Healthy & Hearty Vegetable Soup

Last year around this time I caught the flu. I was sick in bed for a whole week straight. My sister Myriam decided she'd put a good soup together for me. She had recently bought an interesting vegetable called "Buddha's finger," which has the similar citrus taste of a lemon but actually looks like a hand(!). She cut it into thin strips and added it into the soup. It was a perfect; clean, tasty, and healthy. 

Practically any vegetable can go into this soup; It's a great way to use whatever you may have on hand. Adding lemon zest and fresh minced ginger is the key to the incredible flavor.

  

Ingredients

2 leeks, medium diced

3 garlic cloves minced

  1 tbsp Kosher Salt 

2 tsp Black Pepper

4 tbsp Olive oil

6 Yukon gold potatoes, sliced (rinse and leave skin on)

2 large steak tomatoes, medium diced

1 stalk of celery small diced (+ use tops of celery)

1 large yellow zucchini, 1/4 inch thick slices 

1 large green zucchini, 1/4 inch thick slices

1 large carrot, peeled and medium diced

4 1/2 cups of water

4 tbsp minced ginger 

Zest of 1 lemon

1 bunch of scallions, small chopped

*Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions 

1. In a large pot add the leeks, garlic, 1tbsp kosher salt, 1 tbsp black pepper and olive oil. Cover the pot and saute leeks on a medium flame until transparent. Uncover and sauté leeks for 2 more minutes until they lightly brown. Add the potatoes, tomatoes, celery, yellow and green zucchini, and carrots. Cover vegetables with about 4 1/2 cups of water- or just until the vegetables are submerged. Cover the pot and bring soup to a boil on a high flame. Once water begins to boil, reduce flame to medium-low. Add the minced ginger, and lemon zest, and remaining salt and pepper. Lightly mix soup and cover. Let soup cook for 45- 60 minutes. 

After serving soup into bowls lightly sprinkle chopped scallions. 

Bon Appétit!