Wednesday 23 January 2013

Lovely leftovers


What to do with leftover veggies? Italians would answer by saying: passato di verdure! The other day I had my hopefully-soon-to-be-in-laws over for supper. As a side dish I made crunchy carrots and zucchini (for my recipe click here). They were perfectly crunchy when we had them, but I made way too much of that side dish. Had I heated them the following day, they would have been too soft so I decided to make a soup. It was delish! I will give you two recipes today, one with the leftover vegetables and one with all fresh vegetables in case you don't have already cooked veggies on hand:



Recipe one - with barley and leftovers (serves 4)
The quantities depend on how much veggies you have got left over. I would say, cut up as many vegetables as you like and adjust the quantity of water. The vegetables should fill 2/3 of your large pan to allow enough space to add water.

leftover baked zucchini and carrots (for my recipe, click here)
 "Passato di verdure" with barley and bread. 
2 leeks (cut up)
2 more carrots (cut into small cubes)
2 small potatoes (cut into small cubes)
2 liters hot vegetable stock
salt, pepper and parsley (if desired)
1/2 cup barley
sunflower oil (if needed)
  • Heat the stock.
  • Wash barley well (at least three times with fresh water or until water is clear), then put in a bowl and cover with water. Let soak for at least 20 minutes or entire cooking time of the soup. 
  • Put the leftover veggies in your large pot and let them fry a bit, they should already have enough oil on them, otherwise add some more. Add leeks, let them fry for 20 seconds, they should not change colour, just get a bit translucent. 
  • Add remaining veggies and about 1.5 liters of the hot stock. Cover with a lid and let cook on low to medium heat for about 40 minutes. When the vegetables are cooked, put everything into a blender and blend. That's your "passato di verdure".
  • Put the "passato" back in the pan, add remaining stock and barley, let cook for 15 minutes over low heat or until barley is cooked. Do not overcook. Add salt, pepper and parsley. Serve with fresh bread (recipes will follow soon) or kamut sticks or grissini ("bibanesi di kamut" they are called here)

Recipe two -  all fresh veggies without barley (serves 4)
6 medium size carrots (cut into small cubes)
4 small size zucchini (cut into small cubes)
2 leeks (cut up)
2 small potatoes (cut into small cubes)
1.5 liters hot vegetable stock
salt, pepper and parsley (if desired)
1 tbs oil (I use sunflower oil)

  • Heat the stock.
  • Heat oil in the pan. Add some carrots and leeks (not all of them, just a few to fry in the oil for better taste). The leeks should not change colour, just get a bit translucent.
  • Add hot stock and remaining veggies. Cover with a lid and let cook on low to medium heat for about 40 minutes. When the vegetables are cooked, put everything into a blender and blend. That's your "passato di verdure".
  • Add salt, pepper and parsley to taste. Serve with fresh bread (recipes will follow soon) or kamut sticks ("bibanesi di kamut" they are called here).
  • If you wish you can add barley, follow steps from recipe one.
We have vegetable soups all the time, you can use all kinds of different vegetables. I love to see what colour the soup turns out to be. Always a great surprise!

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