Vegetable Soup

This vegetable soup is the perfect “cleansing soup” for spring when everyone is trying to eat lighter. The same was true for our ancestors, as well; by springtime the winter stores of meat had been depleted, so mothers had to use whatever they could harvest to make meals.

You can add lamb and make this soup similar to the harvest stew recipe (this recipe is later in this chapter), or you can keep it vegetarian and light for those warmer days in the spring. The best part is that in the spring you can use whole bunches of fresh herbs in this soup, whereas in winter you only have dried herbs.

Ingredients:

·           1 bunch of fresh scallions coarsely chopped

·           2–3 fresh green garlic stalks (you can substitute with 1 t of regular minced garlic)

·           2 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped

·           ½ cup tomato sauce

·           3 stalks of celery, chopped

·           1 cup coarsely chopped carrots

·           1 cup chopped green beans

·           1 cup sweet peas

·           1 T fresh minced ginger

·           2 cups water (or chicken, beef, or vegetable stock)

·           Salt and pepper, to taste

·           1 bunch of parsley

·           1 T fresh thyme

·           1 T fresh rosemary

·           Broccoli florets, spinach, or kale (optional)

·           1 egg

·           Lemon juice, to taste

Directions

1- Heat oil in a medium pot and add the scallions and the garlic. Sauté for about 2 minutes, or until they soften slightly. Add the tomatoes and mix, cooking until the tomatoes are soft. Add the tomato sauce and stir until the mix is bubbling. Add the celery, carrots, green beans, sweet peas, and the ginger and let these cook for another minute. 

2- Cover everything with the water, and add salt and pepper. Allow the soup to boil for about 20 minutes.

This soup doesn’t need much water, but if you would like it to have more liquid, you can add a little extra water or stock.

3- Add the fresh herbs and boil for another 5 minutes. If desired, you can add the broccoli florets, spinach, or kale at this point.

4- When the vegetables are almost fully cooked, beat the egg with a splash of water in a separate bowl. While stirring the soup vigorously, pour the egg mixture into the soup, and then allow the soup to come back up to a boil. It is important that you stir the soup while you pour in the egg—this will ensure that the egg is distributed evenly throughout the soup, which will help thicken the broth.

5- Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Start with the juice of half a lemon, and add more if desired.

Allow the soup to cool slightly, and serve warm. This soup is fantastic paired with freshly-baked bread.