Two Comforting Soups for Every Season are a good choice when you’re looking for warmth, flavor, and nourishment in one bowl.
Minestrone
In a pot, place a few diced carrots, a handful of peas, small potato cubes, green beans (cut into 1-2 cm pieces), and two diced tomatoes (or whatever vegetables you have on hand—what matters is that it’s fresh). Add a pitcher of water (about 1.5 liters), bring to a boil, and add salt.
Prepare a roux with a bit of oil and flour (this step can be replaced by adding a thickening agent and a little oil directly to the soup, but the original recipe calls for a roux). Dilute the roux with water, then add it to the soup along with the pasta. It’s important not to use too much water (this is cooked in a smaller pot) to prevent the soup from becoming too thin. During the winter, finely chopped bacon is also added to minestrone for extra flavor.
Winter Pumpkin and Millet Soup
Vegetables that grow close to the ground help relax the body’s middle organs: the spleen, pancreas, and stomach. You’ll need:
- 2.5 cm (1 inch) kombu seaweed
- 1 diced onion
- 2 diced celery stalks
- 1 cup diced winter squash (butternut, buttercup, or kabocha)
- ½ cup millet
- 5 to 6 cups water
- 2 to 3 teaspoons white miso
- 2 to 3 thinly sliced scallions for garnish
Place the kombu, onion, celery, squash, and millet in a pot. Add water, being careful not to disturb the layers, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the vegetables soften and the millet becomes creamy, about 35 minutes. Dissolve the miso in a small amount of the soup, then return it to the pot. Cook uncovered for 3-4 minutes to activate the enzymes. Serve garnished with scallions.
