Meanwhile, a pot of soup is simmering on the stovetop. Today seemed like a good day for making a hearty soup for dinner tonight.
I had rainbow carrots waiting to be enjoyed in the vegetable bin of the refrigerator and some new red potatoes. What better than a soup made with both along with a sweet Vidalia onion and delectible roasted garlic.
It will be a while before I have fresh herbs in my garden. BUT, the sage and thyme wintered wonderfully and a few sprigs will give this soup a spark of green new life from the garden.
Entirely vegan and vegetarian if you use water as your broth base, this soup is made with quinoa to give it a complete dose of protein. If you so desire, you can add freshly grated parm to the bowl which of course takes vegan out of the meal. Add or not to your liking.
Since I am also trying to use up what I have (hiding) in the freezer I made a small pot of chicken stock this morning using chicken bones I had picked clean for a chicken salad not too long ago. They are just right for simmering enough stock for this soup, (which of course makes it non vegan or vegetarian). I simply put the bones in a stock pot, cover with water, add salt and pepper and let them simmer for an hour or two. I made about 4 cups to add to the soup pot.
So, as you can see from the photo above, I diced three carrots and four of the new red potatoes. To my 6 quart enameled cast iron dutch oven I added :
2 TB tomato paste and a TB or so of EVOO
1/4 cup of water
1 medium Vidalia onion, peeled and diced
I sauteed these together until the onion was translucent. I then added the diced carrots and potatoes, 2 cups of the chicken stock (slightly cooled and drained), OR (2 cups of water for vegan or vegetarian), salt and pepper to taste and let all of it simmer, covered, on a low flame for about an hour or until the carrots and potatoes were softening. Then, I added half a bulb of freshly roasted garlic, a sprig of well rinsed thyme and two or three leaves of sage from my garden. I let all of this goodness simmer, covered, for another hour or so and then added about a cup of uncooked quinoa and the rest of the chicken stock.
Once the quinoa fully cooked, I removed the sage leaves and thyme sprig. Now if you like a thinner soup feel free to add a bit more chicken stock or water to the pot. Otherwise, let the soup sit covered, on a low flame for another half hour or so. Just before serving, take a small taste and season with a bit more salt and pepper if needed. And, if you so desire, garnish with homemade crutons and a bit of grated parm or cheddar.
And here comes more rain, thunder and lightening. The wind is blowing everything sideways. Hang on…summer is on the horizion.
Enjoy every drop of this hearty soup…Many Blessings…
