Jan/Feb 2007
the healing plate
by Lisa Turner
Soups for the Soul
In the depths of winter's dreary worst, nothing
soothes the soul like a great bowl of soup. The ultimate comfort
food, soup has a nearly mystical power to heal and nourish the
body and spirit on the deepest level. It's warm and calming, filling
the palate with a complex blend of ingredients. And soup is inspiring
and nurturing in a way that single-ingredient dishes can never
hope to be.
The word itself is thought to originate from the Medieval “suppa,”
describing a thick stew poured on slices of bread that were used
to soak up the liquid. When the spoon was invented in the early
17th century, thin soups were all the rage in Europe. (Secondary
to soup consumption, the true impetus behind the development of
the spoon was to accommodate the then-trendy stiff ruffles worn
around the neck.)
Soups today range from broths and consommés-thin, clear
soups rendered from meat or shellfish-to thick, hearty cream soups,
chowders, purees and bisques. And let us not forget the classic
gumbo, a fragrant meat, seafood and/or vegetable soup thickened
with okra, or the classic bouillabaisse, a hearty fish stew that
consists of fish stock with up to a dozen different kinds of seafood
and an aromatic variety of herbs and spices.
Soups are a lovely start to any meal, as a tantalizing appetite
enhancer; a more robust selection can easily be a main course,
when flanked by a salad and bread. Pair the salad to the soup;
a rich chowder needs lighter, even fragile greens; try tossing
frisee with pomegranate seeds, toasted hazelnuts, crumbled feta
cheese and a walnut-oil dressing. A clear, light soup with lots
of broth needs a more substantial salad: think chopped kale, roasted
almonds, oil-cured black olives, sun-dried tomatoes and cubes
of avocado.
Try the rich, nurturing soup selections below; they'll warm your
soul until the start of spring.
Black Bean, Sweet Potato and Spinach Soup
Serves 4
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 yellow onion, diced
3 sweet potatoes, cubed
4 cups organic chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups cooked or canned, rinsed and drained black beans
4 cups baby spinach leaves
1/4 to 1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
In a large soup pot, heat oil and sauté onion for 3 minutes
until soft. Add sweet potatoes and stir to coat with oil. Add
stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes,
until sweet potatoes are tender. With a slotted spoon, scoop out
2 cups of sweet potato cubes; set aside. Puree remaining soup
until smooth. Return soup to pot, add remaining sweet potatoes
and black beans, and cook for 5 minutes longer. Season with salt
and pepper. Stir in spinach and cook for 1 minute, until just
wilted. Stir in sour cream or yogurt and serve immediately.
Roasted Carrot and Parsnip Soup with Chard
Serves 4
1 medium white onion, sliced thin
1 pound carrots, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 pound parsnips, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups organic chicken or vegetable stock
4 large chard leaves,.stems removed, leaves thinly sliced
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange onion, carrots, parsnips
and garlic on a baking pan and drizzle with olive oil. Toss vegetables
to coat with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast until
vegetables are tender and golden, about 40 minutes. Cool slightly
and transfer to a large bowl. Scrape browned pieces off baking
pan and add to vegetable mixture. Add stock.
In batches, puree stock and roasted vegetables and basil until
smooth and transfer to a large soup pot. Add chard and simmer
for 5 minutes. Seasons with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
Lisa Turner is a food writer, nutrition consultant and private
chef. Her Inspired Eating program is a system of health and nutrition
that recognizes the power of food to delight the senses, deeply
nourish body and soul, and inspire us on every level. For more
details, call 303-588-8523, e-mail Lisa at InspiredEating@aol.com
or visit her website at www.InspiredEating.com.
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