Not a Recipe: Soup

We had some torrential rain this past week at my home base in the Salty City. It was my cue that it is time to kiss summer goodbye. Though I tend to do so kicking and screaming… I love harvest veggies and sweaters and soup that come along with the change in the season. But, it is an uneasy relationship since Autumn is a harbinger of Winter. And Winter and I just don’t get along.

Deconstructed Soup – All the ingredients laid out & ready to toss in the pot

To comfort my ‘Winter is Coming’ self, I decided to make a warming soup – the true epitome of comfort food. Soup is a staple for me. It clears the pantry & the fridge for new ingredients. It heartens the soul and it comes together fast. (BONUS!)

Israeli CousCous, Lentils & Garlic waiting to make a soup appearance

I’ve never actually written down a recipe for soup – if I follow a few guidelines, it all seems to magically mix and meld into something luscious and filling. So, this is my first recipe that is not really a recipe.

Sauté some Aromatics {onion, garlic, shallot, or any combination} in some sort of Fat {olive oil, butter, ghee, bacon fat, coconut oil} until translucently goldenish.

Add 6-8 cups of a combination of Liquids {water, broth, stock, wine, milk, tomato juice, beer} to the pot. Bring to a simmer

I always have some frozen homemade broth on hand – I even toss it in the pot without defrosting it.

In the meantime, roughly chop any Vegetable Odds and Ends you might have floating about – cooked or raw. Aim for around 3 cups, but if you have more or less, no matter. Toss them all in the pot

In this batch: Tomato, Roasted Carrots, Bell Peppers, Roasted Celery, Sautéed Greens, CousCous, Lentils, Garlic & Pesto

Here is where you will add Salt & Pepper to taste – if some of your veggies are already cooked and salted, you want to wait and see how their seasoning will affect the flavor. You could also dash in any interesting Spice combinations you love.

Pop in something that will expand in your stomach and fill you up:
- Grains {rice, quinoa, barley} – a handful
- or Pasta {egg noodles, Israeli couscous, orzo} – a scoop
- or Beans {black beans, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, lentils – canned/cooked} – around a cup
- or Potatoes {cooked or diced small, white or sweet} – whatever amount looks right

Next, bring on the Meat {chicken, been, pork, fish} – or skip this step for a lovely vegetarian meal. Add around a cup or two of diced, or shredded, or cubed, or chopped meat – cooked or uncooked. If it is raw, chop it up small and it will cook faster

Cook it all together on a low simmer until the veggies, meat and pasta or grains are almost tender. Now, for some Greens {kale, spinach, chard, parsley}, chopped fine and tossed in with only a minute or two to spare

Add cooked greens right at the end…

Now, to make it sing! Turn off the heat and whip in some:
- Rich Stuff {cream, butter, sour cream, ghee} – just a hearty dollop.
- and/or Fresh Herbs (oregano, thyme, celery leaves, rosemary, cilantro} – chopped fine and tossed in the pot or on top of bowls at the table. A dollop of fresh pesto would be delicious too!
- and/or Cheese {a soft ricotta, a sharp cheddar, and hard parm} – grated on top for everyone’s pleasure