Fresh Tart

Farmily

FreshTartSteph — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 19:42:56 PST

If you've read my blog for any length of time, you know that I love visiting my aunt Mary and uncle Bruce's farm in west-central Minnesota. If you're a new reader - welcome! - and here's why:

Beauty. Stillness.

Warm, buttery scones with softly scrambled eggs and browned sausages.

Made by Mary, not me. (Yes.)

Fun and games.

Vegetable soup loaded with chicken, leeks, turnips, kielbasa, beans, and fresh thyme. I craved another bowl within 15 minutes of leaving their house. You would have too.

Made by Mary, not me. (Yes.) Recipe below.

Cool cold beer(s).

Pretty things.

Funny, sweet, very polite dogs. Hi Cody. (He did not get a sandwich. But I did. Sorry man.) More in the gallery, below.

Vegetable Soup

Mary Felt

Serves 10-12

3/4 lb. Polish sausage, sliced

1 broiler/fryer chicken (2-3 lbs.)

8 c. water

2 leeks, sliced

2 carrots, sliced

1 large turnip, peeled and cubed

1 large onion, chopped

1 large potato, peeled and cubed

1 garlic clove, minced

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 Tbsp. snipped fresh parsley

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 c. shredded cabbage

2 c. cooked navy or great northern beans

In a skillet, cook the sausage until done. Drain on paper towels; set aside. In a large Dutch oven, cook chicken in water until juices run clear. Remove chicken; let cool. Strain broth and skim off fat. Return the broth to Dutch oven.

Add leeks, carrots, turnip, onion, potato, garlic, salt, pepper, parsley, and thyme. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, remove chicken from bones and cut into bite-size pieces; add to the Dutch oven. Add cabbage, beans, and cooked sausage. Simmer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

A Last Look at (Moderately) Healthy Eats, 2009 Version

FreshTartSteph — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 09:21:01 PST

Eat Your Vegetable...Soup

FreshTartSteph — Mon, 11 May 2009 17:17:04 PDT

I had a fennel bulb and a bunch of asparagus knocking around in the cooler and decided they'd anchor a lovely vegetable soup. Rather minestrone-esque, thick with garlic and tomatoes and a little whole-grain pasta for body. Carrots, onions, and celery of course. A handful of spinach too - why not? With a swirl of pesto to finish, bursting with layers of hearty flavor.

I gave the vegetables a long, slow saute, going for maximum caramelization for the deepest flavor. Here's a rough recipe (please improvise freely).

Hearty Vegetable Soup

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 fennel bulb (white part only), cored, exterior layer discarded, quartered, and sliced thin
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 carrots, diced
1 large celery stalk, sliced thin
6-7 mushrooms, diced
1/2 tsp. each dried thyme, sage, and oregano
1 14-oz. can diced tomatoes
1/2 c. canned cannelini beans (optional)
1 quart (32 oz.) chicken (or vegetable) stock
1/2 c. whole-grain elbow macaroni
1 bunch asparagus, top halves only, cut into 1/2” pieces
2 handfuls baby spinach leaves
pesto (I used Whole Foods brand)

Drizzle oil into a large soup pot. Add vegetables and herbs, and a sprinkle of salt, and sauté over medium heat until vegetables start to soften. Cover, turn heat to low, and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are very tender and becoming caramelized, about 15-25 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and stock, bring to a simmer, turn heat to low, and simmer, partially covered, for 15 minutes. Add macaroni (and beans, if using) and simmer for another 10 minutes. Stir in asparagus and spinach, simmer for a minute or two, then ladle into bowls. Garnish with 1 tsp. pesto. (A few croutons would be delicious too.) Serves 4-6.