Special Taste

This soup is similar to minestrone but lighter. Vegetables should be cut to a uniform size for this recipe, preferably in a 1/2-inch (1-cm) dice. The soup can be made up to three days ahead of time and reheated when needed. If you like spicy flavors, add 1 tsp (5 ml) Asian chili sauce.

2 tbsp (25 ml) - olive oil
1 tsp (5 ml) - chopped garlic
1 cup (250 ml) - diced Spanish onion
1/2 cup (125 ml) - diced carrots
1/2 cup (125 ml) - diced celery
1/2 cup (125 ml) - diced rutabaga
1/2 cup (125 ml) - diced potatoes
4 cups (1 L) - vegetable stock
1 cup (250 ml) - V8 juice
1/2 cup (125 ml) - diced green zucchini
1/2 cup (125 ml) - diced yellow zucchini
1 cup (250 ml) - peeled and diced Roma tomatoes
Pinch cayenne pepper
Pinch Spanish paprika
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 cups (500 ml) - tightly packed baby spinach
1 tsp (5 ml) - chopped basil
1/4 cup (50 ml) - fresh parsley, chopped and stems removed
1/2 cup (125 ml) - grated Parmesan

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic, onion, carrots, celery, rutabaga and potatoes. Saute for 5 minutes or until translucent.

2. Add vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes. Add V8 juice, green and yellow zucchini, tomatoes, cayenne, paprika and salt and pepper and return to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

3. Just before serving, reheat soup and stir in spinach, basil and parsley. Serve at once, garnished with grated Parmesan.

Serves 6

An excellent spring soup which can be made with frozen fiddleheads if fresh ones are not available. This soup can be made one day in advance of serving.

3 tbsp (45 ml)   -   butter
3 leeks, white part only, sliced
1 lb (500 g)   -     fiddleheads, cleaned
5 cups (1.25 L)   -   chicken stock
1/2 cup (125 ml)   -   whipping cream
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tsp (5 ml)   -   grated lemon rind

1. In a large pot, melt butter on medium heat until it sizzles. Add leeks and fiddleheads and saute for 2 to 3 minutes, or until coated with butter and beginning to soften.

2. Add stock, bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer, covered, for 20 to 25 minutes or until the fiddleheads are tender.

3. In a food processor or blender, puree soup until smooth. Press soup through a sieve to remove any fibers. Return it to the pot, add cream and simmer for 5 minutes. Season well with the salt, pepper and lemon rind. If the soup is too thick, add a little stock to thin it down.

Serves 6 to 8