My love of soup-and-sandwich combos goes back to the days when my mom was packing my lunch. Her version was a study in kitchen economy: She could turn any kind of leftover — meatloaf, grilled fish, pork chops — into a sandwich. And any cooked vegetable was fair game for one of her soups. In that spirit, my recipes this week offer a soup/sandwich combo that can be made in quantity, then reheated to eat later. The beet and carrot soup — inspired by glowing fresh beets in the farmers market — is a vegetarian dish that can be seasoned simply with salt and pepper or tailored to your taste by adding your favorite spice or herb. Pair it with a gooey panini that marries two longtime collaborators (pears and cheese) in a new way. I like to lighten it up a bit, and cut down on toasting time, by using thin-slice bread. Together, these dishes make a meal that’s savory, satsifying and sweetly nostalgic.
Roasted yellow beet and carrot soup
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 2 hours
Yield: 12 servings
12 medium carrots, peeled, cut into 3-inch lengths
3 large golden beets, peeled, quartered
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 piece (2 inches long) ginger root, slivered
3 cans (14 ounces each) low-sodium vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1/4 cup each: creme fraiche, chopped parsley, optional
1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Toss carrots and beets with 1 tablespoon of the oil in a medium mixing bowl. Transfer to a baking dish. Roast, stirring once, until vegetables are light brown and tender, about 1 hour.
2. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons of the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat; add the onion. Cook, stirring, until onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Add the celery and ginger. Cook, stirring, until celery begins to soften and onion begins to brown, about 4 minutes.
3. Add carrots, beets and broth. Heat to a boil over medium-high heat; lower heat to a simmer. Cover; cook until vegetables are very tender; about 45 minutes. Remove from heat; set aside to cool, about 10 minutes.
4. Puree soup in batches in a blender. Return the soup to the Dutch oven; heat over medium heat 5 minutes, adding more broth or water if needed. Season with pepper. Serve in soup bowls; top with creme fraiche and chopped parsley, if desired.
Nutrition information per serving:
91 calories, 37% of calories from fat, 4 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 12 g carbohydrates, 3 g protein, 116 mg sodium, 3 g fiber
Pear and cheddar paninis
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 2 minutes per batch
Yield: 6 sandwiches
1 large ripe pear, peeled, cored, sliced into 6 pieces vertically
6 slices low-fat or reduced-fat cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons fat-free mayonnaise
12 very thin slices white bread, crusts removed
1. Spread mayonnaise evenly over 6 bread slices; top each with a pear slice and a cheese slice. Top with remaining bread slices.
2. Heat an oiled skillet over medium-high heat (or heat a panini press); add sandwiches in batches. Place another heavy skillet on the sandwiches; press down. Cook with skillet on top until lightly browned, about 30 seconds. Remove skillet; turn sandwich. Cook until cheese melts, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a plate; cut sandwiches in half.
Nutrition information per serving:
182 calories, 18% of calories from fat, 4 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 7 mg cholesterol, 27 g carbohydrates, 10 g protein, 509 mg sodium, 2 g fiber
Nutritionals by Jodie Shield
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Ron Bilaro is a personal chef in Chicago. Send e-mails to home& garden@tribune.com.
