serving size: Makes about 2 quarts.

Ingredients

1/2 lb portabella mushrooms, caps and stems cut into 1-inch pieces
1 lb shallots, left unpeeled, quartered
1 lb carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 red bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs (including stems)
5 fresh thyme sprigs( can substitute dried thyme leaves if necessary)
4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup dry white wine
2 bay leaves                                                                                                                                                                                                        1  cup canned crushed tomatoes
2 qt water + 1 cup

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Toss together mushrooms, shallots, carrots, bell peppers, parsley and thyme sprigs, garlic, and oil in a large flameproof roasting pan. Roast in middle of oven, turning occasionally, until vegetables are golden, 30 to 40 minutes.

Transfer vegetables with slotted spoon to a tall narrow 6-quart stockpot. Set roasting pan across 2 burners, then add wine and deglaze pan by boiling over moderate heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, 2 minutes. Transfer to stockpot and add bay leaves, tomatoes, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 45 minutes. Pour through a large fine sieve into a large bowl, pressing on and discarding solids, then season with salt and pepper. Skim off fat.

Cooks' note:
• Stock keeps, covered and chilled, 1 week, or frozen 3 months.

Now that we have our stock, here's the soup recipe.  Using the vegetable stock instead of just plain water will produce a vegetable soup that is out of this world.

Vegetable Soup With Basil and Garlic Sauce

Ingredients

For soup
1 small fennel bulb (sometimes called anise)
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium turnip, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 small cabbage, cored and chopped (2 cups)
2 small yellow summer squash or zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium boiling potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
8-9 cups vegetable stock
1 (10-oz) package frozen baby lima beans
1/2 lb haricots verts or other thin green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 (15- to 19-oz) can cannellini or other white beans, drained and rinsed
5 oz baby spinach (5 cups)

For pistou (This can be omitted if coming off the cleanse, but boy is it a good addition)
3 large garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 oz grated parmesan (1/3 cup)

Preparation

Make soup: Cut fennel stalks flush with bulb, discarding them, and trim off any tough outer layers from bulb. Chop fennel into 1/2-inch pieces.

Cook fennel, onion, turnip, carrots, and cabbage  in oil in a 7- to 9-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to brown and cabbage is wilted, 5 to 7 minutes.  Add squash, potato, thyme sprigs, bay leaf, salt, and vegetable stock and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes. Add lima beans, green beans, and cannellini and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Discard thyme sprigs, and bay leaf. Stir in spinach and season with salt and pepper.

Make pistou while soup is simmering:
Mince and mash garlic to a paste with salt (or pound with a mortar and pestle). Blend with basil in a food processor until basil is finely chopped. Add oil and cheese and purée.

Top servings with a spoonful of pistou, then stir.  Again, the pistou can be omitted if coming off the master cleanse, but I personally don't, as it truly adds a new dimension to the soup.

So there you have it.  A soup that will definitly please any palette, and when coming off the master cleanse, will taste as if you've died and gone to heaven.

Peace and happiness

Seunim