tomatoes (about 4 pounds)
2 large cucumbers, peeled, halved, seeded, and diced
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced small
1 medium Vidalia onion, peeled and diced small
¼ cup red wine vinegar
Zest of 1 lemon
½ cup chopped basil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 cups cooked cannellini beans , or one 15-ounce can, drained and rinsed
Coarsely chop 2 of the tomatoes and puree them in a blender. Transfer to a large bowl. Chop the remaining 4 tomatoes and add them to the bowl. Add the cucumber, red pepper, onion, red wine vinegar, lemon zest, basil, salt and pepper, and beans, and mix well. Chill for 1 hour before serving.
VARIATION
Make a spicy version of this soup by adding 1 or 2 finely chopped jalapeño peppers, replacing the basil with chopped cilantro, and replacing the red wine vinegar with the zest and juice of 2 limes.
Summer Vegetable Soup
DURING THE SUMMER months, all of the vegetables in this soup can (and should!) be found fresh. Tomatoes, squash, and corn will be at their peak, and their fresh flavors will really shine through in this dish.
SERVES 6
1 large yellow onion, peeled and chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
6 medium tomatoes, chopped
2 medium zucchini, diced
1 yellow squash, diced
3 ears corn, kernels removed (about 2 cups)
6 cups Vegetable Stock , or low-sodium vegetable broth
½ cup finely chopped basil
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Place the onion in a medium saucepan and sauté over medium heat for 7 to 8 minutes. Add water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time to keep the onions from sticking to the pan. Add the garlic and sauté another minute. Add the tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes, or until the tomatoes start to break down slightly. Add the zucchini, yellow squash, corn, and vegetable stock. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Add the basil and lemon zest and juice. Season with salt and pepper.
Potato, Corn and Bean Soup
THIS IS A simple soup to put together, and it’s best made when green beans and corn are ripe in the garden. Vegetables that are in season, fresh from the garden, taste far superior to those that travel across the country, or the world, to get to your table. If you don’t have a garden, check out your local farmers’ market instead. You will quickly become a fan of the remarkable difference in flavor.
SERVES 8
1 large yellow onion, peeled and diced
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon minced thyme
8 cups Vegetable Stock , or low-sodium vegetable broth
1 pound red-skin potatoes (about 7 to 9 small), scrubbed and cut into ½-inch cubes
1 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into ½-inch pieces
6 ears corn, kernels removed (about 3½ cups)
4 cups cooked navy beans , or two 15-ounce cans, drained and rinsed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Place the onion in a large pot and sauté over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time to keep them from sticking to the pan. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for another minute. Add the vegetable stock, potatoes, green beans, and corn and cook, covered, over medium heat, for 15 minutes. Add the navy beans, season with salt and pepper, and cook for another 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
Navy Bean Soup with Lemon and Rosemary
LEMON ZEST AND rosemary add a little flair to what would be a good but otherwise plain bean soup. Here, the lemon flavor comes not from lemon juice (which adds a sour flavor to any dish), but rather from the zest, which brings out the true essence of the lemon.
SERVES 6
2 large leeks (white and light green parts), chopped and rinsed
1 celery stalk, chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 teaspoons minced rosemary
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes (about 3 medium), peeled and cubed
2 cups cooked navy beans , or one 15-ounce can, drained and
2 large cucumbers, peeled, halved, seeded, and diced
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced small
1 medium Vidalia onion, peeled and diced small
¼ cup red wine vinegar
Zest of 1 lemon
½ cup chopped basil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 cups cooked cannellini beans , or one 15-ounce can, drained and rinsed
Coarsely chop 2 of the tomatoes and puree them in a blender. Transfer to a large bowl. Chop the remaining 4 tomatoes and add them to the bowl. Add the cucumber, red pepper, onion, red wine vinegar, lemon zest, basil, salt and pepper, and beans, and mix well. Chill for 1 hour before serving.
VARIATION
Make a spicy version of this soup by adding 1 or 2 finely chopped jalapeño peppers, replacing the basil with chopped cilantro, and replacing the red wine vinegar with the zest and juice of 2 limes.
Summer Vegetable Soup
DURING THE SUMMER months, all of the vegetables in this soup can (and should!) be found fresh. Tomatoes, squash, and corn will be at their peak, and their fresh flavors will really shine through in this dish.
SERVES 6
1 large yellow onion, peeled and chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
6 medium tomatoes, chopped
2 medium zucchini, diced
1 yellow squash, diced
3 ears corn, kernels removed (about 2 cups)
6 cups Vegetable Stock , or low-sodium vegetable broth
½ cup finely chopped basil
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Place the onion in a medium saucepan and sauté over medium heat for 7 to 8 minutes. Add water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time to keep the onions from sticking to the pan. Add the garlic and sauté another minute. Add the tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes, or until the tomatoes start to break down slightly. Add the zucchini, yellow squash, corn, and vegetable stock. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Add the basil and lemon zest and juice. Season with salt and pepper.
Potato, Corn and Bean Soup
THIS IS A simple soup to put together, and it’s best made when green beans and corn are ripe in the garden. Vegetables that are in season, fresh from the garden, taste far superior to those that travel across the country, or the world, to get to your table. If you don’t have a garden, check out your local farmers’ market instead. You will quickly become a fan of the remarkable difference in flavor.
SERVES 8
1 large yellow onion, peeled and diced
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon minced thyme
8 cups Vegetable Stock , or low-sodium vegetable broth
1 pound red-skin potatoes (about 7 to 9 small), scrubbed and cut into ½-inch cubes
1 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into ½-inch pieces
6 ears corn, kernels removed (about 3½ cups)
4 cups cooked navy beans , or two 15-ounce cans, drained and rinsed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Place the onion in a large pot and sauté over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time to keep them from sticking to the pan. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for another minute. Add the vegetable stock, potatoes, green beans, and corn and cook, covered, over medium heat, for 15 minutes. Add the navy beans, season with salt and pepper, and cook for another 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
Navy Bean Soup with Lemon and Rosemary
LEMON ZEST AND rosemary add a little flair to what would be a good but otherwise plain bean soup. Here, the lemon flavor comes not from lemon juice (which adds a sour flavor to any dish), but rather from the zest, which brings out the true essence of the lemon.
SERVES 6
2 large leeks (white and light green parts), chopped and rinsed
1 celery stalk, chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 teaspoons minced rosemary
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes (about 3 medium), peeled and cubed
2 cups cooked navy beans , or one 15-ounce can, drained and
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