The Importance of Soup

It's been a whirlwind of shopping frenzies, hormonally charged arguments, and nostalgic sweetness as my teenage daughter and I pack her bags for camp in Greece! "Olivia is independent and capable. She'll be just fine," I remind myself as I make her favorite soup. Yes, soup, even in the summer. For breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Love charged and full of nourishment this turkey broth is the basis of many a flavorful meal in a bowl. It's what she craves and misses most when she's away at camp. It's my instinctual mommy ritual. It's love. As I stir up this pot of goodness, tears well up in my eyes, "my baby, God I love her so..."

Roast the turkey...
Four turkey thighs, or a combination of legs, thighs, and wings in a roasting pan. One large onion, cut up, two or three cloves of garlic, sliced and tucked under the skin, herbs, salt and pepper, perhaps some butter, ghee or olive oil drizzled on top, a drizzle of lemon or balsamic vinegar. Cover the whole thing with foil and into a preheated 350 degree oven. Bake for one hour covered. Remove foil and bake an additional thirty to forty minutes.

Making the broth...
So, what you have here is golden. It's turkey which you have cooled down and removed from the bones for a myriad of meals and sandwiches. I save some of the meat to put into soup.Plop the bones, skin, roasted onions, and all the pan drippings into a pot. Cover with water. Put on high heat and start rummaging the fridge for veggies and flavorings. Here's what I commonly use: A large onion, two carrots, five or so cloves of garlic, smashed and skins removed, some celery leaves,the end and core of a sweet red or yellow bell pepper, a handful of fresh parsley with stems, a handful of cilantro with stems, some kale stems, a chunk of cabbage core, a couple of whole scallions, an inch or so of sliced smashed fresh ginger, a few black peppercorns, a dried red hot pepper. Cut up the onions and carrots in large chunks. Add all or whatever you have on hand to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for an hour and a half or so with the lid ajar to let steam escape. Salt it to your taste. Here is an ancient Asian secret. Adding vinegar, a teaspoon or two of rice or apple cider vinegar to the pot during simmering, extracts the calcium from the bones and what you have left is quite vitamin enriched. Cool broth and pour through a strainer into another pot.

OK, while soup making isn't fast food, it is therapeutic in the whole thoughtful process. It is good for the soul. I make a pot of brown basmati rice for it's chewy texture and aroma to compliment the smooth, liquid richness. The broth is simmering and I have gathered some fresh veggies, sliced carrots, kale, broccoli trees, and scallions thinly sliced. Three big bowls next to the stove, a little, or alot of turkey meat, and a generous portion of rice in each. The fresh veggies, tossed into the pot, intensify in color. They are gathered up with a slotted spoon and added to the bowls, then the golden broth is ladled over all. Fresh scallions to garnish. Some condiments perhaps like gluten free tamari, toasted sesame oil, chili garlic paste, and organic kim chi, make it even better.

My children, Andrew and Olivia, don't think it unusual in the least to have soup for breakfast, but roll their eyes when I declare this meal to be economical. The cost of the turkey, is about five dollars. As boring as it is for them to put up with my cost breakdowns of each meal, I get a thrill that I can feed us for less than ten dollars and it is healthy and mostly organic with the freshest ingredients. I get a bigger thrill when they say it's the most delicious soup ever and then there is silence, except for happy slurping. Yes!

Food and life update...
Andrew took some turkey sandwiches on gluten free bread and off he went to his summer job. It was hard to tear myself away from Olivia at the airport and by that time all the mother daughter spats about what to pack, what not to pack...were gone with the soup bones. "She is a perfectly capable girl, young lady; at least she was well fed," I thought. Kissing and hugging we got lost in the love that sustains us above every thing else. What a beautiful soul. "Have a great trip Olivia! I love you!!!" Gosh, I am so proud of her. Gosh, I admire her independent, free spirit. God bless her.

More turkey broth remains in the fridge for another bowl or two of soup. Stir fried with some orange sweet pepper, onions, and zucchini, the brown basmati rice became a dang good impromptu meal when a friend came to visit. Fried rice and a cucumber and fresh tomato salad. How easy, how delicious, and how economical! We packed it up, brought along the jar of beloved kim chi and off to the park we went at dusk to enjoy our food in the company of the green grass and trees, the chirping birds and the babbling water.

I miss Olivia. She must be in Greece by now. Did I mention it's the same camp that I went to when I was her age? It was one of the best experiences of my life and I cherish those memories. My Grandmother sent me as olivia's Grandparents are sending her. I'm thinking of my Pop-pop who always made my favorite beef vegetable soup for me. I'm feeling connected to the nourishers and nurturers, my ancestors, who taught me to feed, parent, heal, and love, even if it hurts sometimes. Like making soup it requires patience and awareness and a whole lot of love.

Have a blessed day!