This is another recipe from Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy: A Feast of 175 Regional Recipes
Except I followed this recipe much less. For one, I used turkey broth rather than water because I had this delicious turkey broth to use up. But I also was NOT going to the store, so substituted several suggested vegetables for what I had on hand. All in the spirit though. Key takeways are to cook the garlic, basil, parsley in olive oil first. Then add the celery, carrots, tomatoes and potato and cook more before adding the broth. Then cook the broth down…and add olive oil and cheese. Mmmm. Tomatoes were some of the final Roma tomatoes from my garden. We haven’t had a freeze here yet. Parsley and basil from the garden as well.
The original recipe called for chicory but I used green cabbage instead, because that’s what was in the veggie drawer needing to be used up. I used the last of the spinach from Thanksgiving and frozen peas rather than fresh. I also mostly halved the recipe and used less cabbage than chicory called for but used a bit more broth so her version would likely have been thicker.
The other great recipes I’ve tried from this book include pork chops with fried onions and provolone cheese on top, potatoes with pecorino pepper, and a ground pork meat sauce. The meat sauce was a bit bland for my taste somehow, surprisingly, even though I ground the pork myself! But I am definitely liking this cookbook AND the show.
Note: I bought this book. It was NOT a review copy sent to me. Although publisher please note: I would LOVE to review any other books of hers. 🙂
Vegetable Soup from Lidia
Ingredients
- half an onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1/8 cup fresh parsley leaves
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
- 1 Russet potato, peeled and diced about 1 cup
- 3-4 cups broth or water
- 1 Tbs salt or less depending on how salty your broth is
- 1 small piece of the rind of Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup fresh spinach leaves
- 1 cup peas
- 1 cup chopped cabbage
- olive oil for garnishing
- Parmesan cheese for garnishing
Instructions
- Dice the onion, garlic, basil and parsley.
- Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot and cook the onion, garlic, basil and parsley about 5 minutes, stirring periodically.
- Add the celery, carrots, tomatoes and potato and cook until the potato starts to get a bit crusty, stirring periodically.
- Add the broth or water, salt and Parmesan rind. Cover the pot partially and cook at a low simmer about an hour.
- Add spinach, peas and cabbage and simmer another half an hour or so.
- Ladle into bowls and add a drizzle of olive oil and some grated Parmesan.
CJ, I think many of us crave simple dinners after the feast! I saw a lentil soup that is next on my list to try I think.
Ah, the post Thanksgiving soup craving. Made a soup very similar to this one, but no peas, more cabbage and a handful of quick barley. Going to make another soup tonight. Soups and salad is the dinner menu all this week. Partly to lighten up after a weekend of feasting, partly because I’m craving both.
You recipe looks especially good. I’ve got parm rinds and all.
Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.