I have been raving on Twitter about the vat of soup I made this weekend. People have asked for delivery.
Alas, no can do. But I am going to offer up the recipe to all biking friends, with a note that this is low in carbs but extremely high in vitamin goodness. You can serve it much as you would a salad with a more hearty meal, or grab yourself a whole-grain baguette and cheese. Or you can eat it when you are less concerned for ride energy, as it’s also pretty low in calories.
And you have to use the anise. It makes this soup. This soup would be sad and without joy without it. Anise looks like a weird cross between an onion, bok choi, and dill. Whack off the part that looks like dill, slice off the other end, and chop as though it were celery or an onion.
Super-Awesome Vegetable Soup
makes: 1 vat
- 2 cups escarole or kale, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup uncooked onion, chopped
- 2 cup fresh spinach, baby leaves (or normal spinach, chopped into small shreds)
- 2 small uncooked zucchini, cubed
- 1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
- 1 medium fennel bulb, thinly sliced (remove green tops)
- 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 28 oz canned diced tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted but the cheap ones will do nicely
- 1 can white beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped (or 1/4 teaspoon, dried)
- 1 tsp fresh oregano, finely chopped (or 1/8 teaspoon, dried)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped (or 1 tablespoon dried)
- 1/4 cup basil, fresh, chopped (or 1 tablespoon dried)
Take onion and garlic and place in pot with a little olive oil. Sautee until wilted.
Dump in everything else and bring to boil. Simmer for at least one hour. Or, move onions to a crockpot, dump everything else in, and leave on High for 4 hours, or Low for as long as you’re going to be out riding with friends/working/whatevering.
Delicious as is, or serve with some chopped shrimp mounded on top, with a grate of parmesan. It’ll look totally gourmet.
