Vegetable Soup with Swiss Chard

Vegetarian

Any of these vegetables can be omitted or substituted. You may use canned corn instead of fresh. You can add potatoes. If you don’t have any celery or carrots, the soup will still be good. If you still have a cabbage in the bottom of the refrigerator, chop it up and add it to the soup.

Makes 4 1/2 quarts, serves 8.

Ingredients

• 1 T. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 medium sized onions, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 12 cups water or vegetable stock
• 2 celery stalks, sliced lengthwise and cut into diagonal slices
• 3 carrots, cut the same way
• 1 t. dried oregano
• 3 basil leaves, minced
• 1/2 t. dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 T. chopped fresh parsley
• 2 t. salt
• 2 ears of corn, kernels scraped off
• 1 bunch Swiss Chard, chopped (keep leaves and stems in separate piles)
• 1 squash, quartered and sliced
• 1 cup green beans, cut into pieces
• 1 14 ounce can crushed tomatoes, or 4 peeled fresh tomatoes
• 1 cup uncooked pasta
• 1 cup cooked chick peas or kidney or white beans
• Parmesan cheese to taste

Preparation

1. In a large stock pot, heat oil and sauté onions and garlic until golden.
2. Add water, celery, carrots, herbs, 1/2 of the parsley, and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer, partially covered, for about 15 minutes.
3. Add corn, chard stalks, squash, beans, tomatoes, and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn up heat. Add pasta and cook for 5 minutes. Add chard leaves and simmer until pasta is cooked and chard is tender. Add the cooked beans and the rest of the parsley.
4. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve each bowl with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

Source: Adapted from Greens Glorious Greens by Albi and Walthers

From: In the Bag: July 27-29, 2004