Take that Cookbook Off the Shelf

Soups are a staple in our house, a simple meal, great for groups and perfect for leftovers. On Sunday evening I was debating what type of soup I wanted to make for dinner, and I felt tired of all of the usuals – tortilla soup, pasta e fagioli, vegetable and rice, bean soup . . . I pulled out this cookbook by Deborah Madison and started skimming through it.

I have to confess that I love cookbooks and I have a fair amount of them, but I don’t always use them. In my quest to live more simply, I am trying to either use them or get rid of them. I stumbled upon a recipe called Quinoa, Corn and Spinach Chowder, and had most of the ingredients. It turned out great, and is a wonderful summery soup as it includes summer favorites such as corn and spinach. It also includes the ever amazing grain quinoa.

Makes 2 quarts (I tripled it to feed a crowd of 15 with some leftovers)

3/4 cup quinoa, rinsed

2 ears corn, shucked (I used frozen corn – approx. 2-3 cups)

2 T olive oil

1 garlic clove, finely chopped (I used more)

1 jalapeno chile, seeded and finely diced

1/2 t of cumin

sea salt and fresh pepper

2 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4″ pieces

1/4 lb. of feta cheese cut into cubes (this could be left out if you are vegan)

1 bunch of spinach, washed and stems removed

3 scallions, including a few of the greens, thinly sliced

1/3 cup chopped cilantro leaves

1. Simmer the quinoa in 7 cups of bliling water for 10 min. Set aside.

2. Heat the oil in a saucepan with the garlic and chile, cook for approx. 30 seconds over med. heat, then add the cumin, 1/2 t salt and the potatoes. Dump the liquid from the quinoa into your pot. Bring to a boil, then add the quinoa and simmer, partially covered, until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Add the corn.

3. Turn off the heat, taste for salt, and season with pepper. Add teh cheese, then stir in the cilantro, spinach and scallions. As soon as the spinach is wilted, after 2-3 min., serve the soup.