Dick’s Vegetable Soup

Dick made this soup for a camping trip we took when he came to visit Mike and me in Berkeley in 1978. He was supposed to be recovering from surgery, but Mike, Leslee and I dragged him up a mountain in Yosemite National Park. After a day on the trail with not much more than nectarines as nourishment, this soup tasted like heaven.

3 quarts water

2 cups peeled, diced carrots

2 cups peeled diced potatoes

2 cups chopped onions

2 cups green beans, (break off ends, snap into small pieces)

1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 can tomato paste (freeze the other half in the can)

1 T. dried basil (or a frozen basil cube)

1 cup Parmesan cheese 1/4 cup olive oil

Directions: Boil carrots, potatoes, onion in salted water for 30-40 min. Add green beans and kidney beans; cook for 15 minutes, until green beans are cooked, but still a bit crunchy. (You can do this up to a day ahead; refrigerate, then bring to a simmer before next step.)

In a separate, small bowl, mix the tomato paste, olive oil, garlic, and basil. Add a bit of the soup broth to thin the mixture, then stir into soup. Serve with French bread and more Parmesan cheese.