(This post was published previously on http://ruthtalksfood.blogspot.com.)
Even if you don't eat Campbell's soups, it's hard to disagree with the company's longtime slogan, "Soup is good food." I prefer making my own to opening a can. It's really so easy, economical and delicious that I don't understand why everyone doesn't do it. Even the extra time that goes into making it is a one-time effort, as the soup can last for days--even a week if you make enough. You can easily freeze portions of it for reheating later if you decide you're tired of having the same soup for lunch daily. You can also change the flavor profile after a few days, adding leftover roast chicken, pasta or roasted vegetables.
You can make the soup as simple as you want, with three or four ingredients, or throw in almost anything and everything that happens to be in your fridge (my favorite method!). When I make soup, I often recall "Stone Soup," the childhood tale about a dish that begins when travelers throw a large stone in a pot of water over a fire and solicit a little of this and a little of that from passers-by. In no time, the concoction turns into a delicious soup that feeds an entire village.
My soups are often vegetable-rich but low in fat and sodium, because at our house we're always trying to shed a few pounds and watching our salt intake. Sometimes I use a recipe for inspiration, but often I try to reconstruct a soup I remember from childhood, with embellishments.
The recipe below is a takeoff on a perennial Weight Watchers favorite of many members--the famous Basic Vegetable Soup. On the organization's SmartPoints plan, the soup has zero points, because it is almost entirely composed of vegetables. My version includes many of those vegetables, then adds a few optional ingredients that up the point count** just a little, but, I believe, improve the flavor a lot. Amounts are really variable. The more vegetables you have in proportion to broth, the thicker the soup will be. The beauty of the dish is you can add or subtract vegetables, vary the spices, the broth and the additions, and create an entirely different soup. (See my note on tinkering at the end.) Partly pureeing the soup leads to a thicker texture, which I like, but it may not be to everyone's taste. It reminds me of minestrone soup I once tasted in North Beach, San Francisco’s historic Italian neighborhood.
Vegetable Soup
(Makes about 10 to 12 cups)
Ingredients:
1 medium onion, diced
1 small leek or half a large one, chopped (mix of green and white)
1/2 large bell pepper (red, orange or yellow preferred)
2-3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 large stalks celery, diced
1 small zucchini, diced
2 fresh tomatoes, chopped (or 1 cup canned, or a combination)
2-3 large leaves Swiss chard or kale, chopped, ribs removed
1/2 cup chopped fresh or frozen green beans
1 ear of corn, sliced from cob or 1/2 - 3/4 cup frozen corn*
1-2 cloves garlic, finely minced
8 cups low-salt chicken, vegetable or beef broth
1 small potato, cooked and mashed*
1 bay leaf
1-2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1-2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil (or 1 teaspoon dried)
1/2 tablespoon fresh oregano (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup canned garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed*
1 to 2 tablespoon champagne, balsamic or other vinegar (or dill pickle juice)*
1/2 tsp. sugar or honey*
Parmesan cheese*
*Optional ingredients
Directions:
1. Chop onion, leeks, pepper, carrots, celery and zucchini.
2. Saute over low heat in pan coated with cooking spray, stirring frequently for 5 to 10 minutes until vegetables are just starting to soften.
3. Heat broth on another burner in a large stockpot. Add bay leaf and braised vegetables.
4. Add some more cooking spray (or a tablespoon of olive oil). Then add chopped chard, cilantro and parsley to the pan. Stir until chard is just slightly wilted. Add the chard mixture to the soup pot, along with the corn and mashed potato (if using). Add basil, oregano, salt and pepper.
5. Cover and cook another 15 to 20 minutes on simmer until the vegetables are almost done. Remove the lid and let the soup cool for about 10 minutes.
6. Puree with an immersion blender, making sure to leave some chunks, or, alternately, remove half of the soup and puree in blender or food processor, pulsing so as not to completely liquefy the soup.
7. Return the liquified mixture to the soup pot, reheat the soup on medium heat, and add green beans and garbanzos, if using.
8. Stir in the vinegar and sugar, if you are using them. (I find that these add a depth of taste that I like, but you could leave either or both out).
9. Taste to see if additional salt or spices are needed. Heat until green beans are just tender. Add more broth if soup is too thick. Serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan and chopped cilantro.
Tinkering:
Add 1 cup chopped cooked chicken or turkey.
Substitute 1 cup of chopped cabbage and 1 cup chopped spinach or kale for the chard.
Add a half cup of cooked brown rice or pasta to the soup at the end (in place of garbanzos or in addition).
Use black or pinto beans in place of garbanzos.
Increase the flavor of the soup by adding a Parmesan rind to the broth when you add the vegetables (but don't forget to remove the rind if you're pureeing it).
Use tomato sauce, tomato paste or leftover meat sauce in place of chopped tomatoes.
Sauté vegetables in a tablespoon or two of olive oil to add some healthy fat and flavor.
Add jalapenos, cayenne, a few tablespoons of mild or hot salsa, smoky paprika, cumin or other spicy additions to amp up the heat.
Buon appetito!