Ragout de Haricots Blancs -- vegan

2 small to medium onions, sliced fine
2 medium carrots, sliced medium
2 cups white beans
2 tomatoes, chunks
2 cups vegetable broth
2 teaspoons curry or turmeric
2 teaspoons herbes de provence
2 table spoons flour, leveled, or 1 heaping table spoon
1 teaspoon pimenton (dark Spanish paprika)
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 cloves


If you are using dry white beans, leave them to soak over night (Note: Pepin says you don't need to, but I prefer to have them soaked, those with whom you share enclosed spaces will appreciate it). A couple of hours before we started cooking, we changed the water, leaving this time just enough to cover the beans. Make sure the water is cold.

The cooking begins very much like an onion soup would, by slicing up the onions and frying them under cover over medium heat until you feel they are dark enough. The more cooked they are the sweeter they are. We prefer a light brown, not yet caramelized but thoroughly soft. Once onions are cooked add the flour and fry but do not burn, then add the beans with the water. We used whole wheat flour, and so if you use regular white flour, you might want to use less. If you want to add the beans and water separately, just make sure you barely cover the beans, then add the vegetable broth. Once it boils for about 5 minutes, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for a while. Depending on the type of beans, it could take an hour or more. We usually check to see how the beans are -- there's also a personal preference as to how cooked the beans should be, crunchy vs pasty. I prefer a little crunchy. When the beans are about 3/4 cooked add the carrots, garlic, herbes de provence, pimenton, cloves and curry. In a separate pan fry the tomatoes on high heat. The pan has to be really hot so that the tomato chunks caramelize. When the tomatoes are done, add them to the beans. At this point, the beans should be about 10-15 minutes from being done. If you need to cook them for longer, don't worry, this recipe is very flexible with quantities and time.

The stew is done when both the carrots and beans are cooked to your liking. The carrots have to be added at the end because they take less to cook.  Salt and pepper to taste.

We attempted several variations, but didn't like the addition of vegan sausage, and were split on adding fresh marjoram.   

-Pip

Hot and Sour Soup

Wholly inauthentic, but remarkable tasty.  Excellent when you have a cold. (translation: if you add enough seasonings, it's quite a kick in the pants)

Ingredients:
1/2 pound of shitake mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
Can of bean sprouts
Small can of stem mushrooms (2 would have been better)
1/2 package of firm tofu, sliced into thin-ish strips
Small bunch green onions - chop and separate whites from greens
2 cloves garlic, diced
6 cups water, at least

We probably started with 2-3 tablespoons for all the following seasonings, but at the end we added more to taste:
Ginger (we used powder because I'm not a fan of fresh, but if you like fresh, I'd estimate 3-4 thin slices)
Soy sauce
Sesame oil
Red pepper flakes
Rice vinegar

Optional: (we put it in because it was in the fridge and we figured, why not?)
1 cup of fresh, shredded cabbage
2 tbsp fish sauce (the kind you get in the international food aisle by the Thai curries)
Pepper to taste

Directions:
Saute the whites of the onions with the garlic and optional cabbage with sesame oil.  When it gets dry and needs extra liquid, add the ginger, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, vinegar and some optional fish sauce with a little water.  After a few minutes, add the rest of the water and the bean sprouts.  Once it's at a good simmer/ low boil, add the tofu and mushrooms.  As soon as it comes back up to a low boil, turn off the heat and let it cool, adding extra seasonings to taste.  Once it's cool enough to eat, garnish each serving with a few extra drops of sesame oil and the greens of the onions.

Curry Lentil Potato Soup

 When Pip and I cook, we don't measure spices much.  It's a great soup, but you'll have to wing it a bit.  As always, we'll post pictures next time we make it. 

Ingredients:
1 ½ onions, chopped
¾ cup lentils
cloves of garlic, a handful, chopped
3 celery sticks. chopped
4 small carrots (or 8-12 babies), shredded
6 small potatoes, chopped in small chunks
½ head cauliflower, chopped – same size at potatoes
Curry powder, several teaspoons?
Dried parsley, probably just one teaspoon
Cumin, 1-2 teaspoons
2 bay leaves

Directions:
Saute onions and garlic until fragrant
Add rinsed lentils, celery, carrots, bay leaves, and six cups of water; simmer for 10 minutes
Then add potatoes, cumin, and curry; simmer for 10 minutes
Finally, add cauliflower and parsley; simmer for 10 minutes
Salt and pepper to taste

Cabbage Soup, Eastern Euro Style

Pip and I first had a version of this soup at one of the best restaurants in the Cleveland area, Corky & Lenny's. And of course, we were inspired to try to make one ourselves.  (However, they make their soup with a beef bone, and our version is vegan or lacto-ovo, depending on how you make it.)  It was quite the labor of love, because the first several batches were... disappointing to say the least.  But now it's pretty damn good.

Ingredients:
2 or so medium-sized chopped onions
chopped garlic cloves – a generous number
4-5 grated carrots (about 4 or 5 medium-sized ones)
1/2 of a large head of cabbage, finely chopped
1 quart of tomato or vegetable juice
1 can of diced tomatoes, or fresh equivalent
     (but extra tomatoes never hurt anyone- sometimes we double them)
1-2 cups vegetable broth
2-3 teaspoons Thyme
1-2 teaspoons Dill (substitute with Savory, if need be)
1-2 teaspoons Paprika
Salt and pepper
3 bay leaves

Directions:
Chop the cabbage first, and stir in the dill, thyme, salt, and pepper.  Let sit while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. 

Saute onions in oil (or butter) for a few minutes, then add the garlic.  After another bit, add the carrots.  Then after a bit more, add the cabbage.  If you didn't add it to the cabbage first, now is the time to add the dry seasoning, minus the paprika.

Looks like hot coleslaw before you add all the liquid, no?

Once everything has cooked a little and is fragrant, pour in the tomatoes, juice, and top it off with the veggie broth.  Then add the bay leaves.  (Sometimes we get a little fancy and will add a few spoonfuls of wine, beer, or even balsalmic vinegar.  Depends on our mood, and what's in the fridge. and if we've been drinking.)

Let the soup bubble and the veggies soften.  Then add the paprika and let sit for a few minutes.  It's now ready to serve and oh, so good.

If you're cool with the dairy, garnish with sour cream or plain Greek yogurt.