In your share this week: Tomatoes, Carrots, Potatoes, Eggplant/Peppers, Leeks/Scallions, Onions/Garlic, Kale/Chard/Celery, Basil/Mint, U-pick Cherry Tomatoes
The weather is feeling more and more like fall as we enter into September. This time of year a delicious hot soup can be a comforting meal! Check out some excerpts from Joel’s Everyday Recipe Guide for how to make soup. This guide is intended to give you a template for making soup, as opposed to a strict recipe you must follow. Joel’s Everyday Recipe Guide shares a couple of templates for making delicious soups throughout our growing season. Soups can be smooth and creamy (like the additional recipes listed below) or hearty and chunky, like the recipe template below. In the recipe guide you’ll find a template for a smooth vegetable soup, and a tomato and bean soup, as well as the one shared below.
Joel shares, “the highest priorities for making a great soup or stew is to start with a good stock, use quality ingredients, and never forget to season. Most of the soups or stews that you can make from New City Farm vegetables will pair well with vegetable, chicken, or beef stock.” Click on the full recipe guide to read more about how to make your own stock for soups! Below is the hearty vegetable and grain soup template, we encourage you to try it a couple of times with different ingredients. You’ll learn a lot about soups and the vegetables in the process.
Hearty Vegetable and Grain Soup
- 2-3 cups Cooked barley, wheat berries, rice, etc. (cooked separately)
- 2 medium Onions, diced 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1-2 tsp. Favorite dried or fresh green herbs (rosemary, thyme, parsley, etc.)
- 1 Bay leaf
- 2 medium Carrots, diced
- 2 stalks Celery (or 1 cup celeriac), diced
- 3-4 cups Mixture of potatoes, turnips, radishes, parsnips, winter squash, beets, broccoli, or cauliflower, etc., largely diced
- 2-3 cups Kale, chard, collards, spinach, or cabbage, diced or shredded to preference
- Vegetable, beef, or chicken stock, or water
- to taste Salt and pepper
Cook barley or other grains separately until done, drain and set aside. In a large soup pot on medium heat, cook onions for three minutes in oil, add garlic, carrots, and celery. Cook until onions are translucent and add stock and dried herbs.Turn up heat to boil and then reduce to a simmer. Add firmer vegetables that require more cooking time (turnips, radishes, parsnips, beets, etc.) and cook for a few minutes. Add vegetables that require a bit less cooking time (potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, etc.) and cook for a few more minutes. Finally, add vegetables that require little cooking time (winter squash, kale, cabbage etc.) or fresh herbs if using, and cook until everything is tender but not overdone. Add cooked grains and add more stock to cover vegetables if necessary. Season with salt and pepper and taste to check seasoning.
*Lentils, beans, or meat (especially beef) go well with this recipe if more protein is desired
Additional Recipes:
