Garden Vegetable Soup

One of the great pleasures of the summer is home gardening.  There's nothing quite like the feeling of watching something grow from seed to the point where you can pick it and serve it for supper.

Of course, not everyone is a master gardener, especially me.  This year, our family decided to plant a little of this and a little of that, to see what survived or even thrived in our desert climate.  Our success rate has been better for some things, like zucchini and Swiss chard, and not quite as good with others, such as peas, green beans, or tomatoes.

At this point in the season, we can usually find something ready to pick every day, whether it's a single yellow squash, the odd cucumber or two, or perhaps a few fruits off our stunted ocra plants.  Aside from the cucumbers, which can be sliced, salted, and served immediately, we almost never find something in a quantity great enough to serve as a side dish at dinnertime.

While I was looking at a pile of a little of this and a little of that on my kitchen counter top, several weeks ago, inspiration suddenly whacked me in the head.  Soup!  Since then, we have made pot after pot of nourishing vegetable soup, using mostly items from our garden, and I've never had to worry about not having enough peas to cook up as "just peas" or enough green beans to steam alongside spaghetti.

When a sister asked me for my recipe, I told her I take whatever vegetables I have, including leftovers if they are there, and throw them in.  Each time, it is a little different, but each time, it is delicious.

This is the soup I made the other day.

 Ingredients:

Tomatoes (I actually used one store-bought tomato, seeded, in addition to the ones seen here.)
Yellow squash (half of the one seen here)
Zucchini (half of the one seen here)
Green beans
Ocra
Swiss chard
Baby potatoes
Onions (not in the picture, but my husband reminded me I had some chopped ones in the refrigerator already)
Corn on the cob, already cooked, left over from another night
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 teaspoon Italian herbs
2 Spicy Italian sausages (Normally, I use 3, but my husband had given in to a craving the day before, so I only had 2.)

The hardest part about this soup is the cutting and chopping to prepare for it.

Chop the tomatoes into pieces about a half inch square.  (Or not.)  Some people may say the tomatoes should be peeled.  I might have said that, as well, before I met a wonderful Mexican woman when I worked in food service.  She tried to teach me her recipe for albondigas, a fabulous meatball soup which I never could master, and as part of the vegetable broth of the soup, she simply cut tomatoes into wedges and threw them in the pot to saute with the onions before adding water.  So that is now what I do when I use fresh tomatoes.  (If I do not have fresh tomatoes, I add a can of salt-free canned diced tomatoes, including the liquid.  This gives the broth a nice color.)

Peel the yellow squash.  Slice and quarter the yellow squash and zucchini.

Cut off the ends of the green beans, then cut into pieces about 3/4-inch to an inch long.

Cut off the stem end of the ocra, then slice.  If the ocra feels a touch woody, it may manage to turn out all right in the soup, as it has plenty of time to cook.  If it is more than a touch woody, feed it to the chickens and get a different ocra.

If you've never worked with Swiss chard before, you are really missing something wonderful.  Swiss chard is an ideal vegetable for us to grow in our climate, because it is more heat-tolerant and generally hardy than spinach.  It is full of good nutrients--everything from iron to protein--and as long as it is cut neatly, continues to produce.  Where we are, if it is protected, it can even survive the winter and come back in the spring.

Swiss chard can be boiled as spinach can and tastes very similar, but as a much hardier leaf, it takes more time for it to be finished cooking.  Amazingly enough, my family likes boiled Swiss chard, so we're lucky it happens to be one of the vegetables we can grow well enough to eat on a regular basis.

The Swiss chard stems can also be chopped and cooked in recipes very much like celery.  For this reason, when I make my soup, I chop Swiss chard stems to put in the pot during the saute phase and chop the leaves separately to add later on.

We had not planned on growing potatoes, but at the time we were planting our garden, a russet potato in our pantry was trying to grow.  So we shrugged, cut it up, and planted it, just to see what would happen.  The day I made this soup, we noticed that several of the thriving plants had taken a turn for the worst and had died, so we dug up the ground to see if any potatoes had been produced.  To our delight, we found several tiny potatoes, just enough for soup after they were washed well and the larger ones cut up to match the smaller ones.

If you happen to have leftover corn on the cob, cut it off the cob.

Slice and quarter the sausages.  (Or the other way around, which is usually what I do.  I quarter the sausages lengthwise, then slice them.)

Once everything has been chopped, it is time to start cooking.

In a heated non-stick pot, add the tomatoes, onions, and Swiss chard stems.  Saute for about 5 minutes, then add 6 cups of water, the 2 chicken bouillon cubes, and the 1 teaspoon Italian herbs.  Bring to a boil.

Add the green beans, ocra, and potatoes.  Bring again to a boil, then add the squash, zucchini, and Swiss chard.

It will look like the Swiss chard is not even in the water and has filled the pot impossibly high.  Don't worry; it will cook down.

Cover the pot with a lid for about five minutes, then stir.  By this time, some of the Swiss chard should have reduced enough to be able to stir it into the broth.  Bring the pot to a simmer and cook for another five minutes or so.

Add the corn and the sausage.  Return to simmer, and let it simmer until the potatoes are cooked through.  (If you are not quite ready to eat yet--your biscuits aren't quite out of the oven or someone has just gone outside to milk the goat--keep the burner on low and allow the soup to sit just at or below the point of simmering.)

And that's it!  You can use whatever fresh vegetables or leftovers you have on hand, provided they are the kind of vegetables which cook well, rather than primarily salad vegetables, like cucumbers or lettuce.  If you do not have Swiss chard, try chopped cabbage.  (A winter version of this soup, when you may not have any garden veggies at all, calls for chopped cabbage, chopped cauliflower, onions, canned diced tomatoes, canned green beans, and canned corn.)  If you would rather have pasta than potatoes, add about 3/4 cup orzo and let it cook the last 10 minutes of boiling/simmering.  If you prefer a different meat, or if you have some leftover chicken or roast on hand, you can use that, as well, although you may need to season the soup a bit more.  (The beauty of the Spicy Italian sausage is that it tends to flavor the soup well, so seasoning aside from the bouillon and the herbs is unnecessary.)

Exercise your creativity and have fun!

Not Quite San Francisco Sourdough

Remember the book my sister sent me at Christmastime?  Remember the sourdough starter I attempted to make at that time?  (The one my husband said couldn't be made because there weren't enough wild yeasts and bacteria floating around in the desert?)

Well, events being what they were, I had to leave it in the care of my teenagers for a few days . . . which wasn't a good idea.  When I returned, I found a mess which deserved only discarding.  After that, with school starting right away, I didn't think I could give a seed starter the care it needed, so I postponed trying again.

When Spring Break finally came along, I decided it was time.  I began again, following the schedule outlined in the book, and watched in delight as bubbly things started happening.  (Obviously there are enough yeasts and bacteria in the desert in springtime to make starter-type things happen!)  And then the bubbly things stopped happening.  My starter ceased to be active, and I realized I had missed a critical stage in its development when it had needed more ingredients added.  (Discard #2.)

With a sigh, I started yet again, even though school was coming back into session, as well.  I decided to take the book's author at his word when he said the mixture only needed to be aerated two or three times a day, hoping the long stretch of my absence each day wouldn't adversely affect the growth of the living beasties inside my bowl.  It seemed to work, and this time, I understood more what I was looking for in the starter's development.

Finally, I had a "mother starter" finished and waiting in my refrigerator, and with a little trepidation, decided it was time to try out a sourdough recipe.  (Still being the scientist, I had been recording everything I did in this experiment on my notebook . . .)

I chose the San Francisco Sourdough recipe to start out with, because I thought it would be kind of fun.  The reason I have entitled this entry "Not Quite San Francisco Sourdough" is because I knew my bread couldn't be San Francisco Sourdough without the same kinds of yeasts and bacteria found specifically in the San Francisco area.  But aside from that, the recipe is supposed to produce a loaf fairly similar to a San Francisco Sourdough loaf.

The resulting bread was chewy, dense, and delicious.  It did not rise as much as I thought it would when I shaped it in loaf pans, so I decided the next time around, I would try a different shape.  It had a distinct sour flavor characteristic of good artisan sourdough breads, and my husband and I called it a success, overall.  (At least it was a step in the right direction, even if it looked a little funny.)

After a couple more attempts at sourdough recipes, and a few more mistakes which helped me refine my technique, I finally tried making a whole wheat sourdough.  I was very careful with my scoring, which had given me trouble some other batches, and the bread came out rather pretty.(In the words of the Junior Taste-tester, "Minecraft bread!")  While I have never been a fan of normal whole wheat bread, I found I actually enjoyed the flavor of the sourdough whole wheat bread.

So with that success under my belt, I decided it was time to demonstrate the technique for the blog.  The recipe I am using is the whole wheat sourdough bread.

The funny jar in the front is the mother starter.

Ingredients:

For the starter:

1/4 cup (2 oz/56.5 g) mother starter, cold or at room temperature
1 1/3 cups (6 oz/170 g) whole wheat flour
1/2 cup plus 1 Tablespoon (4.5 oz/128 g) lukewarm water (about 95 degrees F or 35 degrees C)

For the dough:

All of the whole wheat sourdough starter (12.5 oz/354 g)
1 1/2 Tablespoons (1 oz/28.5g) honey or agave nectar, or 2 Tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 cups (12 oz/340 g) lukewarm water
2 Tablespoons (1 oz/28.5 g) vegetable oil (optional)
3 1/2 cups (16 oz/454 g) whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons (0.5 oz/14 g) salt, or 1 Tablespoon coarse kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons (0.17 oz/5 g) instant yeast (optional)

This recipe takes at least two days to make, so be prepared to start early.

To make the starter, combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl.  If you are using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment and mix on the lowest speed for 1 minute, then increase to medium speed for about 30 seconds.  If you are mixing by hand, stir for about 2 minutes, until well blended.  If the starter does not feel doughlike and tacky or slightly sticky, stir in additional flour or water as needed.  (I find, for me, if I measure the starter and flour by weight, I need no alterations.)

Weighing the mother starter.

Weighing the whole wheat flour.

Transfer the starter to a lightly floured work surface and knead for about 30 seconds.  Place it in a clean, lightly oiled bowl, cover the bowl loosely, and leave at room temperature for 6 to 8 hours, until the starter increases to about 1 1/2 times its original size.  Use the starter immediately to make the final dough or refrigerate overnight or for up to 4 days.  (It's a good idea to pick a non-metal bowl for this; less chance of having reactive issues.  I use Corelware or glass.)

This is the starter before time sitting on the counter.

This is the starter after sitting on the counter . . . It's aliiiiive!!

To make the dough, cut the starter into 10 or 12 pieces and put them in a mixing bowl.  Dissolve the honey in the warm water (if you're using sugar, just add it with the dry ingredients), then stir in the oil and pour the mixture into the mixing bowl.  Stir to soften the starter, then add the dry ingredients, along with the instant yeast (unless you're making the "purist" version, like I do).  If you are using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment and mix on the lowest speed for 1 minute, or stir with a large spoon for about 1 minute, to create a wet, coarse dough.  Let the dough sit for about 5 minutes to fully hydrate the flour.

In a stand mixer, switch to the dough hook and mix on medium-low speed, or continue mixing by hand, for 2 minutes.  The dough will firm up slightly and become smoother.  Adjust by adding a little more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, if it is too firm.  (I had to add a little more flour this time.)  The dough should be supple and a little sticky.  Continue to mix with the dough hook on medium speed (or by hand) for 4 minutes more, increasing the speed or kneading more vigorously the last 20 seconds.  The dough will be slightly sticky, but stronger and more elastic.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface.  With wet or oiled hands, reach under one end of the dough, stretch it out, then fold it back onto the top of the dough.

Stretching the dough.

Folding the dough.

Do this from the back end and then from each side.  (So you'll be doing this four times--top, bottom, left, right.)  Flip the dough over and tuck it into a ball.  Place the dough into a clean, lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.  Repeat this process three more times.  (So, yes, you'll be doing the entire process four times.)

After the final time, immediately cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate the dough overnight or for up to 4 days, or, for the "purist" version, leave the dough out for 2-3 hours before refrigerating.  The dough should rise to about double or triple its original size within 8-12 hours in the refrigerator.

On baking day, remove the dough from the refrigerator about 3 hours before you plan to bake (or 4 hours for the "purist" version).  Put the dough on a lightly floured surface and divide it into two pieces for loaves.

You can see by the air pockets that some yeast action has been happening overnight.

Shape the dough and place it on the back of a pan covered in parchment paper to rise.  (Well, I've tried that, and it's not terribly easy to work with, so I decided to try an alternate method I had seen ages ago, with something else:  covering a pizza paddle in corn meal and rising it on that.  It was much, much easier to transfer to the baking stone after it had risen.)

Mist the dough with spray oil and cover loosely with plastic wrap, then let the dough rise at room temperature for 2-3 hours or up to 4 hours with the "purist" version, until increased to 1 1/2 times its original size.

Preheat the oven and baking stone to 500 degrees F or 260 degrees C.  Place a pan on a lower rack to use for steam.  Uncover the dough 15 minutes before baking and score it with a sharp serrated knife or razor blade.

Transfer the dough to the oven, pour 1 cup of hot water into the steam pan, and lower the temperature to 425 degrees F or 218 degrees C.

Bake the loaves for 15 minutes, then rotate the pan.  The total baking time is 35-45 minutes for loaves.  The bread is done when the top and sides are a deep, rich brown and the loaf sounds hollow when thumped on the bottom.  (If you want to be really scientific, the internal temperature should be above 195 degrees F or 91 degrees C.)  For a crisper crust, leave the bread in the oven for 5-10 minutes after you turn off the oven.

Cool on a wire rack for at least 45 minutes before slicing or serving.

I got distracted and left mine in the oven a little longer than I had planned.

Extra crusty and chewy!

This bread is absolutely fabulous when spread with chevre, a soft goat cheese, or when eaten with soup.

On a side note, this batch of bread is proof that you can take a mother starter which has been sitting completely neglected in your refrigerator for two months (!), scrape off the top portion, and use only a few ounces of the bottom portion to resurrect your mother starter.  Still tastes good!