Snow Day Lenten Soup

I was prepared to blog today about how Fridays in Lent are tough for me because even though I eat meat-free about 2/3 of the week, Fridays are extra tough because by the end of the week, my meal plan is usually done and I just eat the leftovers in the fridge. However, they are usually not meat-free leftovers. I really try to observe, but I don't want to waste food either. How can I get myself to have leftover salmon or spinach ravioli in the fridge Friday instead of taco meat and a frozen pepperoni stromboli?

But...as luck would have it, today we had a snow day and I got to try a recipe I've wanted to make for a Friday in Lent but didn't think I would have enough time after work. It is Basque Cabbage Soup, the recipe from Woolgrowers, one of the best Basque restaurants in Bakersfield. The Basque culture is an area right on the borders of France and Spain and for some reason, when people immigrated, most of the settlers came to Bakersfield.

The recipe (at bottom of page) suggests serving the soup with beans, salsa and french bread. This is how it is done at Woolgrowers so I did the same.

Result: Delicious!

(lots of chopping veggies, but that could be done the night before to make this a Fri night after-work Lent soup)

Plain soup:

With Salsa and Beans

Recipe:
3 carrots, sliced
1 tbls chopped garlic
2 large potatoes, peeled, chopped into cubes
2 leeks, cut 5 inches from the bottom, rinsed and chopped
1 small head cabbage, chopped or sliced [mine was sliced pretty thin, I think that helped it cook faster]
1 small can tomato sauce (not paste)
1 tsp thyme
1 cup onion, chopped
1 tbls chicken base (better than bullion)
10 cups water
salt and pepper to taste
pinto beans
salsa

Bring water to a boil in large soup pot, add chicken base
Saute chopped onion and carrot in oil until softened
Add cabbage, leeks, potatoes and cooked carrot and onion to boiling water. Stir in tomato sauce, thyme, salt and pepper
Cook on low heat for 2 hours [I did a little less and it was fine], check for taste halfway, adding more salt and pepper if needed [I felt it was under salted but was cautious because of the salsa topper to come, however, I'd be generous on the salt while cooking]
Top with beans and salsa* right before eating

*I used Tostitos Thick and Chunky salsa and didn't love it, might try Pace Picante Sauce next time, but they didn't have it at my store.