Carolyn's Soup

Carolyn's Soup

This has been around for so long I don't remember where I got it. I think it morphed over time, like the Ur-Salad in Dave and Maria's cookbook. The two most important features in the flavor of the broth are the cheese rind and the blended beans. This is a one-pot meal if you serve it with  good bread for dunking and some fruit or salad if you want to get more courses on the table for some reason....


|Ingredients


1 cup pasta (short works best), cooked separately to almost done
Quart of  good quality chicken or vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 small onion, chopped
Italian bulk sausage (optional--I often use one hot and one mild raw turkey sausage removed from casing, mixed together.)
Parmesan cheese rind (|cut close to the wedge of parm if using your own, or get one from grocery, such as Whole Foods|)
2-3 chopped carrots
2-3 chopped stalks celery with leaves

(|I buy Trader Joe's mirepoix, which sacrifices the celery leaves but cuts down on time. I separate the onion and cook it first| as directions indicate)

2 to 3 cloves minced garlic (or frozen)
1 can pinto beans, drained
1 can diced tomatoes with Italian seasoning, or add extra spices if you have plain|)
1/2 small can tomato paste
2/3 zucchini
2 cups spinach, kale or power greens, chopped
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Fresh or dried basil and oregano
Fresh Italian parsley or cilantro chopped to sprinkle on top (optional)
Freshly grated parmesan to sprinkle on top (not optional)

Instructions

Use an 8 to 10 cup pot with heavy bottom and a lid, if possible.

Saute onion, garlic and meat if using until cooked through. Add broth, water, and tomato paste. (The tomato paste blends with the soup better if you start with some hot broth in a separate bowl and blend to tomato sauce consistency before adding to the pot|.)

Add parm rind, heat, then simmer 10 minutes.

Put about 2/3 of the beans with some hot broth in a blender (my preference) or bowl (the tomato paste bowl will do) and blend or mash. Add back to the soup pot.

Add herbs to taste and simmer 10 minutes. (You probably will need 1/2 tsp or so if the tomatoes had seasoning and at least double that if they were plain.)

Add carrots and celery and cook until almost done.

Add pasta, zucchini and spinach and cook until ready to eat. Adjust seasonings. There is no salt and  you will need it if you didn't use sausage, probably

Serve with fresh parm, and chopped parsley or cilantro if you wish.