recipe of the month

Fall in the Midwest begs for soup. If your doctor’s been on your ass case to eat more vegetables, this recipe might be just the ticket.
A caveat about my recipes: I tend to throw in a lot of editorial comments. All my measurements – unless I’m making pastry or sauces or something where the science actually matters – can be called “more or less,” as I never measure that accurately.

This recipe is adapted from a recipe I found from The Moosewood Restaurant.

Autumn Minestrone

2-4 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
2-3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

2 ½ - 3 cups peeled & cubed winter squash (acorn, delicata, buttercup)
2 -3 celery stalks, diced
½ -1 cup peeled & diced carrots
2 ½ - 3 cups cubed potatoes
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons salt (to taste)
½ - 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 – 7 cups chicken stock (or water)

4 cups chopped kale
1 15 ounce can of cannellini beans, drained

Warm the oil in a large soup pot on medium heat. Add onions and garlic, and sauté for five minutes. Add squash, celery, carrots, potatoes, oregano, salt, pepper, and stock and cook for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are almost done. Add the kale and beans and simmer until the kale is tender and the beans are hot.

So, the notes:

This is not a good recipe to prepare while drinking. By the time you get done peeling the squash, you’ll wonder why you ever thought this was a good idea. I’d recommend using a smooth-skinned squash, so you can at least use a vegetable peeler. Ever tried to peel an acorn squash? I just did. I’m on my second umpteenth glass of wine now, if that tells you anything.

You could add cubed chicken breasts to this soup to make the non-vegetarians in your household happy. On the other hand, those folks are probably going to fuss about “that funny green stuff” floating in their soup bowls anyway. Give up. Make them a hamburger.

I think a dusting of parmesan would be good, too. I serve this with fresh French bread and obviously, wine.