Gypsy Soup

I love this soup.  There is no easier way to say or put it.  It has chunks of vegetables like a stew, but enough broth that it's a soup.  It is also incredibly healthy & filling - I ate it last night for dinner & reheated it for lunch today at the radio station (just as good, a little bit thicker though).  The spices also give the soup a nice little kick at the end that lingers on your lips and tongue, and the warmth stays in your stomach.  While the Moosewood cookbook says this soup takes about an hour & half to prepare, it took me more like two hours… but that may be because I'm a meticulous slicer & dicer…and as a result I'm not the fastest with the knife (but I'm good!)

Gypsy Soup

Adapted from The New Moosewood Cookbook

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil -- up to 4T
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 3 cloves chopped garlic
• 2 cups sweet potatoes, diced/cubed & peeled
• 1 stalk of celery, diced
• 2 medium ripe tomatoes, cored & chopped
• 1 medium bell pepper, diced
• 1 - 15oz can of chickpeas (I prefer Trader Joe's Organic Garbanzo Beans - great texture & flavor)
• 3 cups stock or water
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• dash cinnamon
• dash cayenne (I didn't have any so I used a little bit of Chili Powder)
• 1 bay leaf

Directions:

1. Core tomatoes and place in a small sauce pot for a long 10 seconds, remove & peel skins off over sink.  Squeeze out seeds and chop remaining tomato pulp, set aside.  
2. In a soup kettle or large saucepan, saute onions, garlic, celery and sweet potatoes in olive oil for about 
3. five minutes.
4. Add seasonings and the stock or water. Simmer, covered, 15 minutes.
5. Add remaining bell peppers, tomato and chickpeas.  Simmer another 10 minutes or so - until all the vegetables are as tender as you like them.