Chipotles add smoky flavour to this soup, and are available in tins in the Mexican food section of many stores.
2 - 14 oz (298 mL) cans fire-roasted tomatoes, including juices
1/2 cup (125 mL) yellow pepper, finely diced
1 cup (250 mL) English cucumber, finely diced
1/2 cup (125 mL) red onion, finely chopped
1 canned chipotle chili in adobe sauce, finely minced
1 cup (250 mL) cold vegetable broth
1/4 cup (50 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly squeezed juice of 1/2 lemon
2 Tbsp (30 mL) balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup (60 mL) finely minced fresh herbs such as parsley, oregano, and basil
2 Tbsp (30 mL) Worcestershire sauce
Freshly ground black pepper
2 large cloves garlic, smashed and minced
Sea salt
1 hard-cooked egg
1 - 46 oz (1.36 L) can tomato juice (about 5 1/4 cups)
1/3 cup (80 ml) panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Balkan-style plain yogourt (optional)
Dice fire-roasted tomatoes. Place in large deep bowl along with juices, remaining diced vegetables, and chipotle chili. Stir in cold vegetable broth, oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, herbs, and Worcestershire sauce. Add pepper to taste. Set aside.
Place smashed garlic in small bowl and sprinkle with a little sea salt. Chop egg and add to garlic. Mash with fork until blended.
Stir tomato juice into vegetable mixture along with egg mixture. Stir in breadcrumbs until dissolved. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover; refrigerate overnight for flavours to blend. Serve with dollops of yogourt.
Makes 12 cups (3 L).
Each serving contains: 71 calories; 2 g protein; 4 g total fat (1 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 9 g carbohydrates; 1 g fibre; 141 mg sodium
source: "Summer Soups", alive #334, August 2010
B12-rich mussels are a very good and economical source of protein and iron. Steamed mussels are a classic way to enjoy seafood—and so is this rich, aromatic broth of tomato, fennel, and saffron. Be sure to allow saffron to fully infuse to get the full flavour benefit, and finish off the dish with the fragrant fennel fronds. Sustainability status Farmed mussels are considered highly sustainable due to their low impacts on the environment. They are easy to harvest, require no fertilizer or fresh water, and don’t need to be fed externally, as they get all their nutritional requirements from their marine environment. Mussel prep Selection: Look for mussels with shiny, tightly closed shells that smell of the sea. If shells are slightly open, give them a tap. Live mussels will close immediately. Storage: Keep mussels in the fridge in a shallow pan laid on top of ice. Keep them out of water and cover with a damp cloth. Ideally, consume on the day you buy them, but within two days. They need to breathe, so never keep them in a sealed plastic bag. Cleanup: In addition to being sustainable, farmed mussels tend to require less cleaning than wild mussels. Most of the fibrous “beards” that mussels use to grip solid surfaces will have been removed before sale. But if a few remain, they’re easily dispatched: grasp the beard with your thumb and forefinger and pull it toward the hinge of the mussel and give it a tug. Afterward, give mussels a quick rinse and scrub away any areas of mud or seaweed, which, with farmed mussels, will require minimal work.
The delicate flavour of shrimp is highlighted with just a touch of lemon and a hint of mustard, while radish and celery give some fresh crunch to this dish. Eat it in lettuce cups, on top of greens, or served on whole grain bread for a filling snack. Sustainability status Both wild and farmed shrimp can be sustainable depending on where they’re caught and how they’re raised. See our article “Sea Change” for more information about choosing ethical shrimp.
Steaming fish in parchment-paper packets, also known as cooking en papillote , is a classic technique that allows you to cook all your vegetables and fish at the same time in a quick, easy, and convenient way. Flavours of lemon, garlic, and spicy dried chili make this a simple, yet showstopping meal. Sustainability status Wild-caught Pacific halibut has Ocean Wise and Marine Stewardship Council certifications and is fished using longlines, which is a more selective method of fishing that results in less bycatch. Prep party Involve family or guests in the prep and have everyone make their own packet. Once you’ve mastered the technique, it’s easy to change up the ingredients. Make sure you select vegetables that will cook at the same rate as the fish.