer stew with couscous
".

TIPS

Fava beans are shaped like very large lima beans. They can be purchased dried in some natural-foods stores or canned in many supermarkets. Fava beans are popular in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes.

Swiss chard is grown for its crinkly green leaves and silvery, celerylike stalks. The greens are prepared like spinach, the stalks like asparagus. The variety with dark green leaves and reddish stalks has a stronger flavor. Store unwashed chard, wrapped in a plastic bag, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.