Soup time: Try this proven winner

Keep this recipe in your file and make it often! It combines good taste with a great nutritional profile, which is just what we healthy foodies love to eat (and to cook). Note that this is a vegetarian soup, and if you omit a sprinkling of Parmesan at table, it's also vegan.

RECIPE: FRENCH SOUPE AU PISTOU

(Serves 6-8)

INGREDIENTS:

For the soup:

1 1/2 cups canned white beans, drained and rinsed 

1 large onion, chopped

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 leeks, white and light green part only, cleaned and sliced

1 pound tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped, or 1 14-ounce can, with liquid

2 cups shredded savoy or green cabbage

2 large carrots, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

1 medium-size zucchini, scrubbed and diced

2 medium-size turnips, peeled and diced (optional)

1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and broken into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups), blanched for five minutes and set aside

1/2 cup soup pasta, such as macaroni or small shells

Freshly ground pepper

For the pesto: (NOTE: You also can use prepared pesto)

2 large garlic cloves, halved, green shoots removed

Salt to taste

2 cups, tightly packed, fresh basil leaves

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan for sprinkling

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.  Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet, and add chopped onion and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until tender, about five minutes. Add the leeks and garlic. Stir together for a few minutes, and add the tomatoes. Cook, stirring, until the tomatoes have cooked down slightly and the mixture is fragrant, five to 10 minutes. Stir this mixture into a large soup pot, add the beans and all of the remaining vegetables except the green beans, and bring back to a simmer. Cover and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes to an hour. Taste and adjust the seasonings.

2. While the soup is simmering, blanch the green beans for five minutes in salted boiling water. Transfer to a bowl of ice-cold water. Drain and set aside.

3. To make the pesto, mash the garlic with a generous pinch of salt in a mortar and pestle. Remove it and set aside. Grind the basil to a paste in the mortar, a handful at a time, then add the garlic back in and mix together well. Work in the olive oil a tablespoon at a time, then stir in the cheese.

4. Add the pasta to the simmering soup about 10 minutes before serving, and cook until al dente. Add pepper, taste and adjust salt. Stir the blanched green beans into the soup and heat through. Serve, adding a spoonful of pesto to each bowl for guests to stir in. Pass additional Parmesan for sprinkling.

Gazpacho: Let me count the ways!

While we're still enjoying peak tomato-- and other produce -- season, let's not forget the pleasures of a well made cold, spicy soup. Gazpacho also is a veggie plate in a bowl and super healthy. Traditional recipes often use bread as an ingredient in the blended soup, but there are many other ways to make it.
I was reminded of the versatility of gazpacho by this article in the Health section of the Times last week, which has links to a variety of riffs on this summer standby, most made in a blender but others just chopped veggies in some kind of juice -- or the veggies' own juices.

Included are such delights as Chipotle Gazpacho; Tomatillo, Tomato and Avocado Gazpacho; and Blender Gazpacho with Celery, Carrot, Cucumber and Red Pepper ("essentially a tangy, pungent vegetable smoothie").
Here's one of the recipes!

RECIPE: BEET AND TOMATO GAZPACHO

Ingredients:

2 slices red or white onion

1 large beet (about 6 ounces), roasted

1 small (6 ounces) cucumber or 1/2 long European cucumber peeled and coarsely chopped

2 pounds ripe tomatoes, quartered

2 sticks celery, coarsely chopped

2 large garlic cloves, halved, green germs removed

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar, plus a little extra for the onion

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salt to taste

1/2 to 1 cup ice water

For garnish:

1/2 cup diced cucumber

Slivered fresh mint leaves

Instructions:

1. Put the onion slices in a bowl, cover with cold water and add a few drops of vinegar. Let sit for 5 minutes while you prepare the remaining ingredients. Drain and rinse with cold water. Cut in half or into smaller pieces.

2. Working in two batches, blend all of the ingredients except the garnishes in a blender for 2 minutes or longer, until smooth and frothy. Transfer to a bowl or container (a metal bowl is the most efficient for chilling), thin out with more water if desired, and chill for at least 2 hours before eating. Garnish each bowl or glass with diced cucumber and slivered fresh mint leaves.

Yield: Serves 6

A Taste of Southern France

Think of this as southern France's answer to minestrone, a seasonal vegetable soup — enriched with a simplified basil pesto (no pine nuts) — that is more common in warmer weather, when fresh basil grows plentifully. But you can make it off-season, too. Some of the ingredients are likely to be in your pantry right now (white beans, canned tomatoes and soup pasta).

Don't be intimidated by the long list of ingredients--it's not as hard as it looks. Note also that you can buy pre-chopped carrots, celery and onions at most supermarkets. You also can omit some of the veggies -- I'd skip the turnips -- to cut down on the prep time, and substitute jarred pesto for the homemade. And it's OK to prepare through step 2 a day ahead. This is a yummy soup that reminds me of Nice and the beautiful, blue Mediterranean!

Adapted from a favorite source, "Recipes for Health" in the NY Times.

RECIPE: FRENCH SOUPE AU PISTOU

(Serves 6-8)

INGREDIENTS:

For the soup:

1 1/2 cups canned white beans, drained and rinsed 

1 large onion, chopped

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 leeks, white and light green part only, cleaned and sliced

1 pound tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped, or 1 14-ounce can, with liquid

2 cups shredded savoy or green cabbage

2 large carrots, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

1 medium-size zucchini, scrubbed and diced

2 medium-size turnips, peeled and diced (optional)

1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and broken into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups), blanched for five minutes and set aside

1/2 cup soup pasta, such as macaroni or small shells

Freshly ground pepper

For the pesto: (NOTE: You also can use prepared pesto)

2 large garlic cloves, halved, green shoots removed

Salt to taste

2 cups, tightly packed, fresh basil leaves

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan for sprinkling

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.  Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet, and add chopped onion and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until tender, about five minutes. Add the leeks and garlic. Stir together for a few minutes, and add the tomatoes. Cook, stirring, until the tomatoes have cooked down slightly and the mixture is fragrant, five to 10 minutes. Stir this mixture into a large soup pot, add the beans and all of the remaining vegetables except the green beans, and bring back to a simmer. Cover and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes to an hour. Taste and adjust the seasonings.

2. While the soup is simmering, blanch the green beans for five minutes in salted boiling water. Transfer to a bowl of ice-cold water. Drain and set aside.

3. To make the pesto, mash the garlic with a generous pinch of salt in a mortar and pestle. Remove it and set aside. Grind the basil to a paste in the mortar, a handful at a time, then add the garlic back in and mix together well. Work in the olive oil a tablespoon at a time, then stir in the cheese.

4. Add the pasta to the simmering soup about 10 minutes before serving, and cook until al dente. Add pepper, taste and adjust salt. Stir the blanched green beans into the soup and heat through. Serve, adding a spoonful of pesto to each bowl for guests to stir in. Pass additional Parmesan for sprinkling.

"A little purity between holiday binges"

I love that idea -- let's focus on good, basic, non-processed and simple foods between the big deals of Thanksgiving and the holidays to come.
A former chef at the Berkeley foodie mecca, Chez Panisse, has posted this cauliflower soup recipe that will be just the ticket. Cauliflower is at its peak season now -- vendors at our Findlay Market have lovely, home-grown heads this weekend -- and this recipe has a blessedly short ingredient list.
Give it a try, even if you have to get your ingredients at the supermarket!

Recipe: Paul Bertolli's Cauliflower Soup
Serves 8

Ingredients:
3 T olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 large, fresh head cauliflower, broken into florets
Salt, to taste
5 1/2 cups water, divided
Olive oil and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1.   Warm the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Sweat the onion in the olive oil over low heat without letting it brown for 15 minutes.

2.   Add the cauliflower, salt to taste, and 1/2 cup water. Raise the heat slightly, cover the pot tightly and stew the cauliflower for 15 to 18 minutes, or until tender. Then add another 4 1/2 cups hot water, bring to a low simmer and cook an additional 20 minutes.

3.   Working in batches, purée the soup in a blender to a very smooth, creamy consistency. Let the soup stand for 20 minutes. In this time it will thicken slightly.

4.   Thin the soup with 1/2 cup hot water. Reheat the soup. Serve hot, drizzled with a thin stream of extra-virgin olive oil and freshly ground black pepper.

Cold-weather Comfort

Try this easy and very satisfying vegetarian soup! It's loaded with fiber, vitamins and minerals -- not to mention, it soothes the throat and warms your innards.

Recipe: Lentil and Vegetable Soup
Serves 4-6

Ingredients
3 T canola oil
2 cups chopped onions, celery and carrots
1 12-ounce package sliced mushrooms
1 large clove garlic, chopped
4 cups vegetable stock or broth
1 cup fresh green beans, cut into one-inch pieces
1 large can diced tomatoes, preferably no-salt-added
2 cups cooked lentils
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and black pepper, to taste (add at table or to pot)

2 cups fresh arugula or spinach, coarsely chopped

Instructions
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions, celery and carrots. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until veggies soften and start to brown a little. Add mushrooms and garlic and cook another 3-4 minutes, stirring often.
Add remaining ingredients except spinach or aruglula and stir well. Cover and bring the soup to a low boil, then remove cover and cook until the green beans are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in greens (arugula or spinach) and cook another 1-2 minutes, just until greens wilt. Serve immediately.

Serve with crackers, hearty whole-grain bread or brown rice.

What a combo!

I'm heading to the Northside Farmer's Market this afternoon, my first market visit in weeks due to our vacation.

One of the top items on my list is more fresh, local corn. The season is so short that I want to enjoy as much of it -- and heirloom tomatoes -- as possible.

Combined with creamy, good-for-you avocado, corn provides the basis for this delicious cold summer soup.

Give it a try!

Recipe: Corn and Avocado Soup
(serves 4-5)
Ingredients:
1 ear fresh corn, shucked
4 cups plus 2 T water
1 garlic clove, smashed
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped onion
1 fresh serrano chile, chopped (with or without seeds)
2 firm-ripe avocados
3 T fresh lime juice
1/4 cup sour cream

Instructions:
Cut kernels off cob, then cut corn cob into thirds. Heat water in a large saucepan until just starting to boil. Add corn kernels, cob pieces, salt and garlic. Boil for about 20 minutes, until liquid is reduced to about 3 cups.
Remove from heat and cool, uncovered, discarding cob pieces.
In a food processor or blender, puree corn mixture, onion and chile. Pour mixture through a fine sieve, discarding solids. Clean the blender/food processor and return mixture to it.
Add one peeled, cubed avocado and 2 T lime juice to the mixture and blend well. Transfer to a bowl and chill well in the fridge.
Once soup is chilled, assemble the plates:
Peel and halve the remaining avocado and use a melon scoop to make small balls from the flesh (or just cut into cubes if you don't want to get that fancy). Toss gently with remaining lime juice.
Divide soup into four to six shallow bowls.
Top with avocado balls or cubes, drizzle with sour cream and add a little flavored olive oil for garnish, if you wish.

Mushroom and Barley Soup

I've adapted this soup recipe from another of my favorite healthy-foodie sources, the Berkeley Wellness Letter.
Although I've subscribed to the hard copy for years, you can also find a lot of good health related info on their website.

This soup fits my ideal for virtually all my cooking, or at least my everyday cooking: the result is so tasty that you lap up every spoonful, and you don't feel guilty about it because the ingredients are so healthy.









Recipe: Mushroom, Barley and Pasta Soup
Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 T olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves minced garlic
1 large carrot, coarsely chopped
8 ounces mushrooms (baby bella, preferably), sliced
3/4 cup pearl barley
1 teaspoon liquid smoke seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
4 1/2 cups water or stock (chicken or vegetable)
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 cup pasta shells or rotini
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:
Heat oil over low heat in a large saucepan. Add onion, garlic and carrots. Stir frequently until veggies are tender, about 6-7 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms and cook 3-4 minutes. Add tomatoes, barley, liquid smoke, salt, thyme and water. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce to low heat again and simmer for about 30 minutes. Add pasta, cover again, and cook until the pasta is done, about 10 minutes.
Pass the cheese at the table.

Another one-dish meal -- perfect for a cool autumn night

Recipe: Easy Vegetable and Lentil Soup
Serves 4-6

Ingredients
3 T canola oil
2 cups chopped onions, celery and carrots
1 12-ounce package sliced mushrooms
1 large clove garlic, chopped
4 cups vegetable stock or broth
1 cup fresh green beans, cut into one-inch pieces
1 large can diced tomatoes, preferably no-salt-added
2 cups cooked lentils
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and black pepper, to taste (add at table or to pot)

2 cups fresh arugula or spinach, coarsely chopped

Instructions
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions, celery and carrots. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until veggies soften and start to brown a little. Add mushrooms and garlic and cook another 3-4 minutes, stirring often.
Add remaining ingredients except spinach or aruglula and stir well. Cover and bring the soup to a low boil, then remove cover and cook until the green beans are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in greens (arugula or spinach) and cook another 1-2 minutes, just until greens wilt. Serve immediately.

Serve with crackers, hearty whole-grain bread or brown rice.