A Trip to the Kitchen

    Today, Wednesday April 3, 2013 will most likely be the last "cool" day of the season, presently it is 66 deg. F / 18.8 deg. C. What better way then to use some vegetables that must be used or in a few days relegated to the compost bin, thus one decided to make a "chunky tomato soup" from scratch, or as some would say, not out of a can, but entirely homemade. The amount of ingredients are based on four or five hungry souls.

     Begin by chopping up a very large white or yellow onion, cube 3 medium size Russet potatoes, slice 1 large onion, chop 2 cups of celery, chop 3 cloves garlic, chop or dice 5 Roma tomatoes or similar (you may use more or less depending on taste).

 



The cubed potatoes.

 The chopped celery stalks.

The chopped carrot (from my vegetable garden.


Onions are sauteing.

   

     Saute the onion in 1 tablespoon of butter and some good olive oil.  When the onions are translucent add the potatoes, celery, carrots, garlic, let this saute for a couple of minutes. Then add one cup of milk and 1 1/2 half tablespoon of corn starch, adding the cornstarch really slowly so it will not turn into lumps. Bring this to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, then add two cups of chicken broth, ideally you will have made your own and kept it in the freezer, otherwise use the canned kind. At this point add the tomatoes and 1 small can of tomato paste. Let this simmer for 20 minutes. This is also a good time to add whatever amount of salt and pepper you may desire.  For those who prefer a slightly spicier version, add a small amount of dried red pepper flakes.

 

 

 

Tomatoes and tomato paste has been added.



 

     While the soup is sauteing it is time to get the meat ready. You may use stew meat or ground meat, it is entirely up to you, but brown it first.

 

      One pound of ground meat that has been seasoned with salt and pepper being browned,  then add it to the soup for the last 10 minutes of cooking.

Where is the beef???? It is in the soup, that is where it is.

 

     While the soup is simmering it is time to get the garnish ready; fresh from my vegetable garden newly grown bunching onions and some flat leaf Italian parsley.





Chop the stalks into nice 1/2 inch / 2 cm long pieces.

 

 

      Garnish the soup in the bowl with chopped bunching onion and some of the Italian parsley.

Then sit back and enjoy a nice dinner, with a glass of your favorite Italian wine and of course,

with a slice of your favorite Italian garlic bread.

 

(Sorry, we are out of both wine and garlic bread, what a sacrifice.)

 

Regardless, it was a tasty dinner and there is some left over for tomorrow.