Category:  Soups and Stews

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Prep time: 15 to 20 minutes
Serves: 2

Since I dislike thin, watery soups, I came up with this “dense” soup (without using flour, cornstarch or other thickening agents). Instead, I simply minced three ingredients that I buy from a local farmers’ market. And then… I created this Market Veggie Soup which will please vegetarians and vegans alike!

Ingredients:
2 medium carrots, peeled (ends cut & discarded)
1-1/2 medium zucchini, ends cut & discarded
1/2 medium white or yellow onion
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium Russet or Yukon Gold potato
1 vegetable bouillon cube
3/4 cup canned, whole white or pinto beans, drained & rinsed
1-1/2 cups frozen chopped spinach

Prep the Veggies:
1. In a food processor, mince together 1/2 carrot, 1/2 zucchini and 1/2 onion; set aside.

2. Meanwhile, dice the remaining carrot and zucchini; place in a bowl with cold water & set aside.

3. Peel and dice the potato.

4. Add diced potato to veggies in bowl with cold water; set aside.

Make the Soup:
1. In a 4-quart saucepot, heat the olive oil (DO NOT LET IT REACH A SMOKING POINT).

2. Transfer the minced veggies from food processor to hot oil in saucepot.

3. Using a wooden spoon, stir-fry the mixture over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes.

4. After 1 to 2 minutes or when the mixture has softened, add 3 to 3-1/2 cups cold water to the saucepot.

5. Over medium-high heat, bring the mixture to a boil.

6. When mixture boils, drain the diced veggies in bowl and add them to the saucepot.

7. Crumble the bouillon cube into the soup and stir.

8. When the soup boils, stir in the beans and chopped spinach; cook over medium-high heat until all veggies are tender.

9. Serve Market Veggie Soup with your favorite bread!
Text & Photograph ©2025 Nancy DeLucia Real

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Rapini or broccoli rabe  is a green, cruciferous vegetable with edible leaves, buds, and stems. The buds resemble broccoli, but do not form a large head. Rapini has a slightly bitter taste, and is part of Mediterranean cuisine.

I learned how to make Rapini and Beans as a teenager in Avellino, Italy (in the Campania region). Although I serve this dish to family and friends year round, it’s especially comforting during the cold winter months. Make this dish in minutes and enjoy it with crusty bread and a glass of wine.  You’ll warm up in no time!

Prep time: 15 minutes
Serves: 2 to 4

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 whole garlic cloves
1 bunch fresh Rapini, cut into one-inch pieces; rinsed & drained
3/4 to 1 teaspoon salt
One 15.5-ounce can Cannellini, Navy, Great Northern or other white beans
Freshly-grated Pecorino-Romano cheese, as garnish (optional)

Directions:
1. On medium-high setting, heat olive oil in a 4-quart sauce pot.

2. When oil is hot (but not smoking), add the garlic cloves.

3. On medium-high heat, stir-fry garlic until it turns golden brown (not blackened).

4. When garlic is golden brown, add the cut and rinsed rapini.

5. Let the mixture warm through.

6. When rapini mixture sizzles or bubbles, add  1-1/2 cups cold water.

7. When the rapini and water come to a boil, stir in 3/4 teaspoon salt.

8. Rinse and drain the beans; add them to top of rapini mixture in saucepot.

9. Warm through and taste. Adjust salt level, if needed.

10. Serve Rapini and Beans immediately with slices of crusty Italian bread, if desired.

11. Garnish with grated Pecorino Romano cheese (optional) and enjoy with white wine.
Text & Photograph ©2021 Nancy DeLucia Real

This succulent chicken dish is made with our present bounty of peaches and zucchini. Once the chicken is stewed with these ingredients, it is sweet and perfect with rice and/or green salad. These sides balance the luscious flavors of the stew. Enjoy!

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 45 to 55 minutes
Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients:
¼ cup olive oil
One 2-1/2 to 3-pound chicken, skinned and cut into pieces (with bones)
-OR-
3 to 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half –AND-
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 medium-large brown or white onion, finely chopped (a contemporary addition)
1 cup white wine
1-1/2 to 2 cups cold water
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ to ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons honey
4 large, fresh peaches, peeled, pitted & cut into 1-1/2 inch slices
–OR-
One 16-ounce bag frozen, sliced peaches
1 large zucchini, cut into 1-inch rings (discard ends)
6 to 8 fresh mint sprigs (minced and scattered over chicken or used as garnish)

Directions:
1. In an 8-quart saucepot, heat the oil.

2. When oil is hot, add the chicken pieces and brown them on all sides on medium-high heat.

3. When chicken has browned, stir in the onions; cook onions 2 minutes or until they are translucent.

4. Add the wine and cook chicken, on medium-high heat (uncovered) for 7 to 8 minutes or until wine has thickened. Stir occasionally.

5. After wine has thickened and slightly reduced, add 1-1/2 cups water, the cumin, black pepper and 1 tablespoon honey.

6. Cook chicken 14 to 15 minutes on medium-high heat until liquid has thickened.

7. After 14 to 15 minutes, stir in remaining ½ cup water, peaches & .

8. Cook chicken on medium-high heat, covered, for 10 minutes; stir occasionally.

9. After 10 minutes, add the zucchini rings and cook 2 minutes or until zucchini is crunchy-tender.

10. Taste the stew. Adjust seasonings and honey, to taste.

11. Transfer chicken to serving platter, garnish with mint sprigs; serve immediately.
Text & Photographs ©2017 Nancy DeLucia Real

I hope you weren’t thinking of using canned or frozen peas to make a great-tasting pea soup.

With fresh peas and a few more ingredients, you’ll enjoy a great meal in no time. Complement this gourmet soup with rustic French or Italian bread and your favorite wine. Bon appetit!

Prep time:10 minutes
Cook time:15 to 20 minutes
Serves: 2 to 4

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup finely chopped white or brown onion
2 to 3 cups cold water
3 cups fresh, shelled green peas
salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Dash grated nutmeg
1 cube vegetable or chicken bouillon
3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream (optional)
1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
2 to 4 fresh mint leaf sprigs

Prepare the Soup:
1. In a 4-quart sauce pot, heat the oil (it should not smoke).

2. When oil is hot, add the chopped onion; stir-fry onion with wooden spoon until it is translucent – about 2 minutes.

3. When onion is translucent, pour in 2 cups of the water and stir in the peas.

4. Bring the soup to a boil.

5. When the soup comes to a boil, add salt, black pepper and nutmeg.

6. Cook the soup on medium-high, making sure it boils, for about 5 minutes.

7. After 5 minutes, add 1 cube vegetable or chicken bouillon; set heat on medium to medium-low and simmer the soup for about 10 minutes or until peas are tender.

8. When peas are tender, taste the soup. If another bouillon cube is needed, you may add it at this point.

9. Set the sauce pot with soup aside on a cold burner.

Puree/Blend the Soup:
1. When soup is lukewarm, transfer one-third of it to a blender.

2. Add cream to soup in blender; blend soup until smooth or slightly lumpy-smooth, per taste.

3. Transfer this first batch of soup to a large glass or porcelain bowl; repeat blending the remaining soup in two more batches.

4. Transfer the last two batches to bowl.

5. Return the blended soup to the sauce pot; bring to a boil.

6. When soup boils, stir in the sliced carrots and cook for 2 minutes.

7. Serve soup immediately; garnish with fresh mint leaf sprig.
Text & Photograph ©2017 Nancy DeLucia Real

Here’s a delicious soup that’ll keep you warm in the next few months. This meatball and spinach soup is made with ground turkey but you can use beef, lamb or pork. Fresh spinach and some carrots are added to the broth – this makes it low-cal and healthy.

Prep time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients:
1 pound ground dark turkey meat, beef, lamb or pork
1/2 cup grated onion (brown or white)
1 large egg, slightly beaten
1 large carrot, peeled and minced
1/3 cup finely chopped flatleaf, Italian parsley
3/4 teaspoon salt
Dash grated nutmeg (optional)
8 to 10 cups chicken broth
6 cups chopped, fresh spinach or chard (or a combination of both)
Salt, to taste

Directions:
1. In a large, glass or porcelain bowl, combine the ground meat, onion, egg, 3 tablespoons of the minced carrots, parsley, salt and nutmeg.

2. Mix with a fork or with your hands (you can use plastic cooks’ gloves to mix with hands) until mixture is uniform.

3. Shape and form meatballs to measure 1-1/2-inches in diameter; set the meatballs aside on a large platter.

4. Meanwhile, in an 8-quart sauce pot, bring the chicken broth to a boil.

5. When the broth boils, gently drop the meatballs into the broth, taking care to avoid hot splatters.

6. Bring the meatballs to a boil and cook them on medium-high heat for approximately 20 minutes.

7. After 20 minutes, cut into one meatball to check doneness. If meat is still pink, cook the meatballs for an additional 5 to 7 minutes.

8. When meatballs are cooked through, add the spinach and carrot pieces to the soup.

9. Cook the soup for an additional 4 to 5 minutes or until the carrots are crunchy-tender.

10. Taste the broth. If needed, add salt, to taste.

11. Serve the soup with your favorite bread.
Text and Photograph ©2016 Nancy DeLucia Real