Summer Vegetable Soup

Mixed Bouquet from the fields of Osip's Farm

Inspired by today's beauty and bounty at the Long Beach Farmer's Market, I'm sharing this recipe for summer vegetable soup from today's Times. My friend Marsha always has a hankering for soup when the thermometer tips 80º. She grew up on a farm, and she knows about these things.

Hot stuff cools you down (baby).

Be sure to pick up a bunch of fresh flowers from the Osip's. Fresh flowers in your home is a quality of life thing. For a small investment, they make a huge difference - try it.

Hurry to the market before it closes at 6. And stay tuned (sign up for the listserve at the Market Manager's Table) ... maybe, just maybe, the market will go to two days - Wednesdays and SATURDAYS!!!

Just look at all the asterisks in this recipe (*). These are ingredients found all over the market now. Don't miss Dan Madura's new string beans and Yukon Gold and small new red potatoes. Fresh peas at the Osip's ... and tons of herbs everywhere. There's fresh ricotta at Papa Pasquale's and a perfect baguette at Bread Alone. And the wine? I found a GREAT wine for the summer. It's reasonable (around $10), and was given three and a half stars in a wine column months ago in the Times. It drinks like a wine twice its price. Pop's in Island Park carries it: BV Coastal Estates Sauvignon Blanc 2007. Find it. Buy a bottle. Try it. You'll go buy more.

Summer Vegetables in Saffron Broth With Ricotta and Toasted Baguette

Adapted from Christopher Lee, Aureole

Time: 35 minutes

FOR THE VEGETABLES AND BROTH:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

12 whole peeled baby carrots*, preferably with an inch of green tops left on

2 fennel bulbs*, trimmed of green tops, quartered

2 shallots* or 1 sweet onion*, thinly sliced

8 scallions*, roots trimmed, cut into thirds

8 fingerling potatoes*, cut into thirds

1 cup fresh corn kernels*

1 cup white wine

1 large pinch saffron

1 small pinch cayenne pepper

2 bay leaves

3 sprigs fresh thyme*

1 cup haricots verts or green beans*

1 cup fresh* or frozen green peas

1 pint cherry tomatoes*, each halved

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 sprigs tarragon*

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE BAGUETTE AND RICOTTA:

4 slices baguette*, 1/2-inch thick

1/4 pound fresh ricotta*.

1. For vegetables and broth: Place a 6-quart saucepan over high heat. When pan is hot, add olive oil, carrots, fennel, shallots or sweet onion, scallions, potatoes and corn. Reduce heat to medium-low. Sauté 2 minutes, then add 4 cups water, wine, saffron, cayenne, bay leaves and thyme.

2. Bring to a simmer and cook until carrots and potatoes are just tender, about 15 minutes. Add haricots verts or green beans, peas, tomatoes, butter and tarragon. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove and discard bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Simmer for another 5 minutes before serving, or remove from heat for up to 20 minutes, then reheat.

3. For baguette and ricotta: Grill or toast baguette slices, then spread each with ricotta.

4. To serve: Divide vegetables and broth equally among 4 bowls. Garnish each with a slice of baguette and ricotta.

Yield: 4 servings.

peace and love, jane