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Anne Murphy

Foundation: Vegetable Soup

Make a meal with a basic foundation - say, vegetable soup - then add components such as meat or grain, so a variety of meals can be made from one pot.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course: Soup
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • olive oil for the pan
  • 1 onion
  • 2 ribs celery
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 - 2 pounds root vegetables carrots, parsnips, turnips, etc. diced
  • 1 quart broth
  • 1 t salt if needed, depending on broth
  • 2 - 3 c chopped leafy greens cabbage, escarole, spinach etc.

Method
 

  1. Heat oil in soup pot. Saute onion and celery. Saute diced root vegetables, until starting to brown. Add garlic, stir, saute another minute or two.
  2. Add broth and 1 1/2 quarts of water (and salt.) Simmer until root vegetables are tender.
  3. Add chopped greens, stir in. Simmer until greens are cooked, which will vary considerable - spinach in a minute or two, cabbage in 10 or more.
  4. Serve alone or with optional add-ins.

Notes

Use this soup as a base for several meals.
Add in cooked chicken or other meat, diced hard cooked egg, beans or lentils. Add in rice, dumplings, noodles, or tortellini. Thin with broth, add herbs or other seasoning.
Make it different every time you serve it, or set up a Soup Bar and let everyone in the family assemble their own, for their own preferences or dietary needs.