[Ohio-talk] Time For Soup

[mzavoli at roadrunner.com]

Hi Listers,

I got a molar pulled today and am suffering from its painful effects.  All I can have right now is soup.  I think I will make a chicken and rice soup with vegetables.  I think I will empty out the refrigerator of most of my vegetables.  So the soup with consist of its foundation--onions, carrots, and celery sautéed in extravirgin olive oil and two tablespoons butter.  Then I add zucchini, asparagus, brussells sprouts, turnips, beets, and parsnips and saute them for about 6 minuts.  I add a 28-ounce can diced tomatoes (or fresh, if I have them), my chicken or vegetable bouillon cubes according to taste, which, in a 10-quart stockpot, is usually 5 or 6, and about 6 quarts water or more.  I bring the soup to a boil and turn it down to medium low to simmer for about 90 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.  After that, I add 1-1/2 cups brown rice.  It takes about 45 minutes for the rice to cook, so about 15 minutes into the cooking period, I add a whole rotisserie chicken (I know, I'm cheating and not making the chicken stock from scratch). Meanwhile, as the soup simmers and the flavors develop, I cut a loaf of fresh French bread lengthwise, butter it generously and top it with some garlic powder.  Sometimes I use fresh garlic and sprinkle it with parmesan cheese--yum!

There you have it, my recipe for a hot, comforting soup to ward off the winter cold and to soothe my painful experience at the dentist.  By the way, I asked the dentist if he intended to torture me today, and he said "Oh, yes.  I saved the most torturous treatment for the end of the day, and you are my last patient.  Just wait until I get that drill in your mouth and pull that tooth."  I said, "Are you trying to be Dr. Frankenstein?"  He said, "No, Dr. Frankenstein learned from me."  All kidding aside, Dr. Thomas is a great and gentle dentist, friendly and humorous.  He knows what he's doing.

All the best,
Milena Zavoli