Smoky Farmer’s Market Soup (in A Basket Or A Bowl)

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 lb ground beef (grass-fed or free-range)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onions, finely diced or 3 tablespoons dried onion flakes
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and pressed or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 small green peppers, finely diced or 2 tablespoons green peppers, dried
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle chile pepper (or more to your taste)
• 6 cups instant chicken-flavored broth (like not-chickn, a chicken-flavored vegan bouillon, 1/2 cube per 1 cup water)
• 1 cup carrot, julienne (if using prepackaged, chop them to about 1 inch long)
• 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice or 2 fresh tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 1 (8 ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 cup lentils, french (puy, small greenish-brown lentils, which hold up well when cooked)
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 medium zucchini, coarsely chopped
• 1/4-1/2 lb dry linguine, broken into 2 inch pieces (about 1 1/2 cups when broken)

Recipe

• 1 to make the soup:.
• 2 if using the ground beef, add 1 tablespoon olive oil to large stock pot, and add beef. break apart and brown until no longer pink.
• 3 add (fresh) onions, green pepper and garlic. sauté until vegetables are soft, but not browned. (if using dried versions, add them when adding the broth and other ingredients).
• 4 add chili powders, cumin, and smoked paprika to pot. mix well with meat and vegetables and cook 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
• 5 add broth, carrots, tomatoes, red peppers, tomato paste, lentils and salt.
• 6 stir well, cover and reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 40 minutes.
• 7 after 40 minutes, remove lid and bring pot to a rolling boil.
• 8 add broken linguine and chopped zucchini.
• 9 cook 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until zucchini and pasta are done.
• 10 serve with a warm loaf of crusty bread with butter, and a simple green salad with vinaigrette dressing.
• 11 to deliver the soup as made:.
• 12 place the soup in a container that can be heated on the stove. secure the lid.
• 13 provide a large ladle and stoneware bowls for serving.
• 14 add a fresh loaf of bread to your package and deliver to your recipient.
• 15 to make a soup gift basket:.
• 16 place the following ingredients in large basket lined with red and checkered fabric or a bright bandana. add bandana “cloth napkins” to the basket as an extra touch. include the recipe card with instructions for cooking the soup. remember to include the items on the recipe card that the recipient will need to purchase to complete the soup, such as the ground beef, if using.
• 17 1 small bottle of olive oil, 1 medium onion, 4 cloves garlic, 1 small green pepper, 1 package chicken-flavored bouillon cubes, 1 small container sea salt, 3 large carrots, 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes or two fresh tomatoes, 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste, 1 (8-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, 1 pound linguine, 2 medium zucchini, and one small container of whipped butter.
• 18 measure ½ cup french lentils and place in a small glass jar with a lid. measure the chili powder, chipotle chili pepper, smoked paprika and cumin and place in a small glass jar with lid. place a brightly colored fabric scrap over the jar lids and secure with raffia, ribbon or a rubber band.
• 19 add a nice loaf of crusty italian or cuban bread to the basket, a large spoon for stirring and a large ladle for serving the soup. to finish, add 2 or 4 rugged stoneware bowls. and wait for the smile you will receive when giving the gift of hearty soup.