Soup

2 ½ tbsp           olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1                      small potato, peeled and thinly sliced

2                      cloves of garlic

1 bay leaf

1 tbsp               chopped majoram, plus extra for garnish

1 tbsp               tomato paste

3 or 4               large, red bell peppers, roasted and coarsely chopped

1 tsp                 sweet paprika

                        salt and freshly milled pepper

1 quart             water or basic vegetable stock

                        balsamic vinegar, to taste

Heat the oil in a soup pot and add the onion, potato, garlic, bay leaf and marjoram.

Sauté over high heat, stirring often, until the potato and onion begin to brown, about 12 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the peppers, paprika, and 1 teaspoon of salt.  Pour in the water and scrape the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 25 minutes. 

Remove the bay leaf and blend the soup until smooth. Taste for salt, season with pepper and add a teaspoon or so of vinegar. Serve with croutons (below) and a sprinkling of chopped marjoram.

Polenta  for Croutons (optional)

Polenta for 6

2 cups              coarse cornmeal, preferably stone ground, or a mixture of course and fine cornmeal

1 ½ tsp             salt (or to taste)

2 to 6 tbsp        butter (optional)

Bring 6 to 8 cups of water to a boil in a large, heavy saucepan and add the salt and then the cornmeal in a steady stream, stirring constantly with a whisk to avoid making lumps and having the meal seize up within the first few minutes.  (You can also use 2 cups of the water, cold to make a slurry and then add it all at once.) Lower the heat and cook, stirring more or less constantly for 30 – 45 minutes. If the polenta seizes up in t a hard mass, add small increments of boiling water while it cooks to smooth it out. When done, taste for salt then turn off the heat and stir in the butter to taste.  Serve immediately or if making croutons, cool.

Croutons

Slice firm polenta into 1” cubes. Heat an inch or so of peanut or olive oil in a cast-iron or non-stick skillet until it is hot enough to sizzle a crumb of polenta. Add several sticks at a time to pan and fry until crisp.  They won’t brown much and will probably clump together. Remove to a paper towel to drain for a moment, then pry them apart, dust lightly with salt or red chile and add to soup.