Healing Soup

We offer this soup as a regular menu item at Rosa’s Food Shoppe. Read its history below.

A long time ago I was a volunteer at a place where people were not feeling very good, they needed a friend or a little help. I was assigned to a special woman who loved to cook as much as I did.

At the time I had a restaurant and so I would bring her special foods when I would visit.

Our friendship lasted many years, and many times when she was very sad I would bring her my “healing soup”—it worked every time, she just felt better and it made me smile to know a simple soup could help so much.

The healing soup reflects the flavors of the season. The vegetables make the stock base. Try to use the freshest vegetables available. And don’t be afraid to add all sorts of veggies––it all comes out good­, I promise.

Here we go with ingredients:

4 large onions coarsely chopped
8 scallions minced
10 Yukon gold potatoes peeled and chopped
3 large sweet potatoes peeled and chopped
1 head of celery chopped
1 cup parsnips peeled and chopped
1 butternut squash peeled and chopped
2 cups carrots peeled and chopped

1 cup of lentils (any color)
1 cup navy bean
1 cup or heirloom red beans
1 cup white beans
1 cup of split pea
1 cup of fava beans
1 cup of lima beans
(Mix & match beans according to your taste)

2 cups sweet corn
2 cups cream of corn
2 cups tomato puree or tomato soup water

6 cups water

To season the soup you will need:

Red pepper flakes
Turmeric
Salt
Garlic
Fresh minced parsley
(These are my favorite spices, they are all optional, add the spices you like best.)

Let’s make the soup!

1. Pour 1 cup good olive oil in a tall stock pot.
2. Add chopped onions, scallions, yukon and sweet potatoes, celery, parsnips, and butternut squash to oil in pot.
3. Let vegetables cook and release juices for about 20 minutes (low heat).
4. Then add carrots, and beans, and toss and let cook for 10 minutes.
5. Add sweet corn and cream of corn.
   Add tomato puree or tomato soup water.
   Add 6 cups of cold water or enough water so that all ingredients are under the water in the pot (very important), stir to blend.
6. Place on medium/low flame on stove top until mixture reaches a slow simmer. Add spices. Stir to blend.
7. Let soup simmer and cook slowly. This allows vegetables to cook and break down and helps to thicken soup stock
8. After a few hours, you will see that the vegetables and all the flavors blend into one delicious healing broth. The soup is done when there is a dark skim coat top layer in the pot. Don’t be afraid to taste your soup as it cooks and simmers.
9. Eat immediately or refrigerate. It just keeps getting better if left to bloom for days in the fridge.

Sprinkle freshly grated Parmigiano and your soup is gourmet!

Serve with crusty garlic bread or not…..it is very filling!

I love this soup because it makes up a large batch.

Share my “healing soup” with someone who needs cheering up! We all know someone who needs a bowl!

Enjoy from my healing kettle to your bowl of good health.

Rosa