Hijacking the Tzibal Women's Group - Minestrone Soup

(Doña Estela - The Spanish-speaker/leader of the group)




(The group meeting outside)

A week or two ago, my site mate Hannah (the wonderful) had to go away for a seminar. Every week she goes and cooks with a group of women in the town of Tzibal, maybe a 35 minute walk uphill, and works on projects as well. They had been asking when if I was ever going to come with her, so her absence provided me an opportunity to work with them. The group has about 20 women that always come and only one speaks Spanish. My kekchi is minimal; I can buy things, say where I'm going and greet people, as well as discuss healthy practices, making for a somewhat interesting interaction with the women's group.


(Cleaning the vegetables)

I decided to make Minestrone Soup. The women are accustomed to making soups, mainly meat-based soups with very few vegetables, so I decided to use this an opportunity to give them an example of a vegetable-based soup that could give them ideas on things to add to their current soups and everything can be found locally. I also showed them how to make a broth (though they ate the vegetables out of it) and to keep the skins and greens parts that they would normally discard. Overall they enjoyed it, except it would've been better with meat, which is a common saying when Hannah works with them as well. While soups in the US are eaten primarily when it is cold, in Campur, soup are eaten year-round regardless of how hot it is.


(Tortilla-making)

I was able to find all the ingredients at Campur market, except for basil and oregano, which sometimes grows in the villages.

Minestrone Soup


(Sautéing vegetables for the broth)

Vegetable Broth

1 bushel of thyme
1 large leek, roughly chopped
2 peppercorns
1 carrot with top, roughly chopped
1 bay leaf
2 large onions, roughly chopped
1 bunch of celery with leaves, roughly chopped
3 tablespoons salt (to taste)
water
oil (optional)
Dashes of soy sauce (optional)

Normal broth: Combine all ingredients in a 10-quart pot and boil for 15 minutes. Strain through a colander, setting aside the broth and discarding the vegetables. Add a few dashes of soy sauce for color.

Rich broth: In 10-quart pot, saute all ingredients in oil until the onions are clear. Add water and boil for 15 minutes. Strain through a colander, setting aside the broth and discarding the vegetables. Add a few dashes of soy sauce for color.

Minestrone Soup

2 large onions, chopped
2 large carrots with tops, chopped
1 bunch of celery with leaves, chopped
2 lbs. potatoes with skin, scrubbed and chopped
vegetable broth (see above)
2 teaspoons thyme
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons basil leaves, chopped (if fresh) or dried
2 tablespoon oregano, dried
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
chile cobanero, to taste
1 lb. cooked white beans (canellini or Great Northern)
1 bag pasta (elbows, macaroni, etc)
1 lb. tomatoes
1 bunch leafy vegetable (macoy, spinach, radish leaves, etc.)
grated cheese (campo, parmesan, etc)

Saute onions, carrots, celery, and potatoes until onions are clear. Add vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer and add herbs and seasonings. After 10 minutes, add cooked beans, and leafy vegetable and pasta. Once pasta is al dente (still firm when bitten), add tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Serve and garnish with cheese. Accompany with tortillas or crusty bread.

Variations: Add cubed chicken breast or thigh or cubed beef.

Serves 15.