Peasant Soup Anyone?

Make yourself a big batch of this soup and then throw it into the freezer in mason jars.  When you need something fast to eat for dinner, or something to bring to work for your lunch, look no further!  I skipped the pasta in mine this time, and used kidney beans as my bean of choice.  I also did not puree my beans this time around. But it doesn't matter.  Play with the recipe and have fun with it.

Pasta, cooked al-dente and set aside. (Use a small shaped pasta)

• Dried beans, soaked overnight in a large pot of water and boiled. (about 1/3 lb)
• 1 medium sized onion
• 4 or 5 cloves of garlic, smashed well
• 2 stalks of celery
• A palm full of parsley, chopped
• Tomato paste (a couple of tablespoons)
• One large peeled, chopped fresh tomato
• Olive oil
• 2 quarts of water (or more or less, its a preference thing)
• 1/4 to 1/2 a head of cabbage, chopped
• 1 large bunch of spinach, Swiss chard, or lambs quarters, roughly chopped
• 1 large potato, diced
• Some strips or hunks of ham, bacon or pancetta
• Small piece of parmesan rind (optional, but decadent!)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Roughly chop the onion, celery and parsley and sauté gently in olive oil. When they begin to turn golden, add the chopped greens, garlic and potato. Season with salt and pepper and add tomato and paste, to your taste, then add some of the water you used to boil the beans, or vegetable or chicken broth to obtain a soup consistency.

Puree (or don't) half of the beans, and add these with the other half (left whole) to the soup, along with the meat scraps (and parmesan rind if using). Allow to simmer further until vegetables are cooked, then, taking it off the heat, add your cooked pasta, cover and allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.  Garnish with fresh grated parmesan if desired.

A good "cold-as-hell" kind of winter day meal when served with fresh warm bread.  And those kind of days are just around the corner...

 

Time for a nap...

 

Cold

Not many words today, just a few photos from this past weekend.  It's too cold to be motivated to write.  I keep telling my self this is the last of it, this bad weather.  It's taking its toll on the animals as well.  The horses have not been out for two days now, and the chickens.... I don't even know how long its been.  So no more words today, I'll let you imagine the weekend's stories...