Back in 2010, my friend Giles Goat Boy was trudging around in the snow in Madison, Wisconsin with a sign that said "I thought Cairo would be warmer." I hadn't met him yet, but I saw that sign. It fed me and it gave me hope. It's been a painful struggle but we carry on. The fight is never over.
In this recipe, I used Egyptian Walking Onions. These prolific winter onions are the first green thing to arise in my garden in early spring. True to Giles' sign, they are not as hot as you might expect and they thrive in cold spring soil. This is provender for the extended campaign, nourishment to endure the hardships of the long march.
This is a substantial soup. It will take a long afternoon, give yourself at least 2 hours, longer if it is part of a larger meal. You will need the help of composer who understands the thoroughgoing importance of a plan, a theme and a well thought-out composition to bring it together. We shan't call on Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart frivolously. Ask him to bring his violin concertos 3, 4 and 1 and perhaps a couple of sonatas in his carry-on. Tell him it's root soup. He'll understand.
Fresh is always better, so if you can fit an orchestra in the pantry and Viktoria Mullova is available, go fresh! I, alas, was forced to resort to a recording. Henryk Szeryng came back to life in my kitchen. It was a lot to ask of him, but it was Mozart. He understood.
We began with Concerto 3.
In addition to the music, you will need:
2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried mustard
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon cumin
6 to 8 medium carrots
½ cup chopped celery
2 to 3 cups chopped winter onions or leeks
3 cloves garlic
4 medium potatoes (I took the opportunity to use up eleven small potatoes)
1 cup white wine
6 cups vegetable broth or chicken stock
1 cup vegan sour supreme or sour cream
Salt to taste (avoid using more than 1 teaspoon)
(The recipe is vegan, but I've included some carnivore options in italics.)
As the Allegro is happily discussed between the solo violinist and the orchestra, trim and scrub the carrots thoroughly, leaving the skin on. (You'll be running the soup through the blender or food processor, so you can chop them coarsely.)
As the keys are switched in their turn, wash and chop the onions, peel the potatoes, chop them into quarters and measure out the seasonings into a small dish.
To begin the Adagio, warm the olive oil in a large pot over a medium heat.
Add the pepper, paprika, mustard, celery seed and cumin. Let the seasonings get aquainted for just a few minutes, turn up the heat to medium high and add the carrots, celery, onions, garlic, and potatoes. Stir the the vegetables and seasonings, together, until warmed through.
Stir in the wine, then stir in the vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to medium low. Let it simmer (about 45 minutes) until the vegetables are tender. If you are patient, they may be as tender as the melody switch into B minor. We must wait. The third movement, the (Strassbourg) Rondeau Allegro, shall sustain our spirits.
The Strassbourg Rondeau is one of Herr Mozart's best known works. Pause a moment to pour yourself something for the journey. A thoughtful Gewürztraminer will stimulate your senses to the complexity of the music and the surprising bond of onion, carrot, and cumin that forms in the pot.
When the Concerto 4 Allegro begins, you will have time to savor the full orchestra's preparation and the stimulation of the soloist's playful spinning of tales. Take a breath and check those veggies. They should be soft. The carrot-cumin-onion bond will be established and you will be ready to remove the the pot from the heat and run the soup through a blender or food processor in batches. (An immersion blender will save you some time and mess here.) I deeply regret that you must put down your glass to accomplish all this. Wolfgang and I know your hardships. We understand.
The Andante Cantabile will calm your spirits. If that doesn't work, the spritz in a bumper of Gewürz certainly will.
Return the soup to the pot, stir in the sour supreme and return to simmer, covered, for about one hour. When it is done, it will be thick, with a golden hue and you will have been enjoying another wonderful Rondeau. The hour of simmering will allow you to clean up a bit and perhaps attend to another course of the meal.
The soup should provide 6 servings. With some bread and a bit of cheese it will provide a nice lunch for four. I suggest some rye rolls and a mild, northern cheese, perhaps a Havarti or Jarlsberg. More budget minded hosts can provide a Colby or Jack cheese that will nobly satisfy the palate and belly. If you wish to serve a bit of meat with this, some slices of cold roast pork or Westphalian ham will not fail to please. While setting the table, enjoy Mozart's Concerto 1. Garnish each bowl with a dot of sour supreme and a sprig of onion green.
Strauss pairs well with dessert, perhaps a slice of pound cake with warm cherry preserves and a dollop of whipped cream.
Here's a poem to go with it:
Struggle
Over the course of labor
we fought. In error,
in exhaustion we bickered.
Battle seemed without end.
Slogging over broken, cross-gained earth
our hearts were worn hard.
Trust is won one turn at a time.
Endure with me. Overcome with me.
An old chestnut for dessert music. Try it with a glass of Riesling.
Be merry, be well my friends, for it's back to work soon, so very soon!