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Kamut Soup with Pumpkin and Saffron (Parve)
Have you ever tried KAMUT? It’s a long grain with a brown cover – it looks similar to brown rice, but it’s related to wheat and has a velvety, nutty flavor. It’s richer in protein than wheat, and contains several vitamins and minerals. Perfect for a winter soup!
The other main ingredient of this “minestra” is saffron, the star ingredient in Italy’s favorite risotto Milanese, and in many festive Sephardic dishes. Saffron, one of the most highly prized spices since antiquity, and a native of the Southern Mediterranean, is now cultivated in many countries. However, some the best in the world is said to be produced in the Abruzzi region of Italy, a couple of hours east of Rome – a legend says that it was first smuggled here by a dominican monk in the 13th century, and the production has been thriving ever since. In order to maintain the intense aroma of their saffron, the locals uproot the bulbs yearly, and select them for size. The perfect soil and climate conditions do the rest, and every fall the flowers are harvested.
About 80,000 crocus flowers are needed to produce a meager pound of saffron – in case you wondered what makes it the most expensive spice in the world! To justify the extravagant expense, remember that saffron has been used as a medicinal botanical on many continents throughout history, and some recent research has demonstrated that one of its components shows promise as an anti-cancer agent.
Ingredients
- ½ pound kamut, soaked overnight (or at least for 3 hours) and rinsed
- 1 quart vegetable stock
- 15 to 25 saffron stigms
- 1 small carrot
- 1 celery stick
- 1 cup cubed pumpkin or butternut squash
- ½ a medium onion
- 1 quart vegetable stock
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Directions
Brew the saffron in a few spoonfuls of hot water.
Chop the onion, celery and carrot finely (we call this mix “soffritto”).
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and cook this vegetable mix in the oil for 5 to 10 minutes.
Add the cubed pumpkin, a little salt, and cook for 3 or 4 more minutes, Add the kamut, cover with the vegetable stock, and bring to a boil;
Cover and allow to simmer on low heat for 30 minutes.
Add the saffron and allow to cook for about 10-15 more minutes, or until the kamut is cooked “al dente”.
Drizzle with a little more olive oil, add a dash of pepper and some minced parsley, and serve.
https://dinnerinvenice.com/2012/01/22/kamut-soup-with-pumpkin-and-saffron-parve/
