I am a woman who is very
picky about vegetable soup. As a general rule, everyone could make a decent
veggie soup but me. It was not for lack of trying! I have tried many ways to
make a veggie stew I would like. I would try the soup at restaurant chains and
try the “copy-cat” recipes that were never the same. I would look at the list
of ingredients on line to see what I was missing and I would never be satisfied.
I felt like all of
the elements were there but I was just missing something. The soup was flat and
flavorless no matter how much salt I added, or anything else. It is of no
matter now because I can happily tell you I have developed my own method. I am
very pleased with it and I would like to share it with you.
For most veggie soups, the broth base is a mixture of
tomato sauce and vegetable broth or stock. But when I made this mixture, no
matter how well I seasoned it, it always tasted flat. This led me to make my
own tomato sauce. Roma tomatoes are known for making the richest and thickest
sauces while other tomatoes tend to be slightly more watery. Because my end
goal is a soup and not a sauce I mix these two to have the flavor of the Roma
and the juice of the other.
I simmer these in olive oil and add garlic powder, basil, and salt. I
stir occasionally and use my spoon to help crush the tomatoes. Once they have
simmered down and are more or less sauce, I add the vegetable broth. At this
point I often add a dash or two of extra basil and some ginger. I also cut an
onion and toss the pieces into the mixture now. I cover and bring this mixture
to a boil and let it simmer for some time to bring all the flavors together.
Meanwhile I skin and
cut the potatoes. Normally I am a fan of leaving the skin, especially with
goldens. The problem there is the longer the skin soaks in the soup the more
fibery the texture becomes. After a day or two, leftovers are no longer
remotely appetizing. I like to “fry” them in a pan by themselves because
potatoes can be tricky in a skillet. They tend to either finish cooking long
before the other ingredients—so that when they are finally ready the potatoes
are mushy—or they aren’t finished until long after everything else—similar
result. I put quotations around “fry” because I do not technically fry them. I
spray a thin layer of olive oil in the pan and add a couple tablespoons of the
vegetable broth so that they cook up quickly without browning. I season them
with rosemary and salt and pepper to taste then set them aside, covered. I feel
that if I add them to the soup at this stage they will soak up too much broth.
I move them to a covered bowl to be added to the soup later.
Fresh or frozen
vegetables are always best. They are lower in sodium and you have a lot more
control over what flavor they will be. When they are canned salt, juice, and
other flavors are added. Not to mention they soak in these flavors for weeks,
months, or years. Using the potato skillet, I add my vegetables and a small
amount of oil and butter. Remember, you want oil to keep the vegetables from
sticking and butter to add a touch of flavor. You want neither of these
ingredients in large amounts or your soup will be too oily. To season I add a touch
of cumin and paprika plus salt and pepper to taste.
As far as which veggies to add to your soup the choice is entirely
yours—whatever you really like. Standard are carrots, peas, corn, and green
beans. Feel free to branch out from here and add anything that is your
favorite. Zucchini, broccoli, edamame, and kidney beans are some of my favorite
additions. Play around with it and have fun!
I wish I had a cute
picture of it in a bowl for you guys but I ate it all… :P
Broth
4 Roma tomatoes, diced
3 Tomatoes, diced
1 tsp dried basil or several fresh basil leaves
½ tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
2 or 3 cups vegetable broth
¼ tsp ginger
One purple or white onion
Veggies
2 golden potatoes, peeled and diced
¼ tsp rosemary
2 TBS vegetable broth
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh or frozen vegetables
1 tsp paprika
1 TBS earth balance or butter
½ tsp cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
1.
Dice tomatoes and toss them in a skillet or wok
with olive oil and “broth” seasonings on medium heat. While the tomatoes simmer
and cook down, keep covered and stir occasionally. When they are cooked down
into a paste, add vegetable broth and onion. Cover and simmer on low.
2.
In a separate pan, spray with olive oil and
potatoes. Add small amount of vegetable stock to help soften. Keep covered and
stir regularly to keep from browning. Low-medium heat is best. Add rosemary and
salt and pepper to taste. Once soft, remove potatoes from pan and set aside,
covered.
3.
Using the potato pan, spray with olive oil and
add fresh or frozen vegetables of your choice. If frozen, cover and keep them
on medium heat until thawed. Season with butter or margarine, paprika, cumin,
and salt and pepper.
4.
Once the vegetables are soft and flavorful, add
them and the potatoes to the broth and simmer for ten minutes. Serve hot.
