The Cauldron Is Always Simmering on Aeolia Drive

by Mercedes Sinclair on October 26, 2009

Mercedes Sinclair/Nutritionist

The weather is delicious and the cauldron is simmering on Aeolia Drive.  Mozart wafts in and out in synch with the aroma of Thick Eggplant and Onion Soup.

Tracy brought me eggplants, lots of them.  Trent, her  husband,  grows acres of foods.  One day she brought me three bags of vegetables;  zucchini, eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes and tomatoes and tomatoes.

Eggplant attached to its greenery aligns the gourmand’s palate as canvas to the painter, bronze to the sculptor, and satin slippers to the ballerina.   A delight of the senses.  So I made soup, eggplant soup?  After all,  I do have a cauldron and lots of eggplant.

I found the recipe in Farmer John’s Cookbook.   I changed the recipe here and there as I expect you will too.  Let me know how your soup turns out.

2 tablespoons butter

2 medium onions, thinly sliced (about 1 ½ cups)

5 cups homemade chicken stock  (store bought chicken broth just won’t do)

1 medium eggplant, peeled, chopped (about 4 cups)

1 small zucchini

¼  cup  tomato paste  (I used the tomatoes that Tracy gave me – no canned paste for me)

¼  dry red wine or whatever red wine appears before you

1 clove garlic, minced (about ½ teaspoon)

½ teaspoon sugar

¼ teaspoon real sea salt (celtic sea salt is great)

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 ½ cups  uncooked  orzo or other small pasta  (I couldn’t find orzo at Raleys or the nutrition store on Lincoln Way) Hummmmmmmmm  so I reluctantly used pasta.

3 tablespoons fresh basil

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

  1. Melt the butter in a large pot (cauldron) over medium-high heat.  Add the onions; cook until tender but not  brown, 5 to 7 minutes.
  2. Pour the stock into the pot.  Add the eggplant, zucchini, tomato paste, wine, garlic, and sugar. Bring the ingredients to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.  Add the salt and pepper. Simmer until the vegetables are almost tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
  3. Add the orzo and continue to simmer just until the pasta is tender, about 7 minutes. Remove the pot from heat; stir in the basil. Let stand for about 5 minutes to allow the flavors develop.
  4. Ladle into bowls. Top with plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

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