A Hearty Vegetable Soup

by Eric Christensen

A feel of autumn was in the air, and the temperature dipped low enough last night that we had to close all of our windows. Giada’s Rustic Vegetable and Polenta Soup was the perfect hearty vegetable soup for a cool night, being made mostly with ingredients that grow in the GSA garden: carrots, onion, parsley, garlic, tomatoes, and zucchini.

Topped with Parmesan, this was a satisfying, hearty, almost stew-like soup.

In case the link doesn’t work, here is the recipe:

==========

Rustic Vegetable and Polenta Soup

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed or chopped
3 plum tomatoes, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
2 medium zucchini, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup instant polenta, such as Gia Russa
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

Directions

In a large heavy saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onions, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion begins to brown, about 6 minutes.

Add the parsley, thyme, garlic, tomatoes and zucchini, and cook for 3 minutes. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Slowly stir in the polenta and cook until the soup thickens and the vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes.

Stir in the butter and season with salt and pepper.

Ladle into soup bowls and serve.

==========

The recipe didn’t call for a Parmesan cheese garnish, but we used it to turn the soup into a perfect meal.