Marton Mama’s Vegetable Soup

Directions

1. On medium to high heat, sauté onions and garlic for 2 to 3 minutes in olive oil, stirring until onions begin to turn translucent.
2. Add carrots, celery, green beans, cauliflower, and red and green peppers and sauté another 3 to 5 minutes until vegetables begin to sweat. Adjust heat to sauté but not burn veggies.
3. Add 2 teaspoons Hungarian Paprika and continue to sauté and stir for approximately 30 seconds being careful not to burn paprika. (burned paprika will turn extremely bitter and spoil your soup)
4. Add 1/3 cup flour and continue stirring for another 30 seconds to create a rue type coating on vegetables. (if you would like to keep this gluten free, skip steps 4-6)
5. Add 1/2 water (about 7 cups), stirring and scraping bottom and sides of pot, incorporating to dissolve rue type coating on vegetables and pot into the broth.
6. Keep stirring until you see that the liquid is smooth without any clumps of flour/rue visible.
7. Add peas, diced potatoes and the remaining water (another 7 cups), 2 tbsp salt and bring soup back to a boil, stirring occasionally.
8. Once boiling point is reached, reduce heat and simmer for approximately 10 minutes.
9. Add broccoli, zucchini and minced parsley simmer another 10 or so minutes until vegetables reach preferred doneness.
10. Taste and adjust flavor if needed. If soup lacks salt, add a little at a time, tasting as you go. If it is saltier than you like, add a bit of water to get to preferred flavor, cutting down or increasing seasoning quantities according to your preference.
11. I do not like over cooked vegetables and this can turn to mush if you keep it hot too long or cover it and leave it.
12. As soon as vegetables are cooked but still firm, I ladle soup into mason jars: 2 cup, 3 cup and 4 cup portions, cap, and immerse, filled, capped jars, into a sink full of cold water before storing them in refrigerator.