Winter Calls for Soup

Tomato & Vegetable Soup

Ingredients-  Prep Time ~15mins , Cooking Time ~2hrs

1. Chicken Leg (I cooked this for myself so I used one but usually I use two for enhanced flavor)
2. 3 Medium-large Carrots
3. 3 Medium Parsley Roots
4. 1 Small-Medium Onion
5. 1 Leek (bottom, light green portion)
6. 1 Small Celeriac (celery root)
7. 3 Allspice (3 pieces)
8. 1 Bay Leaf (or two small ones)
9. approx. 2L water (enough to almost fill your soup pot)
10. Salt and pepper to taste
11. Fresh garlic (2-3 cloves)
12. 2 tablespoons of Plain Yogurt or 12% Sour Cream (you may use 18% or 30%, but why add more calories?)
13. Fresh basil or parsley
14. 5 teaspoons of tomato paste

Instructions-

*My base for the soup is a golden and rich chicken stock. You may omit the meat if you prefer vegetarian tomato soup. Add more vegetables for flavor to make a tasty vegetable stock.

1. Rinse and clean chicken leg(s). Place in a large soup pot and fill water until the pot is almost full. Leave some space because once the water starts boiling, you will need to add the vegetables.
2. On high heat, boil the water with the chicken inside and after a couple minutes there will be a foam that settles on the top. Grab a spoon and take the bubbles out of your soup. This foam is denatured protein and is not need in the soup. Do not worry, the foam will continue to form anyways.
3. Rinse and clean your vegetables and chop them into smaller pieces. Small pieces cook quicker and will mix in the blender easily. Add the vegetables to your soup. Add the bay leaf and allspice.
4. Lower the heat and simmer for about 1.5h. Check every 20-30 minutes. If too much water evaporates and it looks like you won't have any soup left, you may always add some water but this will dilute the soup and your soup will lose flavor. You may cover your soup with a lid to prevent this. 
5. After about 1.5h, check if the vegetables are soft. If ready, filter the soup to collect the vegetables. Let them slightly cool. 
6. Blend your vegetables with a mixer. Add them back into the soup.
7. Add 5 teaspoons of tomato paste. Mix well.
8. Smash and chop fresh garlic. Add the garlic to the soup.
9. Add about 2 tablespoons of yogurt or sour cream. The soup should have a nice creamy consistency.
10. Chop some fresh parsley and add at the last 2 minutes of simmering. If you prefer an Italian twist, add some basil and oregano. Decorate with mozzarella. This soup tastes great with fresh garlic bread.


*My version is low calorie therefore I did not add rice/pasta/garlic bread. Usually, I like to have this soup with either some pasta inside or rice. Today I had the cooked chicken with the soup for a low-carb version. 

Enjoy :)