Hearty Vegetable Soup
A kitchen sink full of goodness.
Serves 8 to 10
2 ½ cups onions cut into thin wedges (about 3 medium onions)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup cut fresh green beans, cut into 1/2” chunks, or green peas
1 cup sliced button mushrooms (halve and thinly slice)
Two – 28 oz cans diced tomatoes, plain or with Italian seasonings
12 cups beef, chicken or vegetable stock
½ cup rinsed barley
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp dried herbes de provence, ground with a mortar and pestle
One – 19 oz can mixed beans (chick peas, pinto beans, kidney beans etc), rinsed
1 cup packed thinly sliced kale, ribs removed
Garnish
6 corn or flour tortillas
1-2 tbsp olive oil
pinch salt
sour cream or Greek yogurt
In a large stockpot, brown the onions in the oil over medium heat, about 10 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, green beans or peas and mushrooms. Cook another 10 minutes.
Add diced tomatoes, stock, barley, bay leaves and herbes de provence. Bring to a boil and simmer, slightly covered for 45 minutes, or until the barley is cooked.
Add the rinsed mixed beans and kale. Cook another 5 minutes. Serve as is, or garnish with tortilla shoestrings and a spoonful of sour cream.
Garnish
Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut the tortillas into thin ¼” or narrower strips. Toss with the olive oil and salt. Spread on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for 6 minutes. Toss and return to the oven for another 6 minutes. Flour tortillas may take another 12 minutes to bake. Tortillas are done when they are starting to brown and starting to crisp.
