So these days, I’m either making soups, roasting something, caramelizing something, or melting chocolate. Tis’ the season, right? I found another gem in Homemade Winter of an incredibly filling, rich soup loaded with protein, fiber and veggies. As a pureed soup, Olive had no problem drinking it from her little soup cup, and as I’ve said before, I think soups are THE easiest and most efficient way for toddlers to try a myriad of vegetables, flavors and colors. And how easy they are to convert to “baby food”! Back when I was making baby food, I would make a batch of vegetable soup, and after pureeing it, I could fill nearly a dozen jars. Try buying a dozen jars of baby food in the store vs. a butternut squash and some chicken stock. The price difference says it all!
Olive has been very into “sauce!” lately, no matter what it is. She covets it, even though she doesn’t like any of it except “tomato sauce” (ketchup). Any time we have Srirracha or Tapatio or mustard – whatever – she wants it. So we give her tastes of anything she requests. She usually raises her eyebrows and fusses a bit, especially if it’s spicy, but hey, that’s how she learns! This soup has a smoky chili oil drizzled on top, and I thought it was a genius addition. I didn’t have any celeriac, and it was one of those super cold days where I didn’t want to run out to the store for one ingredient, so I used the celery I had in my fridge, and I thought it worked great.
More, yes, MORE post from Homemade Winter to come. It’s so perfect for this season, it’s unbelievable. Enjoy this soup!
Creamy White Bean Soup* – START THIS SOUP A DAY AHEAD
makes a lot
1 1/2 cups dried white beans
1/4 cup olive oil
2 leeks, white and light green parts, washed well and finely chopped
4 stalks of celery, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
6 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth (I used chicken)
2 tsp minced fresh rosemary, or 1 tsp dried
salt and ground black pepper
juice of 1/2 lemon
drizzle of chili oil – I bought mine at an Asian Mart, but I think you could find it in the Asian section of any grocery store
Soak the beans overnight in enough water to cover them by 2 inches.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan or stock pot and add the leeks and celery. Saute, stirring constantly, until the leeks are soft. Add the garlic, stir for a bit, and then add the broth.
Drain the beans and add them to the saucepan. Add the rosemary and season with salt and pepper. Slowly bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let the soup simmer over low heat with the lid partway on for 2 hours.
Puree the soup with an immersion blender or in several batches in a regular blender (why on earth haven’t you bought an immersion, yet?!) Stir in the lemon juice and taste for salt and pepper. Serve hot with a drizzle of chili oil or Srirracha would be great, too!
The Family Meal 
