By Henry Barrow

In an ideal situation, it is between mid-December and late May in South Florida. That means I can go into the fields of South Dade and get fresh, local vegetables.

My favorite thing to make during that time period is vegetable soup. The types of vegetables are determined by what is available that particular day. All of my soups begin the same way. I thinly slice 2 large celery stalks, chop 2 onions, and slice and dice a large bell pepper. If you want a little spice in your soup, use poblano peppers instead of bell pepper. In cooking this three-ingredient mixture is called the Trinity. I put 2 tablespoons of olive oil in my soup pot and add the vegetables. The idea is to sweat them and cause them to offer up their flavors. It’s best to use a medium low temperature.

As the veggies get close to being ready for the next step, I crush and finely dice 3 to 4 large garlic cloves. Let the garlic cook until you can smell it and then continue to cook for about 2 minutes. At this point I add a cup of white wine and let it reduce to about half, being careful not to let the veggies burn. While the base is cooking I chop the vegetables that will go into the soup. I love root vegetables like parsnip, turnip, carrot, radish, and a little bit of potato. I like to cut them all about the same size. The next step is to use 2 quarts of vegetable broth; I like organic products so I often make my own broth from South Dade vegetables. At this point I add a can of diced tomatoes with the juice. Some other vegetables that help the flavor of the final product are broccoli, okra, corn cut off the cob, and pole beans. Once the vegetables have been added you just let the broth and veggies simmer until done. Don’t let the soup boil. When the root vegetables are fork tender, you can add chopped leafy greens if you wish.

Henry and Sandy Barrow

Daughter Tracey and her family, except for Jakk, are either vegans or vegetarians, but I have nothing against meat. I don’t eat a lot of red meat these days because I find it harder to digest, as I get older. If you are going to use meat, brown it on the outside before adding the celery, onion, and bell pepper. If you are using beef, use beef stock. If you are using chicken or pork, use chicken stock. I like to use Italian sausage and that I cook with the Trinity. When using Italian sausage, I like to make a white bean and broccoli rabe soup with lots of garlic.

All soups taste better with crusty bread. The bread is also great for sopping up what’s left in your soup bowl.

The soup I have outlined serves 4 to 5 as dinner, more as a first course.

The whole idea is to utilize what God has made available to us. Using our local produce helps our community and fresh vegetables taste better than the alternative. Since I have not found a field that grows okra, I use frozen okra.

Note: Henry’s story is the first posting in a series of narratives and recipes to appear here as part of our Just Eating study, prayer and gatherings during Lent. Henry podcasts at TalkingAboutWine.com.