Hearty Vegetarian Soup

3 dried guajillo chili peppers divided

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

5 carrots peeled ends removed, ½-inch dice

½ a yellow onion peeled ends removed, rough dice

2 ribs celery ends removed ½-inch dice

1 leek cut length wise ends removed

1 Bosc pear, peeled, cored ½-inch dice

3 teaspoons kosher salt divided, more for taste

1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper divided, more for taste

3 kale leaves

1 corn cob kernels removed, cob discarded

1 inch of peeled fresh ginger, minced

1 zucchini, ends removed, unpeeled ½-inch dice

1 parsnip, peeled ends removed, ½-inch dice

6 new red potatoes, unpeeled 1-inch dice

6 large broccoli florets broken into small florets

1 bay leaf

½ cup pear juice (I use Whole Foods Market organic pear juice)

32 ounces low sodium vegetable stock

16 ounces water

For garnishing:

8 ounces crème fraîche

2-inch strips from the divided chili pepper

5 chives cut into ½-inch pieces

48 homemade croutons (see recipe below)

3 slices white bread with crusts removed (I like Brownberry country buttermilk)

2 tablespoons unsalted softened butter

½ teaspoon garlic powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut chili peppers in half, seed and cook over medium heat for 1 minute, turning over after 30 seconds. Add water to cover and boil for 10 minutes. Remove from boiling water and put on plate.

In a large stock pot over medium heat, add the EVOO and butter. While butter is melting, cut one of your leek halves into ¼-inch pieces. Save other half in refrigerator for another recipe. When butter has melted, add the carrots, onion, celery, leek and pear. Add 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove stems from the kale and break into bite size pieces. Add kale to stock pot and sauté another 3 minutes. Cut 2 of the chili peppers into ¼-inch dice. For eventual garnishing, cut the remaining chili pepper into 2-inch strips that are ¼-inch wide. Add remaining ingredients except the 2-inch chili pepper strips to the stock pot. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Check that potatoes are cooked through. If not, cook an additional 5 minutes. Remove bay leaf and discard. Add salt and pepper to taste.

For homemade croutons: Butter all sides of bread. Sprinkle each side with garlic powder. Stack the 3 slices on top of each other and cut into 16 pieces, resulting in 48 individual croutons. Bake on ribbed baking sheet until golden brown, about 5 to 8 minutes.

Serve soup in 8 bowls and garnish with 1 tablespoon crème fraîche, 6 homemade croutons, the 2-inch chili pepper strips and a sprinkle of chives divided evenly.

Serves 8

- Tim Schmitt