Gypsy Soup

A great bowl of soup on a cold night. I used about 5 cups of water instead of 3 since there wasn't enough broth once all the vegetables were added. This recipe is taken from The New Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen.

2 medium-sized ripe tomatoes
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
3 medium cloves garlic, crushed
1 stalk celery, minced
2 cups peeled, diced sweet potato
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. mild paprika
1 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. basil
A dash of cinnamon
A dash of cayenne
1 bay leaf
3 cups of water
1 medium bell pepper, diced
1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas


1. Heat a medium-sized saucepan of water to boiling. Core the tomatoes, and plunge them into the boiling water for a slow count of 10. Remove the tomatoes, and peel them over a sink. Cut them open; squeeze out and discard the seeds. Chop the remaining pulp and set aside.
2. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven. Add onion, garlic, celery, and sweet potato, and sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add salt, and sauté 5 minutes more. Add seasonings and water, cover, and simmer about 15 minutes.
3. Add tomato pulp, bell pepper, and chickpeas. Cover and simmer for about 10 more minutes, or until all the vegetables are as tender as you like them. Taste to adjust seasonings, and serve.