Broccoli Egg-Lemon Soup or The New Age Greek

There are customers who, no matter the weather, will always want soup for lunch. Stella has a repertoire of soups which she rotates through. She cannot please everyone every day, but she can usually please enough people to make it worthwhile to change up the menu on a regular basis.

Today, on this mildly wet day, Stella and her crew are making a tangy, delicious spring soup, which several of her customers look forward to for their lunch. Served with a sandwich or salad, or simply a savoury scone, Stella's Broccoli Egg Lemon soup is a creative take on the traditional Greek soup, avgolemono, which translated means, simply, 'egg lemon'. It can be a little tricky to make, but when someone has been making it as long as Stella has, the method becomes second nature. She makes the soup early in the day because it tastes better after it has sat and the flavours have mingled for a few hours.

Customers begin arriving in the cafe before noon and when they see the 'soup of the day' on the chalk board they do not hesitate to place their orders. They do not want to miss out. The aroma of garlic, lemon and miso gently drifts from the kitchen into the nasal passages of the hungry group awaiting service at the counter.

Inevitably, however, one customer is heard saying to her friend, "What is with all these New Age soups? Why doesn't anyone serve plain chicken noodle soup anymore?"

If you like the sound of this soup, you can make it at home.

Broccoli Egg-Lemon Soup adapted from Moosewood Cooks at Home

servers 4, generously

2 cups finely chopped onions
3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
2 Tablespoons olive oil
4 cups finely chopped broccoli florets (stems can also be peeled and finely chopped)
1 Tablespoon minced fresh dill (or 1 teaspoon dried dill)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 cups vegetable stock, or 1 bouillion cube dissolved in 4 cups of water

2 large eggs
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (or to taste)
1 cup cooked orzo or rice (optional)
1 tablespoon light miso or soy sauce of your choice (optional)

In a soup pot, saute the onions and garlic in the oil for about five minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add the broccoli, dill, salt, and black pepper; and saute for several minutes, until the broccoli turns bright green. Add three cups of stock and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are tender. Remove the soup from the heat entirely.

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and 1/4 cup of the lemon juice. Whisk in the remaining cup of stock, then add about a cup of the hot soup broth. Gradually pour the egg mixture into the soup pot while stirring the soup. Stir in the orzo or rice, if using. If using the miso, dilute with a little soup in a bowl and then add to the soup pot. If using soy sauce, just stir it right in. Gently reheat the soup, but don't let it boil at all or it may curdle. Add more salt to taste. (Although the miso or soy sauce adds sodium already.)

Broccoli Egg-Lemon soup can be served immediately, but it tastes even better gently reheated after sitting awhile on the very lowest of heat settings. Reheating the soup involves watching the pot very carefully and stirring often to prevent curdling and separating, although the soup is still edible if this happens.Stella would just never serve it that way.

Red Lentil Soup - For Warmth!

The temperature has been hovering around the freezing mark, but the sky is holding at a wispy blue, bringing walkers out of their houses to enjoy the crisp air and the sunshine at mid day. After a good long walk, Harvey and June come into Stella's for a hot bowl of soup and some warm conversation with their friends. Meeting for lunch at Stella's has become a bit of a Friday routine for them all, and a pleasant one at that. 

On the menu today is a vegetarian soup, which appeals to June today, so she orders the large bowl, rather than the cup, with a side of fresh whole grain bread. "I could use a bowl of hot good hot soup," she says loudly, to no one in particular. "These bones are cold as well as old." 

Harvey is not fond of lentils, and orders something else. June admits that lentils are an acquired taste, and not for everyone. The couple sits down with their friends, Ellie and Surinder to wait for their lunch to arrive.

After a few spoonfuls of the soup, June calls out,"Very good, Stella!" 

Stella pops her head round the counter and says, "Well, thank you, June, but Savannah must take all the credit for the soup today." 

"Very good, Savannah, then," calls June, waving her spoon like she's conducting an orchestra.

Savannah smiles with satisfaction and begins serving the waiting customers. The lunch hour is upon them and it looks like a busy one today. 

Red Lentil Soup -from Moosewood Cooks at Home

serves 4-6

1 1/2 cups red lentils

6 cups water

3 bay leaves

4 garlic cloves, chopped

2 slices fresh ginger root, each about the size of a quarter

2 medium carrots (1 cup grated)

1 cup canned tomatoes, or 1 medium fresh tomato, chopped (undrained)

1 small red or green bell pepper (1/2 cup finely chopped)

1 1/2 cups chopped onions

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander

pinch of cayenne

2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

salt and ground black pepper to taste

Sort and rinse the lentils. Put them into a soup pot with the water, bay leaves, garlic, and ginger. Cover and place on high heat. (Watch carefully so it doesn't boil over!)

Prepare the carrots, tomatoes, and bell peppers, and add them to the pot. Bring to a boil, stir, reduce the heat, and simmer, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes, until the lentils are tender.

While the veggies simmer, saute the onions on medium heat in the olive oil in a heavy skillet for about 10 minutes or until browned. Add the cumin, coriander, and cayenne, and saute for another minute, stirring to prevent sticking. Remove from the heat. When the lentils are tender, remove the bay leaves, and ginger from the soup pot. Stir in the sauteed onions and the lemon juice. Add salt and pepper to taste.

*writing and photo by Rebecca

Good Borscht!

Today is a brilliant, but cold and windy day. It is a day for hats, gloves and scarves, for pink-cheeked, red-nosed people to come into Stella's Cafe for warmth, good food and companionship. A large pot of Stella's famous Red Russian Borscht is on the stove, simmering away and scented with fresh dill. Stella has loved borscht herself since her father used to take her to the Russian restaurant in her hometown. She remembers the brimming white bowls of hot red vegetarian soup served with a generous slice of homemade bread with lashings of real butter. She has worked on her borscht recipe over the years after begging for and receiving a rather vague written recipe from the Russian restaurant's cook; just a few ingredients, no measurements. A real 'cook from the heart' recipe, 'and you will get it right,' she said.

The borscht is today's special at Stella's, written up on the black board in coloured chalk, the letters embellished with Savannah's Russian inspired flourishes. 'Served with locally baked whole wheat sourdough bread and small house salad.'  "Mmmmm...looks good! I'll have the borscht," says customer after customer. At precisely 1:30 pm the pot is empty and the cafe is full of satisfied, warm customers.

A good day!

Red Russian Borscht

Peel 2 medium sized beets, boil and reserve beets and beet water (if desired). Let cool.

In large pot add:

4 peeled potatoes cut into large chunks
1 liter of pureed canned tomatoes
2 liters of water
1 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp of pepper

Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are soft enough to mash - about 15 minutes

Meanwhile:

Peel and grate 3-4 large carrots
finely dice 2 onions
finely dice 2 long stalks celery
finely dice 1 green pepper
finely chop 1/2 large cabbage

In a large wok or frying pan, fry in 1/2 lb of butter (there is no place for low-fat dishes in cold weather as far as Stella is concerned) in the following order:  onions, celery, green pepper, large cabbage, carrots, and let cook, covered until all the veggies are tender.

Take the potatoes out with a slotted spoon and mash them with a few large dollops of sour cream.
Grate the cooked beets.
Add the potatoes to the large pot and whisk until the mashed potatoes are incorporated.
Add the grated beets to the cooked veggies in the wok and mix together. Add the veggies to the soup pot and stir gently.

Add a few sprigs of fresh dill, or dried dill weed and more salt and pepper to taste. Let sit for a while before eating if you have the time, in order to let the flavours mingle. If you like your borscht extra pink, add a bit of the reserved beet water.

Makes about 5 liters.

Carrot Ginger Soup with Zucchini Cheddar Bread

 The first week of September has been hot, like August. Stella's customers aren't sure whether to order hot coffee or iced coffee. Everyone knows this weather cannot last, and are reluctant to let the summer go, but the calendar says fall is just around the corner, and beyond that, winter. The school kids are eager to wear their new school clothes but fuzzy sweaters, crisp blue jeans, and the latest boot styles will have to wait a bit longer in the closets around town. Stella's daughters, Zoe and Kendra are still wearing their summer dresses, shorts and skirts to school, along with their friends and classmates.

Stella knows from experience that even though the weather says 'salads and cold sandwiches', the human subconscious, especially in Canada, begins to turn naturally to comfort food as soon as the routines of fall resume. Although the thermometer outside will climb to 30 degrees this afternoon, many of her customers, particularly the elderly couple who come for lunch most Fridays, will be after soup with a side of warm bread.

So, this morning, Stella is making a pot of her famous Carrot Ginger Soup. Today's special will be the soup with a generous slice of Zucchini Cheddar bread. When it is time for her break, however, she'll be having a salad.

Carrot Ginger Soup - adapted from The Moosewood Cookbook 
serves 4-5

Bring to a boil:

2 lbs total of  a mixture of mostly carrots with either sweet potato or butternut squash, peeled and chopped
4 cups stock (or hot water with vegetable broth cubes added)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1-2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped

Cover and simmer 12-15 minutes. Let cool a bit.

Saute in 3-4 Tbps. butter (or coconut oil) with a little salt, until onions are clear and tender:

1 cup chopped onion
1-2 cloves crushed garlic
1/3 cup chopped cashews or almonds
1 Tbsp grated ginger root - added just before the onions are finished cooking

Puree everything together in a blender until smooth, in batches if necessary. Return the puree to the pot and whisk in one of the following:

1/4 cup of either: coconut milk, yogurt and a tsp honey, or milk

Reheat soup gently, stirring often

Zucchini Cheddar Bread - from Joy of Cooking 

Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan.
Whisk together thoroughly in a large bowl:
     3 cups all purpose flour (or half and half whole wheat like we have done here)
     4 teaspoons baking powder
     1 teaspoon salt
     1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Add and toss to separate and coat with flour:
     1 cup coarsely shredded zucchini 
     3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
     3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 
     1 tablespoon snipped fresh dill, or 2 tablespoons dried
Whisk together in another bowl:
     2 large eggs
     1 cup buttermilk
     4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) warm melted unsalted butter or vegetable oil
Add to the flour mixture and mix with a few light strokes just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Do not overmix; the batter should not be smooth. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes. Let cool in pan on a rack for 5-10 minutes before unmolding to cool completely on the rack.