Stovetop
Serves 6
Ingredients:
1 Tbs canola or extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup yellow onions, diced
¼ cup lovage stems, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1½ cups thinly sliced carrots
1 cup sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup winter squash, peeled and diced
1 cup tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
4 cups vegetable stock or canned vegetable broth
½ cup dry white wine
Bouquet Garni (see Notes*)
½ lb fresh green beans cut into 1" lengths, or one 10 oz package of frozen green beans, thawed
½ lb fresh kale, spinach or Swiss chard, washed and chopped
1 cup spinach rotelle or elbow pasta
Preparation:
In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally for three to five minutes, or until soft.
Add lovage and garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, tomatoes, stock or broth, wine and bouquet garni. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 30 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
Add beans, greens and pasta. Raise heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes, or until pasta is done.
Remove bouquet garni and serve hot.
*Bouquet Garni:
Used to flavor soups, stews and broth, a bouquet garni is a group of herbs either tied together with kitchen twine or placed in a cheesecloth bag. The classic combination is bay leaf, thyme and parsley. The herbs are removed before serving. For this soup, make a bouquet garni with one bay leaf, two sprigs fresh thyme, two sprigs fresh oregano, and four sprigs fresh parsley.
Oster, Maggie, Gilbertie, Sal. The Herbal Palate Cookbook: Pownal, VT: Storey Communications, 1996.