Gypsy Soup

This was a soup suggested to me the other day. Actually, the request went a bit like this: "You know, you should try this soup I really like. Actually, make it and then write about it in that blog". This was not the first time this soup had been suggested to me, and not the first person to suggest it. How could I not try it with so much endorsement?

I'm always up for requests. Plus, I looked at the recipe and decided I'd probably be quite happy with it, so I bookmarked it, got all the stuff for it, and got to work.

This is the kind of soup I'd consider to have "everything but the kitchen sink" in it. Quite honestly it's very different-for example, I'd never had cinnamon in a soup before. I don't know what tamari is (in fact, I still don't. I couldn't find it in the store and so I decided not to put it in,and I guess I don't know any different or better). But it does have a lot of vegetables and chicken, which I added on a recommendation-the original recipe is vegetarian.



I went to the store to get the vegetables for the soup and then realized I didn't have enough counter space or refrigerator space to put them, so they sat on my kitchen table. Good thing I like vegetables, or those bags might really have irritated me (well, I guess they did, just a little bit. But it was worth it).







You could really add or take away anything you want with this soup. I added some spinach, which the original didn't call for. But the seasonings are really different and that's what you might not want to skip, especially if you're looking for something that's not just plain ol' vegetable soup. I liked the variations you could do, I liked the soup itself. I was quite pleased overall (though I might have wanted to make it last week when it was still cold-when it's in the 60s and 70s you kind of don't want to eat soup anymore-but I will sacrifice!) It's pretty hard to screw up.

And it has sweet potato in it, which we all know by now is one of my favorite vegetables.


Gypsy Soup (with chicken) (from The Moosewood Cookbook, by Mollie Katzen)

3-4 Tbsp olive oil
2 c. chopped onion (I used a whole onion)
2 cloves crushed garlic
2 c. peeled chopped sweet potato (I used 2 sweet potatoes)
1/2 c. chopped celery (I used 3 stalks)
1 c. chopped tomatoes (the recipe called for fresh. I used one can of diced tomatoes and it was totally fine, though I bet if you make this when tomatoes are in season it would be even better)
3/4 c. chopped sweet pepper (I used one whole red pepper)
1.5 c. cooked chickpeas (or one can, drained, which is what I used)
3 c. chicken/vegetable stock or water (I used chicken stock, and I actually wound up using 4 c. because I wanted more broth)
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. tumeric
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. salt
dash of cinnamon
dash of cayenne
bay leaf (I forgot about it and didn't use it. It didn't change anything for me)
1 Tbsp. tamari (which I couldn't find and didn't use)
1 roasted chicken, shredded (optional)

In a stockpot saute onions, garlic, celery and sweet potatoes in olive oil for five minutes over medium to medium high heat. Add spices and seasonings (except the tamari) and the chicken stock/water. Bring to a simmer and keep it covered for about 15 minutes. Then, add the rest of the vegetables and the chickpeas and the chicken (if you are using it). Feel free to add any other vegetables not seen here (for example, I used a bag of baby spinach). Cook for another 10 minutes or until vegetables are at a desired tenderness.