March 2015
A plentiful pot of soup is like a return to your childhood home after many months or years away. Every ingredient, like every quilt, stuffed animal or lingering teen heart-throb poster, tells a story and stirs nostalgia. This soup stirred a few tales.
First, there were friends gathered around our dining room table. The Urban Farmer and I shared our roasted chicken, vegetables, and hearty bread. They shared their heartwarming tales of transforming travels in Peru. That chicken became stock, and that stock became a base for this soup.
There was a long photoshoot. It began with meticulously styled, petite portions of chopped vegetables. It ended with a back seat and a trunk FULL of produce. Those excesses became a warm oven of slow roasting tomatoes, a house that smelled of Italy, and finally, a robust red sauce. That red sauce stirred the cravings for comforting tomato soup.
There was a Valentine’s Day break from reclusive hibernation and a bundled excursion to the butcher shop. The return adventure was a blinding blanket of white, a determined dog with a backpack full of bacon, and a very chilling walk on quiet, empty streets. Two honey-cardamom lattes and a chess game later, we were warm enough to think clearly. That bacon belonged in our soup!
Those tales simmered, bubbled and blended into something new.
With one hand on the old, familiar doorknob and the other hovering near the light switch, you hesitate. You breathe in the familiar smell. You hear the distant laughter, complaints and squabbles. You see the homework struggles, the sleepovers, the trophies and toys. Once back in the present moment, your hovering hand flips the light switch, pulls the door knob and closes the door on that childhood chapter. Similarly, each ingredient’s tale hovered, but new moments emerged as well, ready to be recalled with the next bowl of piping hot soup. This is why I slow cook.
Go Stir Some Stories!
-Quelcy
Roasted Tomato & Vegetable Soup
About This Recipe: From the homemade stock to the slow roasted tomato sauce, this soup is a journey and a labor for the love of cooking. The result is a hearty vegetable soup that takes advantage of winter’s lingering root vegetables and warms the last chill in the air. Use whatever lingering root vegetables you have. Use a vegetable stock and skip the bacon if you want to avoid meat. Substitute a favorite pasta sauce instead of making your own. Be creative, experiment, and enjoy!
Roasted Tomato & Vegetable Soup
makes 8-10 servings
Ingredients
1/4 cup (half stick) organic, unsalted butter
10 green onions, chopped
A dash of each- salt, pepper, basil, thyme, red pepper
3 local, organic carrots, peeled & sliced
1 local, organic parsnip, peeled & chopped
1 small, local, organic kohlrabi, peeled & chopped
2 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
3 quarts homemade chicken stock
4 cups homemade roasted tomato & herb sauce
2 cups chopped roasted red peppers (or plain peppers)
2 cups chopped celery
1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
3 pieces of local thick-cut bacon, chopped
Directions
Heat the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium-low heat. Once melted, add the green onion and spices, stirring frequently until the onions begin to soften, approximately 7 to 8 minutes.
Add the carrots, parsnip, and kohlrabi, sweet potatoes and continue to cook for 4 to 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the stock, increase the heat to high, and bring to a simmer.
Once simmering, add the tomato sauce, celery, and apple cider vinegar.
Reduce the heat to low, add the bacon, cover, and cook until the vegetables are tender, approximately 25 to 30 minutes.
Remove from heat. Season, to taste, with sea salt. Serve hot with a slice of rustic bread.
Lovely. Mouth-watering, Warm and reassuring. I loved this!
Thank you kindly.
It’s unfortunate to see many people eating fast food and not enjoying what is really out there.
I agree, this soup looks great for a rainy day. I bet it is better the second day, after the spices stew overnight. I think it would make a better office lunch than any drive through.
Indeed, the leftovers were delicious! Every bowl was a little bit different.
I agree! I try to make the rest of my family eat better, which is weird because I’m the child, not the parent haha
awe, well, you are ahead of the curve. Keep up the good fight. 😉
Reblogged this on khankpk.
Reblogged this on oshriradhekrishnabole.
Looks delicious, plus I love your logo!
Thank you!
Love this! Thank you for sharing!
I haven’t made the soup yet, and probably won’t, because I have a similar recipe, but wanted to tell you that your story is lovely. You have beautifully captured the feel of a slowly cooked winter soup that is more than the sum of its parts.
Thank you for such kind words! I’m glad you have a soup story of your own too. 🙂
thank for sharing
There is a generosity of time in this telling, the unhurried anticipation of the unknown with reverence for remembering; sustenance in stories that linger over a meal. Well done.
What a beautiful comment! Thank you!
This sounds delicious. Thanks for sharing — beautiful photos, too!
My pleasure. Thank YOU for reading! 🙂
Reblogged this on Travel Eat Beverage.
That looks so delicious and amazing! I might have to make this later this week. 🙂
Reblogged this on themsorg.
I love trying new soup recipes and this one looks great! 🙂 Congratulations on being Freshly Pressed!
The soup looks great and I enjoyed the story…. food can be so evocative.
Glad you enjoyed it, and I agree!
Looks delicious! Congrats on being freshly pressed!
Thank you and thank you! 🙂
Reblogged this on Engineer Marine Skipper.
UGH Ive been reading all your posts for Days and this Made me hungry hahaha write more! Oh and please check out mine im just new here so i Would really appreciate it!
Mmmm this makes me so hungry now. Too bad it’s a little too hot in my country for soup but I think I’m gonna try it anyway cause this just looks so good
It is shocking that you are not a published writer. I am ashamed to be part of a culture that’s allowed that.
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yum!
Great photos – this soup looks delicious.
Reblogged this on My Blog.
I’ve tried many tomato soups, but I’ve never liked any of them. Every time I read about one though, it sounds so good! Maybe this is the right one…
Fingers crossed. 😉
soup is good
Reblogged this on naijainfotechworld.
I have become the girl who watching needs her three daily. And i’d rather wait than have Taco Bell prepare my meals, you have just added to my obsession!
Nicely done…looks yummy! 😀
Thank you for sharing. It sounds absolutely wonder for a cold day we are having over here. 🙂
look yummy… droolll
Beautiful writing and photos. Thanks for sharing this!
Sounds wonderful.
Reblogged this on sarahsatticoftreasures and commented:
I love all different kinds of soups…
Reblogged this on cameronstlaurent.
Soup… sometimes the natural healer for mild cold-like illnesses, and also for breathing problems.
Beautiful energy to this piece – and I’m sure to the soup as well!
Will definitely try this ! I love roasted parnships so always on the look out for easy recipes that feature this ingredient.
Glad to hear it. I hope you like it! The parsnip is definitely an under-appreciated root. 🙂
Reblogged this on Sultan Al-Haze.
I have many fond memories of my grandmother, but the one I seem to recall most is her home made soup. Every ingredient came straight from a garden. She served it, not in a bowl, but on a plate, and with fresh biscuits and butter she churned herself. Now that was food fit for a king, and a little boy too!
That’s a lovely visual. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you! And thank you for sharing also. Food can be such an intimate affair, bringing family and friends closer than they might be otherwise. Taking the time to prepare a meal for those that are dear to us is one way to them know just how special they are, and leaves them with full tummies, and hearts.
Nice
Reblogged this on thetankiptalk.
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Reblogged this on Welcome to Fisidinho's Blog Nigeria and commented:
i love this
i love this
This looks really yummy! Your photos are fantastic! 🙂
Thank you!
Reblogged this on bertanique6.
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Excellent!
Sounds like the perfect soup for a cold, rainy day.
Both your soup and writing are palatable! 🙂
Nice
Reblogged this on annesutiono.
Looks so yummy..I wrote down the ingredients.. I plan on trying it tonight minus the bread.
I made a big pot of this last night. My girls loved it.
Oh good! Glad to hear it. 🙂
Yum yum yum and yum. That is all 🙂
Looks amazing! I really enjoyed the stories and stunning photos.
Thanks so much! I’m glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
Looks delicious! Our rainy season is coming, this will be so welcome to keep us warm. I plan to add red hot chillie peppers to it to really heat things up;)
My hot sauce loving bf would be very into that idea!
Nothing beats an amazing soup! I’m going to put one up in a few days too
Delicious, loved it. Wow!!!
Reblogged this on MOTIVATUS.
No better way to be grounded than by eating that which comes… from the ground. “Who woulda thought.” Inspiring recipe. Thank you.
That looks delicious!!
Reblogged this on thriftydee00 and commented:
I’m looking forward to the summer when I can make soup out of the things that grow in my back garden !
I’m looking forward to the summer when I can make soup out of the things that grow in the garden !
This recipe sounds delicious! I love a good soup!
Reblogged this on healthyinterests and commented:
This is an interesting way of describing what is being made and how it is being posted and shown.
Reblogged this on Daybreakfarm's Blog.
Oh goodness, this looks delicious! Thanks for the recipe, I’ll definitely put it to good use.
Beautiful story!
Sounds Delicious, definitely try it this winter.
Colorful, mouth watering
I’m adding this to my recipe list!
Reblogged this on cindylee54.
This sounds really yummy! There’s nothing like a big bowl of delicious soup. A total comfort food.
Sounds delicious! I have to try this.
Reblogged this on Lita.
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