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MIXED VEGETABLE SOUP

Falling Cloudberries
by Tessa Kiros
This is a soup that my mother made often. When I asked her for the recipe she said she just put all the vegetables she could get into a big pot and covered them with water. But it had to have butternut squash. Sometimes she served it with raw, chopped-up red onions, fresh parsley, lemon juice, and olive oil over the top. You can add any other vegetables you like to make a huge healthy stockpot that will feed a multitude.
Serves 8

Ingredients

• 1¾ Cups Dried Lima Beans, Soaked Overnight
• 1 Small Leek, Chopped
• 3 Ripe Tomatoes, Peeled And Chopped
• 1 Zucchini, Chopped
• 3 Potatoes, Chopped
• 3 Cups Firmly Packed Spinach Leaves, Or Swiss Chard, Chopped
• 3 Carrots, Chopped
• 1 Celery Stalk (With Leaves), Chopped
• About 1/2 Pound (1/4 Small) Butternut Squash, Chopped
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 3 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Parsley
• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, To Serve

Directions

Rinse the soaked lima beans, then put them in a saucepan, cover with water, and boil for about 1½ hours, or until they are tender. Season with salt toward the end of this time. Remove from the heat and leave in their cooking water.

Put all the other vegetables in a very large saucepan. Add the bay leaves and season with salt. Cover with about 10 cups of cold water (you can add some later if it doesn't all fit now, as it will reduce). Bring to a boil, then decrease the heat and cook, partly covered, for about 1½ hours.

Drain the lima beans, reserving the water, and add to the pan with i cup or so of the cooking water. Add the parsley and cook for another 15 minutes. Taste and add salt if necessary. Serve with a good drizzle of olive oil and some freshly ground black pepper. This soup is good served warm or at room temperature.