Curtis Aikens' Abc Soup Recipe

Directions:

1. E is for Eggplant, not usually found in soups, but eggplant works, especially if you can find the small green Thai eggplant. You don't even have to peel them, just remove their caps. If you don't find Thai eggplant, purple eggplant will do nicely! 12 small Thai eggplant or 1 purple eggplant, peeled, diced and slightly sauteed in olive oil
2. F is for Fungi; that means mushrooms! Any mushrooms will work; White button or Shiitake or Oyster. 2 handfuls of mushrooms, chopped and sauteed with a little bit of olive oil
3. G is for Ginger. A fabulous root spice, the best of which comes from our 50th state, Hawaii. 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Ginger root, peeled and very finely chopped.
4. H is for HOT. If you like your soups spicy hot, you can add Habanero peppers, which is the hottest pepper of all. Not everyone appreciates Habanero; in this soup they are optional and should be handled by grown ups only! 2 to 3 Habaneros, seeded and finely diced
5. I is for Ingredients. This is what cooks call all of the things that go into a recipe. I have never found a vegetable that starts with the letter I. If you can think of one, please let me know!!
6. J is for Jicama, a delicious root vegetable, which is quite popular in the tropical regions of the world, and looks very much like a potato. 1/4 cup jicama, peeled and diced
7. K is for Kohlrabi, a great vegetable that comes in red, green and sometimes white. The leafy top and globe shaped bottom are all good to eat. A few diced kohlrabi leaves or 1/8 cup kohlrabi bottom, peeled and diced
8. P is for Pepper, the black kind. I was once asked if I could pick only 2 spices, which ones would they be. My answer? Salt and Pepper! Pepper to taste (in a pot of soup like this one, 1 teaspoon is a good place to start)
9. Q is for questions. My question: Have we forgotten anything, like maybe a delicious green vegetable that belongs in our soup? I say Yes! Let's revisit C and add some Celery! 1 small bunch of celery, diced Q is also for Quarter. We need a Quarter cup of liquid; you can add water or vegetable juice for broth, which should be combined with 1 teaspoon of butter for a smooth texture.
10. R is for Rosemary, a herb which goes wonderfully in soup. 2 teaspoons fresh Rosemary
11. S is for Salt, Sage and Savory Spices-all things that wake up the natural flavor of our vegetable soup. 1 teaspoon each of Sage and savory Herb de Provence Salt to taste
12. T is for Tomato, one of my very favorite things to put into soup 4 red Tomatoes, diced T is also for Thyme, another great herb. 1/4 teaspoon Thyme Which sounds like Time , something our soup also needs. After our alphabet has been completed, bring the soup to a quick boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 45 to 60 minutes.
13. U is for You ; make sure that you add something that You enjoy. My soup is always made from vegetables, but You may want to add fish or chicken or ground meat. Saute or grill it first, with a little bit of salt and pepper
14. X is for no vegetable that I've ever heard of. If you can think of one, I hope you'll let me know. In the meantime, did you know that some people write the letter X as the symbol for a kiss? So when you have a steaming bowl of hot soup in front of you, you might want to blow a kiss into it; it's a lovely way to cool it off.
15. Y is for Yams. Here in America, Yams are a variety of sweet potato. 2 medium Yams, peeled and diced Y is also for Yukon Gold, a yellow-fleshed potato which will help to make our soup nice and thick. 3 large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
16. Z is for Zucchini, one of my favorites! 3 medium Zucchini, sliced into wheels
17. Method: Bring to a boil and simmer for 45 to 60 minutes. Your broth will be slowly created in the process. Check your seasoning during the cooking process, and add spices to taste. You may want to add 3 to 4 tablespoons of olive oil to thicken the broth and to add richness.