Carrots and potatoes in lemon parmesan broth

I’ve been making some version of this on repeat lately. We build flavor and depth by layering everyday ingredients. You can follow this recipe exactly, or you can read through my notes and perhaps find inspiration for how to build bigger flavors in your vegetable forward cooking.

I’ve been eating this with a scoop of sticky calrose rice cooked in coconut water and lightly dressed raw carrot ribbons (I received a little spiralizer at a white elephant gift exchange this December and I’m having fun with it!) It’s deeply satisfying. I can’t tell you how happy this is making my body right now.

This encapsulates so much of what I love in food and the cooking process. Taking simple, affordable ingredients, putting in care and a little elbow grease, building and layering flavors and paying attention to the details. The result is so much greater than the sum of its parts–kitchen alchemy!

This is also an example of how we create depth and richness in light vegetarian cooking. We need to extend a little more effort to create something satisfying because our ingredients are so humble. Mixing fats (butter and olive oil) helps to build roundess. Miso is a great way to add complexity. Parmesan and lemon really make this shine. And of course, fresh herbs do so much to uplift. 

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 bunch green onions, finely chopped (I use the entire stem, right down to the dark green end)

8 cloves garlic, finely chopped (I like to smash the garlic with the side of my knife, pull off the skin, and then slice thinly)

1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt (I use Diamond Kosher–if you’re using a finer salt go easy–you likely won’t need the entire amount)

8 healthy grinds of black pepper

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste

6 cups water

1 tablespoon miso

2 large carrot, cut into ¼ inch cubes (about 12 oz or 3 cups chopped)

2 medium waxy potatoes, cut into ½ inch cubes (about 12 oz or 3 cups chopped) (really any potato will work fine/great here–even a russet. I tend not to peel my potatoes!)

1.5  oz parmesan or pecorino romano, microplaned (about 1 heaping cup lightly packed microplaned cheese)

2 heaping tablespoons chopped fresh soft herbs (I used parsley and dill)

Juice and zest of ½ small lemon (lately I’ve been adding citrus zest to just about everything I’m already adding juice to. Citrus are expensive, and I think adding the zest helps to stretch the uplifting medicine of citrus)

Heat a medium stock pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil and butter, green onions, garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. 

Saute while stirring occasionally until the garlic is just starting to lightly brown. Immediately add 6 cups of water and the miso. Bring to a simmer and add the carrots and potatoes. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes at a simmer, until the potatoes are nice and tender but not falling apart.

Remove the soup from the heat. Stir in the cheese, herbs***, and lemon. Taste! Is it bright and round and refreshing? If not, add more salt, miso, cheese, herbs, or lemon until you’re happy. Don’t know quite what it needs? Spoon a few tablespoons into a ramekin and experiment with adding more salt, miso, etc. This is such a great way to train your palette into understanding how to tinker and control flavor and experience.

Top with some sesame seeds, aleppo pepper, and another grating of parmesan cheese and maybe a little pat of butter or drizzle of olive oil. Enjoy with rice, toast, some dressed greens or raw shaved carrots, or all by it’s lonesome self.  

Okay phew, a lot of words for such a simple recipe. I share all of this because ultimately, I want you to feel confident in understanding why we do certain things in the kitchen and how our decisions affect flavor and experience.

***My little note on working with fresh herbs: If you don’t have dill, it would be good with just parsley, or some cilantro, or maybe mint. Maybe some chives or basil, too. One thing about working with soft herbs is that it’s actually pretty difficult to overdo it. If you’re worried that you won’t use that whole bunch of parsley in your fridge before it turns, go ahead and double, triple, quadruple…whatever the amount of herbs. They’re so good for us, so healing and balancing. For the most part, I say use them up rather than let them liquify in the fridge. However, I wouldn’t necessarily say this holds true for more assertive herbs such as rosemary or oregano where a little goes a long way.