Comfort in a Bowl

No, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth; I have not been knocked out by a low-hung gargoyle or the icy slick coating the cobbles. I've just been, well, incommunicado the last couple of months; the means for communication were certainly present--as were my own laziness and a rather hectic schedule. My sincerest apologies to you out there--who are probably no longer bothering to read!--who have been met with Poirot's face for the last three months... I'm tired of his visage, too.

So, here's a too-good-not-to-share adaption of a recipe from the October 1995 issue of Bon Appetit:

Yields 4 generous portions.

3 stalks celery, chopped
1 medium white onion, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
Olive oil

2 Tbs. fresh thyme, stripped from stems
1 whole sprig fresh rosemary
1 small bunch sage (4-5 leaves)

2 Tbs red onion jam
Splash of red wine

2 courgettes, chopped and ends removed
1 yellow pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cloves of garlic, whole/peeled
1 medium baking potato, cubed
1/4 cup red lentils (optional)
1 8-oz tin of peeled tomatoes
8-12 oz water
8 oz boiling water with 1 chicken or vegetable stock cube dissolved in it

Salt
Ground black pepper
1 tsp. pul biber or chili flakes

Rinse and chop the vegetables into bite-sized pieces--preferably so that they are all roughly the same size. This is not crucial. I find the best vegetable soups are those that have those escaped, odd bits--they add texture. Sweat the chopped onions, celery, and carrots in a few tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large pot or dutch oven until they are soft, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. A bit of salt will help with this. As the mirepoix breaks down and starts to smell scrumptious, throw in the rosemary, 1 Tbs. thyme, sage, and stir. Put a lid on the pot to help the herbs infuse into the vegetables. Leave the pot covered, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes or so.

Fish out the sprig of rosemary, the sage leaves, and add a splash (half of a wine glass) of red wine. Scrape the bottom of the pot to release any bits that have caramelised and stuck. Now add the red onion jam, courgettes, pepper, garlic cloves, potato, and stir. Add the tin of tomatoes, breaking up the tomatoes with the wooden spoon. Next, add the water and stock and stir through thoroughly. There should be enough liquid to cover all of the other ingredients; add more water if needed. Now is a good time to check seasoning. Add more salt if necessary, add ground black pepper, chili flakes, and if the onion jam was left out, add a pinch of sugar to offset the acidity of the tinned tomatoes. Cover the pot and raise the heat slightly to bring to a boil. When the soup has reached the boil, add the red lentils (optional) and turn down the heat to a vigorous simmer (more of a low boil). Cover the pot and allow the soup to simmer for at least 15 minutes, or until the lentils and potatoes are cooked through and all the vegetables have softened.

When the soup has simmered away and the vegetables have reached the desired softness, tip in the remaining fresh thyme and check the seasoning once more, adding more salt and pepper as needed. Turn off the heat. Using a ladle, transfer 1/3 - 1/2 of the soup to a blender and pulse until smooth (allow the liquid to cool a few minutes in the blender before blending, or keep the steam hole of the blender open, covered with a towel). Try to get the two cloves of garlic included in the portion that is blended--if they manage to remain elusive to your ladle's trawl, that's fine; they'll have gone soft and sweeter having been boiled whole.

Pour the pureed soup back into the pot to join the remainder and stir through.
Serve warm.

David Chang of Momofuku recently quoted the Basque chef Juan Mari Arzak on Lynne Rossetto Kasper's 'The Splendid Table', saying 'You have to look at food through a child's eyes', and on a cold, dark Sunday afternoon, this simple and straightforward soup was comfort in a bowl.