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Keep it simple with soups from scratch

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Gomez Veggie Ville, photo by Madison Jackson

By Madison Jackson

Whether you spend your days working from home or out and about, these long winter months are hard on us all. What could be more comforting than a warm bowl of soup full of fresh and nourishing ingredients after a long day? Soups are generally healthful with benefits including high nutritional value and low fat. They are also easy to prepare, inexpensive, and delicious!

Kokinda Farm, photo by Madison Jackson

January is National Soup Month, so we encourage you to put together a simple soup by stocking up on vegetables, meats, and herbs at Saturdays’ farmers’ market. You will be all set to enjoy a satisfying meal on Sunday or a busy weeknight when you are low on time. Soups are easy to customize to your liking; make a simple soup a bit heartier with some noodles, beans, or rice. Or if you’re looking for something light, you can keep it basic with broth and vegetables. Just follow this introductory method and tailor it to your preferences and available ingredients.

Start with stock – preferably homemade, by simmering chicken or beef leftovers in water, or utilize vegetable parts like onion skins, root vegetables, and herbs. A good quality stock can make a good soup great! Then choose your aromatics such as carrots, celery, onion, garlic, leek, etc. For a little smokiness, add an item like a hambone or bacon. Saute your aromatics in a big stockpot with oil or butter until softened, then stir in herbs and spices to enhance the flavor. Bay leaves and thyme rarely goes wrong.

Shushan Valley Hydro Farms, photo by Emily Meagher

Add a carb if desired, like vermicelli or potatoes. And then, lots of vegetables to add nutrition and bulk to your soup. Seasonal vegetables to consider are kale, chard, and mushrooms. Add the stock and let simmer until ingredients are tender. You can optionally puree your soup after simmering for a silky smooth finish. Finally, add any extra meats, garnishes, and flavorings (like cream, lemon juice, or even hot sauce) for added fullness and flavor.

We’re sharing a recipe aptly called “Whatever Soup”, because it lets you use whatever you have in your pantry. It features produce from Gomez Veggie Ville’s “soup bags,” which you can pick up every Saturday at the farmers’ market. If you pick up a soup bag from the market, you’ll have several options, including carrots, onions, beets, potatoes, turnips, and cabbage.

This week’s recipe: Whatever Soup

Sweet dreams are made… from mushrooms

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By Himanee Gupta-Carlson

Mariaville Mushroom Men, photo by Pattie Garrett

Mushrooms from the Saratoga Farmers’ Market often find their way into my meals. Farms such as Mariaville Mushroom Men and Ramble Creek offer a wide array of these low-calorie, high-protein fungi. All are easy to prepare, taste wonderful, and once in a while, I’ve found, lead to pleasant dreams.

What makes mushrooms stand out from other fresh farm offerings? For starters, they are in a category of foods by themselves. As Brie Mazurek of the Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Education writes in A Guide to Specialty Mushrooms, “Mushrooms are not vegetables. They are closer to animals than plants and belong to their own distinct kingdom, Fungi. As a fruit is to a tree, mushrooms are the spore-bearing fruiting bodies that allow fungi to produce.”

Farmers’ market mushrooms generally are grown in sawdust or logs. For many years, the varieties available were primarily shiitake and oysters. Now, farmers also are growing lions mane, nameko, chestnuts, and king oysters.

Is there a huge difference in flavor or preparation method for these varieties?

To me, no. There are subtle variations that make trying the different mushrooms an intriguing experience. Often, I pick up a different variety each week to sample and experiment with.

Ramble Creek Farm, photo provided

Vendors can offer cooking tips. You also can try this simple roasting preparation, which works for nearly all fresh varieties:

First, give the mushrooms a quick rinse. After they have drip-dried, remove the harder stem edges with a knife and chop the mushrooms into bite-sized pieces. Heat a skillet. Place the mushrooms in the skillet and cook them quickly on medium-high heat, tossing them frequently with two wooden spoons to keep them from sticking to the pan. This roasting method releases the mushroom’s juices and helps bring out their flavor.

After about five minutes, turn off the heat and quickly add a liquid of choice, such as oil, butter, wine, vinegar or lemon juice, or broth. Often, I add olive oil with a little wine. Continue to toss the mushrooms so they do not stick, and add seasonings such as black pepper, garlic, onions, shallots, chopped rosemary and/or thyme. Remove from the pan and serve.

 

This week’s recipe: Mushroom Kale Pizza