Grub with lentils, rice, tofu, and collards, at least
Have a hankering for a soup grub, and this occurs to me:
In 7-qt pot:
1.5 Tbsp EVOO
1.5 med yellow onions, chopped
Sauté for 5 minutes, then add:
12-14 (pre-peeled) garlic cloves, minced
4 small carrots, chopped
1 handful chopped celery (the remains of the stash)
1 bunch parsley, minced
shaking crushed red pepper
grinding black pepper
2 tsp dried marjoram
2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp dried savory
Sauté that briskly for a while, then add:
4 oz tofu, diced
1/2 c black rice (uncooked)
1/2 c lentils (uncooked)
1/2 c mixed lentils and grains combo packaged for soup — this stuff*
28 oz canned diced tomatoes – Muir Glen “Fire-Roasted” in this case
2 qt water (I didn’t measure—may have been slightly less)
1 Tbsp Penzeys Chicken Soup Base
1/2 bunch collards, chopped small, stalks minced
good shaking of wakame flakes (required)
Brought to boil, reduced heat, covered, and simmered one hour. Very tasty indeed. I think I may add some miso later on (after a few servings plain). I estimate 6 meals or so.
UPDATE to reflect what I actually did, with appropriate revisions made above. Successful grub. A very thick soup/stew.
UPDATE 2: I was describing to The Wife how extremely tasty this one was. Part is how chewy it is from the grains and veg, but also it tastes quite rich. Of course, I got out of the practice of using herbs regularly, so I particularly notice their contribution, but as I was telling her how much umami it seemed to have, I realized, of course: the wakame flakes. Seaweed (sea vegetables if you want) are quite high in glutamate, which is the source of the umami taste. So I made a thick, high-umami vegetable soup—and hit the template rather neatly, if I say it as who shouldn’t.
Right after the soup finished, it smelled a lot like miso soup, though it had no miso in it. So I assume that what I was smelling (here and in miso soup) are the wakame flakes newly reconstituted. That smell died down over half an hour or so, and now the soup simply smells—and tastes—good.
*SooFoo update: I keep tasting this soup—can’t believe how good it is—and I have to say that SooFoo is a winner and worth tracking down. Here I have to go to Cornucopia in Carmel to get it. Amazon lists it, but it seems unavailable for now. Still: mighty tasty stuff.
ANOTHER UPDATE: I keep tasting the soup and it tastes better and better. This recipe is definitely a keeper. The wakame flakes are not optional.
