Mmm... soup.

I plan to write a lot more about cooking and food in this new blog, since cooking has become a pretty big part of my life in recent months. Below is a recipe I made earlier this week... it's for a vegetable soup called "gypsy pot." I found the original recipe on TravelersLunchbox, but below is my modified recipe.

Olla Gitana (Gypsy Pot)
Serves: 4-6

• 2-14 oz cans chickpeas, drained
• 2 handfuls of baby carrots, cut into chunks
• 2 32-ounce cartons of chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 medium butternut squash, cut into chunks
• 1 medium zucchini, cut into chunks
• 10 oz. fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths
• 2 small slightly underripe pears, peeled, cored and cut into 1-inch chunks
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
• 2 medium ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

1. Combine the chickpeas, carrots and enough stock to come about 1 1/2 inches above the top in a large heavy pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the squash, zucchini, green beans, and pears and season with salt to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered until the vegetables have softened, about 15-20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion to the skillet and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and paprika and stir for a few seconds. Add the tomatoes and a few tablespoons of the cooking liquid and cook until the tomatoes soften and reduce, about 7 minutes. Gently stir the tomato mixture into the pot with the chickpeas and vegetables.

3. Continue cooking until all the vegetables are very soft and the squash is almost falling apart, 5-7 minutes longer, adding more broth if the stew seems too thick. Add the thyme and vinegar to the pot. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt, pepper and/or vinegar if necessary. Let the stew cool for about 10 minutes and then serve.

I served it with cheese Texas toast on the side. The soup was AWESOME. I like the fact that it doesn't call for a lot of seasoning, because then the vegetables make the soup taste really earthy and fresh. It would be great to make on a cold winter day, I'm sure. It was a lot of work, but I'll definitely be making it again.