Volunteer Events

Thank you to the marvelous volunteer dozen who helped with the Annual Appeal.

We enjoyed a “stuffing” party with good company, Moroccan fruit salad with pistachios, four-hour vegetable soup, Persian green beans, and spinach pie.  At the request of the volunteers, here are the recipes for the vegetarian and turkey soups.

 Maasai Stoves & Solar Stuffing Party Soup

 Makes about 4-5 servings

 Vegetarian version:

 2 cups vegetable stock (I used my own homemade but use any that don’t have much salt)

1/3 lb. yellow split peas, washed and cleaned
1 red onion chopped

1 sweet onion chopped

1 leek, chopped (white part only, save greens for stock)

Green onion bottoms, chopped.

2 carrots chopped

2 celery stalks chopped

Mushrooms (optional. I ran out so I didn’t use them this time)

½ cup finely chopped dill finely chopped dill in two parts—one bottoms, one tops

½ cup chopped Italian parsley

Olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Cumin, dry roasted for a few minutes in a dry frying pan

2 bay leaves

Heat 2-4 Tb olive oil in small soup pot. Add onions and sauté until sizzling. Turn down to the lowest flame possible and cook until nearly translucent. Increase heat and add the leeks and green onion bottoms, and then cook until done.

Add the bay leaves, mushrooms, if using, sauté a few minutes, then add carrots. When nearly cooked, add celery and finely chopped dill stems.

Add the roasted cumin and pepper and sauté a few minutes

Add a bit more oil, heat it, and then stir in the yellow split peas

Cook a minute or two and then add the vegetable stock. For a thinner soup, add more water.

Bring to a light boil, stir and turn down to a very low simmer. Cook at least an hour, but more is better. When peas break down, add salt, dill tops, and parsley and simmer longer. Add water while cooking, as needed. Stir occasionally.

Turkey vegetable soup

Makes about 12 servings

4 cups turkey stock (I simmer a turkey carcass, with an onion for three hours (!) and then add salt, onion, carrot, parsley, celery for another hour)

2/3 lb. yellow split peas, washed and cleaned

2 red onion chopped

2 sweet onion chopped

1 leek, chopped (white part only, save greens for stock)

Green onion bottoms, chopped.

3 carrots chopped

4 celery stalks chopped

Mushrooms (optional. I ran out so I didn’t use them this time)

1 cup finely chopped dill in two parts—one bottoms, one tops

½ cup chopped Italian parsley leaves

Olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

4 bay leaves

1-2 cup diced cooked leftover turkey meat
Heat 4 Tb olive oil in stock pot. Add onions and sauté until sizzling. Turn down to the lowest flame possible and cook until nearly translucent. Increase heat and add the leeks and green onion bottoms, and then cook until done.

Add the bay leaves, mushrooms, if using, sauté a few minutes, then add carrots. When nearly cooked, add celery and finely chopped dill stems.

Add the pepper and sauté a few minutes

Add a bit more oil, heat it, and then stir in the yellow split peas

Cook a minute or two and then add the turkey stock.  For a thinner soup, add more water.

Bring to a light boil, stir, cover, and turn down to a very low simmer. Cook at least an hour, but more is better. When peas break down, add salt to taste and simmer longer. Add water or more stock while cooking, as needed. Stir occasionally.

Add cooked turkey pieces, dill and parsley tops and cook until they are wilted. Remove bay leaves and serve.

Optional:  Could add dry-roasted spice of your choice. I like to use Chubritza—a Bulgarian spice—but did not in this version, since the turkey was very flavorful.