Hearty Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

Stock

• 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
• 1 celery rib, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 medium portabella mushrooms, roughly chopped
• 1 head garlic, outer papery skins removed and the top their of the head cut off
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 9 cups low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
• 2 medium leeks, green parts chopped white parts sliced
• 10 sprigs fresh parsley leaves
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 ounce porcini mushroom

Soup

• 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
• 2 small russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and cubed
• 1/2 medium celeriac, peeled and cubed
• 1 small escarole, washed, stemmed, and leaves cut
• 1 cup frozen baby lima bean
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
• salt
• pepper

Directions

1. 1

   Adjust oven rack to middle position, heat oven to 450 degrees.

2. 2

   Place carrot, celery, onion, portobellos, and garlic head on rimmed baking sheet.

3. 3

   Drizzle with oil and toss to coat.

4. 4

   Add tomato paste and toss again until evenly coated.

5. 5

   Spread vegetables in even layer and set garlic head, cut side up, roast until vegetables are well browned, 25-30 minutes.

6. 6

   Combine roasted vegetables, broth, leek greens, parsley thyme, bay and porcini mushrooms in a large heavy bottomed pan.

7. 7

   Cover and bring to a simmer over medium high heat, then reduce heat to medium low and simmer partially covered for about 30 minutes.

8. 8

   Remove garlic head using gongs, squeeze garlic head at the room end until the cloves slip out of their skins.

9. 9

   Using a fork, mash garlic to paste in a small bowl and set aside.

10. 10

    Strain stock through a large fine-mesh strainer, pressing on solids to estract as much liquid as possible, discard solids in the strainer.

11. 11

    Rinse out and wipe the pot, add the tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, celeriac, reserved whites of leeks, strained broth and garlic paste to pot and bring to simmer over medium high heat.

12. 12

    Reduce heat to medium low and simmer partially covered until vegetables are tender when poked with skewer, about 25 mnutes.

13. 13

    With the back of a wooden spoon, mash some potatoes against the side of the pot to thicken the soup.

14. 14

    Stir in escarole and lima beans and cook until escarole is wilted and the lima beans are heated through, about 5 minutes.

15. 15

    Stire in the parsley, adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.