Vegetable Soup
Feb. 24th, 2011 03:13 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
teapot_rabbit in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
omnomnomI live in California, so I can't really complain about the weather - but after a week of sunshine and temperatures up to the 80s, we're suddenly back down to highs in the mid fifties. It's actually supposed to get down to freezing this weekend. It's the sort of weather where I drink a lot of tea and contemplate soups. I threw this one together yesterday night, mostly as an excuse to try out the posole I bought.
There, doesn't that look nice?
This (completely vegetarian) soup is the lovechild of posole and minestrone. It's easy but time-consuming (in a hands-off kind of way) because of all the soaking time. Active prep time is probably about an hour. The beans and posole come from Rancho Gordo, a great place to find heirloom dried beans, Mexican spices, and other cool stuff.
Vegetable Soup
Makes 3 1/2 to four quarts
1 cup dried posole (hominy)
generous 1/2 cup dried cannelini beans
Soak the posole and beans separately overnight in cold water. After soaking, drain the posole, transfer it to a saucepan, and cover with about three quarts water. Bring to a boil over high heat. After five minutes, turn the heat down and simmer the posole for three to four hours (if the water levels get low, add more water,) or until the posole "flowers" and opens up like popcorn. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, transfer the beans AND their soaking water to a saucepan. There should be about two inches of water covering the beans, add more water if necessary. Bring the beans to a boil and then turn the heat down. Simmer the beans until they are soft and no longer taste raw - this will take a few hours. Keep an eye on the water level, and add more water if it starts looking low. When the beans are done, cover them and set aside. DO NOT DRAIN! The cooking liquid - bean broth - will contribute lots of flavor to your soup broth.
Now that your posole and beans are done, it's time to start the soup. You will need:
olive oil
oyster mushrooms, sliced (about 2 cups - I forgot to weigh them)
1/2 large onion, roughly chopped
garlic to taste, minced (I used 2 cloves)
1 carrot, sliced
2 ribs celery, sliced
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
dried oregano (1 teaspoon or to taste)
Oregano indio (1/2 tsp, or Mexican oregano, or just more oregano)
ground cumin (about 1/2 tsp)
salt, to taste
ground black pepper, to taste
3/4 cup green peas
Find a 5 quart pot (I used a dutch oven) and add a splash of olive oil. Sauté the oyster mushroom over medium-low heat until they are beginning to become golden. Add the chopped onion and the garlic, and continue cooking until the onions are just beginning to soften.
Add the posole and the beans in their broth. Add water until it's about an inch and a half below the lip of the pot. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the soup to a simmer. Add the carrots and celery (if the celery has any leaves, mince those up and add them too.) Finely crumble the oregano and oregano indio and add to the soup, along with the cumin, salt, and pepper. Don't worry about getting the flavourings perfect -start conservative and add more later if necessary.
Scrape the tomato paste into a small bowl. Mix soup broth into the paste little by little, to make a thin sauce. Add this to the soup.
Simmer until the carrots, onions, and celery are tender, then add the green peas. Check seasoning and add more if you think the soup needs it. Simmer about 5 minutes longer, or until the peas are bright green, and serve!
If you want to add meat, you could really easily add some shredded poached chicken. I was going to do so, but then decided the soup had enough going for it on its own.
There, doesn't that look nice?
This (completely vegetarian) soup is the lovechild of posole and minestrone. It's easy but time-consuming (in a hands-off kind of way) because of all the soaking time. Active prep time is probably about an hour. The beans and posole come from Rancho Gordo, a great place to find heirloom dried beans, Mexican spices, and other cool stuff.
Vegetable Soup
Makes 3 1/2 to four quarts
1 cup dried posole (hominy)
generous 1/2 cup dried cannelini beans
Soak the posole and beans separately overnight in cold water. After soaking, drain the posole, transfer it to a saucepan, and cover with about three quarts water. Bring to a boil over high heat. After five minutes, turn the heat down and simmer the posole for three to four hours (if the water levels get low, add more water,) or until the posole "flowers" and opens up like popcorn. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, transfer the beans AND their soaking water to a saucepan. There should be about two inches of water covering the beans, add more water if necessary. Bring the beans to a boil and then turn the heat down. Simmer the beans until they are soft and no longer taste raw - this will take a few hours. Keep an eye on the water level, and add more water if it starts looking low. When the beans are done, cover them and set aside. DO NOT DRAIN! The cooking liquid - bean broth - will contribute lots of flavor to your soup broth.
Now that your posole and beans are done, it's time to start the soup. You will need:
olive oil
oyster mushrooms, sliced (about 2 cups - I forgot to weigh them)
1/2 large onion, roughly chopped
garlic to taste, minced (I used 2 cloves)
1 carrot, sliced
2 ribs celery, sliced
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
dried oregano (1 teaspoon or to taste)
Oregano indio (1/2 tsp, or Mexican oregano, or just more oregano)
ground cumin (about 1/2 tsp)
salt, to taste
ground black pepper, to taste
3/4 cup green peas
Find a 5 quart pot (I used a dutch oven) and add a splash of olive oil. Sauté the oyster mushroom over medium-low heat until they are beginning to become golden. Add the chopped onion and the garlic, and continue cooking until the onions are just beginning to soften.
Add the posole and the beans in their broth. Add water until it's about an inch and a half below the lip of the pot. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the soup to a simmer. Add the carrots and celery (if the celery has any leaves, mince those up and add them too.) Finely crumble the oregano and oregano indio and add to the soup, along with the cumin, salt, and pepper. Don't worry about getting the flavourings perfect -start conservative and add more later if necessary.
Scrape the tomato paste into a small bowl. Mix soup broth into the paste little by little, to make a thin sauce. Add this to the soup.
Simmer until the carrots, onions, and celery are tender, then add the green peas. Check seasoning and add more if you think the soup needs it. Simmer about 5 minutes longer, or until the peas are bright green, and serve!
If you want to add meat, you could really easily add some shredded poached chicken. I was going to do so, but then decided the soup had enough going for it on its own.
no subject
on 2011-02-24 11:57 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2011-02-25 12:48 am (UTC)no subject
on 2011-02-25 12:09 am (UTC)no subject
on 2011-02-25 12:49 am (UTC)no subject
on 2011-02-25 12:17 am (UTC)no subject
on 2011-02-25 12:47 am (UTC)I hope you stay safe and warm during the coming bad weather!
no subject
on 2011-02-25 04:27 am (UTC)no subject
on 2011-02-25 04:45 am (UTC)