Marak katom: Israeli vegetable soup

I had the urge to share an Israeli recipe this week, during Chanukah. This beautiful soup, that can be made vegan, is prepared from all orange vegetables — hence the name “orange soup,” or “marak katom.” It is both nourishing and filling, and one of the most underrated Israeli staples. We all know about hummus and falafel, but how many Americans have tasted this soup?

I roast all the vegetables to bring out the natural sweetness and flavors — this method also makes the prep work safer and faster.

I’ve been making soups several times a week. Soup is always perfect when you want a light dinner, and when you have a family with different schedules it’s easy to keep a pot on simmer so everyone can grab a hot meal at their convenience.

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Ingredients
Generously serves 8-10

1 butternut squash
4 large sweet potatoes
4 large carrots
1 small whole pumpkin
OR 1 can pureed pumpkin, small or large
1 large onion
1 whole intact bulb of garlic
6-8 cups chicken stock, vegetable stock or water
5-6 tablespoons of olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon paprika or pepper
2 teaspoons baharat spice (add extra spices to your taste)

Lay parchment paper on a large baking pan and preheat your oven to 400 F, placing the wire rack in the upper third.

Wash the squash, pumpkin and sweet potatoes well. Slice the squash and the pumpkin in half vertically and scrape out the seeds with a strong spoon. If you can’t find a small, fresh pumpkin, use canned pumpkin puree. It comes in two sizes, small and large cans; you can use whatever you have on hand. Just be sure it is 100% pumpkin and not a pre-spiced pumpkin puree.

Trim and peel the carrots, leaving them whole, and slice the sweet potatoes in half, lengthwise. Peel the outer layers of an onion and cut in half.

Take one whole average-sized bulb of garlic and use a sharp knife to cut across the very upper portion, exposing the garlic cloves. Place the garlic onto a foil square, drizzle with a little olive oil, and close the foil packet.

Brush all the vegetables with oil on both sides and sprinkle them with kosher salt — you should not need more than 2-3 tablespoons of oil in total for this step.

Place the squash, pumpkin and sweet potatoes flesh side down and roast — along with the carrots, onion and garlic — for at least an hour, up to 1 hour and 20 minutes. I can usually insert a knife easily into the squash at the 1 hour mark, but the roasted flavor of the vegetables improves if you keep them in a little longer without any burning. There is a nice amount of natural sugar in these vegetables and the flavor caramelizes the longer they roast. A few dark marks around the edges of the vegetables are fine.

Remove from the oven and set the tray aside to cool for at least a half-hour or until the vegetables are cool enough to handle. This is my favorite method of roasting squash and especially sweet potatoes; it takes the flavor to the next level.

Scoop the squash, pumpkin and sweet potatoes out of their skins and discard the skin. Remove the outermost layer of onion. Sometimes the onions and carrots can feel a bit firm, even after a long time in the oven. Roasting the vegetables is key for the flavor and we can soften them by cooking a bit longer in the broth or water if needed.

As with all recipes, people like to use different spices, often with an accent on one or two favorites. I use baharat spice mix in this soup, otherwise known as Syrian 7 spice. There are recipes for the spice mix online, and if you cook or bake you may have some, if not all, of the spices needed. It’s a mix of allspice, coriander, cumin, nutmeg, pepper/paprika and cloves. If there is one spice that you have an aversion to, then make your own mixture and leave that out. If there is something that you love, add more or serve it at the table. I season this lightly; many cooks use 3-4 times the seasoning I do. The vegetables have a beautiful flavor and there is such a soft, natural sweetness that I hate to cover it up. You can also roast a second bulb of garlic. Squeeze the roasted garlic paste out of the bulb; you can make 2, but you don’t need to add it all to the soup. If you’re a garlic lover this is the best spread on bread.

Place a soup pot over medium-low heat. When the pot is warm add 3 tablespoons of olive oil to the pot and heat for a minute.

If the carrots or onions are still firm, chop them and get them ready to go first; otherwise just put them into the pot at the same time as the other ingredients.

Add your baharat, paprika/pepper to the oil and stir for 1 minute or until fragrant.

Reduce the heat to low to avoid burning and squeeze in the roasted garlic. Stir well and cook for another minute. If the carrots or onions are still firm, put them into the oil first. Stir until they are well coated and add the broth of your choice, or water, to just cover the vegetables. Water works but it won’t have all the extra flavor, so keep that in mind when seasoning with salt or spices.

Raise the heat to medium, cover the pot and cook the carrots and onions at a soft boil for about 20 minutes or until fork-tender.

Add the rest of the vegetables, stirring them well into the broth.

Add another cup of water if needed, cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for 20-25 minutes to combine the flavors.

If the carrots and onions already were soft, you can add them with the other vegetables all at once, cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium low and cook for 20-25 minutes.

Remove the lid and remove the heat.

Use an immersion blender to puree the vegetables. If it seems too thick, add half a cup of boiling water at a time and blend. Sometimes it needs more liquid, but it should still be a thick, hearty soup.

If you made this vegan, add 2-3 more tablespoons of olive oil to thicken the soup. I like to leave some texture in my soups, but you can puree this until it’s very smooth.

Check for taste; add more spices, salt and pepper as needed. You can use any kind of pepper/paprika that you like.

You can serve immediately or cover and keep warm on the lowest heat to avoid scorching the bottom.

This soup can be garnished with parsley, cilantro, garlic croutons or pumpkin seeds — add your favorite things. Chili oil is also fantastic in the soup.

The flavor only improves the following day and this will last for several days in the fridge. It freezes well, so you can freeze half for later. Enjoy and bless your hands! PJC

Jessica Grann is a home chef living in Pittsburgh.