Too Tired to Cook Soup

It ain’t fancy, but it’s for dinner.

I know I’m not the only one.

I’ve put off the grocery shop one too many times this week. I only have half an hour to make dinner before the next meeting / appointment / I collapse. I’m fantasizing about my single days, when a bag of microwave popcorn could sub in for a meal in an emergency. And I’m too broke for takeout.

Now is the moment when all those hours spent watching Chopped finally pay off. We’re going to whittle a meal out of the scraps at the back of the pantry.

This extremely basic soup is the outline for such an evening. Virtually all the ingredients can be swapped for whatever isn’t yet moldering at the bottom of your veg drawer. A dash of vinegar can sub in for lemon for acid. Any breed of onion that isn’t ready to walk and talk will do. You could keep it vegetarian and pretend you’re losing weight, or you could slice up and add in the last two sausages that didn’t get eaten in the eight-pack because buns only come in an six-pack. Greens are completely interchangeable, or could be omitted entirely (though if you opt for baby spinach, just add it at the end and let it wilt rather than letting it simmer). And if worse comes to worse, red pepper flakes can cover a multitude of sins.

What do you make when you don’t want to make anything at all? Feel free to share in the comments! I’m sure we’d all like to add another weapon to our armory.

I hear that people with energy enjoy staging their ingredients like a Dutch Master is going to paint them.

Ingredients

One onion, chopped

Three stalks of celery, chopped

Two carrots, chopped

1 can of cannellini (or similar) beans, drained and rinsed

1 can of diced tomatoes

Half a bunch of kale or any other leafy green, stems removed and chopped

1 lemon

4 cups of chicken or vegetable broth (1 box)

One clove (ok honestly, in my case, like 4 cloves) minced garlic

Salt & pepper

Olive oil

Rosemary, oregano, basil

Grated parmesan (optional)

Instructions :

Heat olive oil in large soup pot on medium high. When shimmering, add carrots, onion and celery. Cook till they just start to soften, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook till fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add salt, pepper, rosemary, oregano and basil to taste. Who can be bothered to measure? It’s soup. It will be fine. Add beans, tomatoes, and broth. Bring to a simmer and then add kale and cover pot. Allow it to simmer on low till carrots and celery are desired softness and flavors combine, usually about the time it takes to wipe down the counters, chase the cat off the table and wash up the cutting board. Taste and add salt if needed. Squeeze lemon into broth to taste. Serve with parmesan to top if desired. Sigh a lot as if it was a lot more work than it was, if necessary. Hopefully someone else will do the dishes.

That’s got “It can wait till tomorrow” written all over it.

Stock Photos