What's-in-the-Garden Soup

    

There are two times each year when I find myself with tiny vegetables, or tiny amounts of vegetables. The first is early, when I’m getting impatient to harvest something. Some baby spinach, or fingerling carrots, or maybe the earliest snap peas. Then at the end of the summer, there may be some ripe tomatoes, a stray zucchini or crook neck squash, some green beans, and maybe a bell pepper, just turning color. Either way, there are small amounts of several wonderful varieties.

 

The main garden has only been in for a week or so. The plants that came in from Jordan's school fund raiser were healthy and strong, and have been growing rapidly. As always, I'm impatient for results. We moved the garden this year, from the planter boxes in the back to the un-used flower bed in front of the house. It's not a large space, but it will get all day southern exposure. Soon, there will be flowers on the tomatoes, peppers and squash.

 

The peas are growing, beginning to climb the string trellis, and the chard is starting to show color. The slugs have been enjoying some of Jimmy's beer, and have been staying out of the garden. Just a couple of days ago, I found myself harvesting the first of the broccoli florets. The kids were leaving for a week, and the broccoli was ready to bolt. There was barely a serving, but enough for Jordan and Connor to each have a few bites.

 

 "Those are out of your garden," I said to them, "What do you think?"

  "Dee-licious!" Connor declared. Broccoli has always been his favorite veggie, and everything tastes better when you grow it yourself.

 

When there is not enough of any one thing to use alone, combine them all to make a wonderful vegetable soup. I don’t think I’ve made this the same way twice, but it’s always gotten good reviews from my family. It’s very light, and appropriate even for a summer supper. The herb combination will depend on your taste. Be wary of too much cilantro or thyme. A little of either goes a long way. Basil, marjoram, parsley, or savory are milder. 

 

What's-in-the-Garden Soup 

Serves 4 to 6
1 quart chicken or vegetable broth

2 or 3 ripe tomatoes, diced or 1 can diced tomatoes in juice

1 small onion, minced

1 carrot, thinly sliced

1 stalk celery, diced

3 or 4 baby red potatoes, quartered if necessary

1 cup green and/or wax beans, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 small "summer" squash (zucchini, crookneck, etc.) thinly sliced

1 small sweet pepper, any variety, seeded and diced

1 small hot pepper, seeded and diced (optional)

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tbsp. butter

1 tbsp. olive oil

¼ cup chopped, assorted fresh herbs or 1 tbsp. dried (parsley, basil and marjoram)

Salt, pepper

 

Heat oil and butter in a stock pot to medium high. Saute onion until golden brown. Add carrots, celery, peppers and garlic and saute for a minute or two. Add tomatoes, beans and broth. Season with salt and pepper. Stir well. Bring to nearly a boil. Add the squash. Lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in potatoes and summer squash and cook 15 minutes longer or until vegetables are all tender. Stir in herbs and adjust seasonings. 

 

The Hummingbird Lady

         The hummingbirds return to the Norhtwest every year on March 15th. My mother-in-law, Sally, taught me that. She also taught me how to make Swiss steak, tailor a blazer, and do bookkeeping the old-fashioned way, with a ledger. If I had a question about an old movie, odds were she would know the answer. She was my mentor, my surrogate mother, one of my best friends.            
         My fondest memories are of the times we spent alone together, working in her garden on Orcas. Mom held court in her garden, sitting on her campstool like a queen on a throne. (It was easier for her to reach the plants that way.) A pump-pot of coffee was always at her side. She would be wearing the faded Mariner’s jacket that had been Hal’s, her old hiking boots, and frayed jeans that were inches too short. Quite the contrast to the elegant woman she was in public. Sitting cross-legged amidst the lavender and crane’s bill geraniums, I’d pull weeds and listen to her stories. We’d talk and laugh, and not get as much done as we could.            
        Mom loved her critters, and kept most of her five acres virgin-wild. Her squirrel and bird feeders were always kept full, although she often complained about the mess they made. She delighted in the wildlife that visited her beach, martin, blue heron, even the occasional sea otter. Only the deer nearly drove her mad, eating her flowers.           
        Every year she would hang hummingbird feeders, four or five of the largest available. The tiny birds would swarm the deck, like a hive of iridescent bees. It’s hard to believe it’s been four years since Mom was taken from us, on March 15th. I like to believe that her soul had an escort of Hummingbirds to begin its journey. I think she would have liked that.

*****
Old Style Alphabet Soup

1 or 2 meaty beef soup bones

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 whole clove garlic, peeled

1 large whole chili pepper

¾ cup diced celery

¾ cup sliced carrots

¾ cup diced onion

1 cup frozen mixed vegetables, thawed

8 cups beef broth, homemade or canned

1 large bay leaf

Salt, pepper and onion powder

A handful of alphabet pasta

Heat a little oil in a heavy Dutch oven to medium-high. Carefully place bones, fattiest side down in the oil. Season with salt, pepper and onion powder.Stir in the tomato paste. Brown well, turning the bones frequently.  Toss in the garlic and chili. Pour the broth over the bones, scraping to loosen the brown bits.

Add a bay leaf and ½ cup each or the carrots, celery and onions. Lower heat to simmer. Cover and simmer 2 hours or longer, until meat is falling from bones. When the meat is thoroughly cooked, remove from heat.

 

Strain into a chilled bowl, reserving the liquid. Chill the strained broth completely. This will allow the excess fat to rise to the top and harden. You can then easily de-fat your soup by simply lifting it off. 

When the bones are cool enough to handle, discard the bay leaf, garlic clove, chili and vegetables. Remove the meat and cut into bite size pieces.

Reheat the de-fatted broth. Stir in the meat and remaining vegetables. Add a little extra broth or water, if needed. Bring back almost to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until vegetables are cooked, about 20 minutes. 

Stir in the pasta. Cook another 10 minutes until the alphabets are cooked. Adjust seasonings as needed.