A number  of years ago, I catered a family event where all the siblings were in their sixties, and they hadn’t all seen each other for years.  They had planned a wonderful weekend together using Thetis as their base.  One evening they gathered for a simple, progressive meal before they watched a DVD of their lives growing up.  There were many tears that evening, as well as hilarity.  The gift of sharing, when we all come from the same place, regardless of our position in that place, acknowledges the long fiber that connects us.  Partners can join in on this commonality as they’ve heard the stories, lived the tears.

As I quietly worked away in the kitchen, I could relate to so many of their stories and emotions.  I served a supper that was familiar to their farming background, but had enough twists to keep it current.  The lighting was low, and the evening passed along unhurried and full.  This was the soup I created to start the evening.

Ingredients:

2 T butter

1 medium onion, chopped

2 ribs celery, chopped

1 T cumin

½ t turmeric

1 t salt

½ t pepper

4 medium potatoes – about 1½ # – doesn’t need to be exact

1 – 19 oz can white beans, rinsed & drained – or 2 c home-cooked beans

4 c vegetable stock (or you can use chicken)

2 c light cream

1 bunch of finely chopped green onions (reserve 2 T chopped green tops for garnish)

Garnish

Thinly sliced grape or cherry tomatoes, enough for 3 pcs per bowl

Reserved chopped, green onion tops

Directions:

In a skillet over medium high heat, melt the butter.  Add in the onion and celery, cook, stirring occasionally, until soft.

Add in the cumin, turmeric, salt & pepper.

In a large pot, bring the stock to a boil, and add in the potatoes.  Simmer until tender.

Once the potatoes are tender, add in the beans, continuing to simmer.

Add in the sautéed vegetables.

Cook all for another 15 minutes.

Mix the cream with the chopped green onions (reserving some onions for the garnish).

Stir in the cream & onions.

Purée the soup using an immersion blender, or in batches using a processor.

Return to the pot and bring back to a simmer.

To Serve:

Lay 3 thin slices of tomato against the side of the bowl.  Scatter some chopped green onion tops over the soup.

To make it one step prettier, use 3 very thinly sliced 3” long pieces of green onion radiating out from the tomatoes.