Basic Compost Soup:

This is vegan but if you’d like, just add any leftover meat, chicken or fish to it and simmer away!

2 onions roughly chopped

2 cloves garlic minced

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or 2 sprigs fresh

3 cups chopped (or more), soggy or fresh veggies

8 cups water or veggie stock

2 teaspoons salt (more to taste)

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 bay leaf

Oil for sauteing

 

Optional Ideas to make it your own:

Any amount of left over cooked meat, fish, chicken (Garbage Soup)

Any amount of left over pasta or rice

1-3 potatoes

1 inch peeled minced ginger

red pepper flakes to taste

1/2 teaspoon dried or 3-4 sprigs fresh herbs: rosemary, dill, parsley, sage, cumin, curry

4 fresh or 1 can chopped tomatoes, left over tomato sauce

1 cup cooked or 1 can rinsed beans

1/2 cup dry lentils

In large pot saute onion on medium heat until clear.  Add garlic, saute 30 seconds more.  Add chopped soggy or fresh veggies saute until soft.  Add herbs and/or spices saute 30 seconds more.  Add liquid (water, broth) and bring to boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for two hours.  Here you can decide to have the broth with chunks of vegetables or a puree or even a combo.  Puree in a blender or with a hand blender in the pot and then return to the pot.  Add cooked items, especially pasta or rice just before serving so they warm through but don’t get mushy.  You can cook the dried lentils, dry pasta or rice right in the soup and allow standard cook times.

Taste and adjust salt (I like my soup on the salty side so I usually add more.)  If you accidentally add too much try adding a 1 cup of water and simmering another 10-20 min.