Truffle Mutt: Home Alone

A few weekends ago I was home alone and the freedom was exhilarating.

I spent my Saturday morning battling the crowds at the Calgary Farmers' Market and Planet Organic gathering my bounty. I bought eggplants, tomatoes, summer squash, baby zucchini and cucumbers along with many other forms of organic matter that Jason would never eat, in preparation for my vegetable voyage.

My plans for the weekend revolved around making stock, which I have been meaning to make for ages and ages. I made two batches of veal stock and one batch of veggie stock. And after spilling precious stock on my foot, the floor and the counter, I know that I will not attempt making stock again without a vastly larger stock pot and sieve. In addition, if you're going to go through the time and effort to make stock you really should end up with more than 4 cups. Come on! 4 cups. I see a HUGE pot in my future. Call me psychic.

After careful stock rationing, I decided to use the vegetable stock to make this white bean soup from my copy of 30 Minute Vegetarian. I made a few changes to the soup and it turned out to be quite good. Next time I may try dried beans instead of canned, because the canned ones are a little too mushy.

White Bean & Roasted Tomato Soup

1 onion chopped
2 celery stocks chopped
2 garlic cloves
5 white button mushrooms, finely diced
2 - 14 oz cans white kidney beans
2 small oven roasted tomatoes chopped
3 cups vegetable stock
1 tsp rosemary chopped
salt & pepper
olive oil
Parmesan shavings

Heat oil and then add the onion and mushrooms and saute a few minutes before adding the celery and garlic. Once lightly browned stir in the rinsed canned beans, tomatoes, mushrooms, stock, spices and then season with salt and pepper. Simmer for about 30 minutes, adding more water if needed. Spoon into bowls and top with several pieces of cheese and a sprig of rosemary.