Vegetable Soups

1. Prepare the dumplings. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg, oil, buttermilk, and adobo sauce. Stir in corn.

2. In another medium bowl, stir together cornmeal, flour, baking soda, and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet mixture and gently stir until just combined. Set aside.

3. Fill a large pot halfway with water and bring to a boil over high heat.

4. While the water for dumplings comes to a boil, prepare the soup. In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat and add garlic. Saute just until fragrant, then stir in tomatoes (including juice), chipotle and adobo sauce, and black pepper. Using an immersion blender, puree mixture until smooth (or transfer mixture to a food processor or blender, puree, then return to the pot). Stir in milk and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower heat to keep warm while cooking dumplings.

5. When water for dumplings comes to a boil, make dumplings using 2 teaspoons - one to scoop the dough and the other to push the dough into the boiling water. Dumplings should be about the size of a golf ball - you should be able to make 18 to 22. Reduce heat to medium, so water is at a rolling boil; cover, and cook dumplings for 10 minutes. Do not overcrowd; cook in batches if needed. Dumplings are ready when they have about doubled in size and are slightly firm to the touch. Cut one in half - the center should be cooked through, not dense and doughy.

6. Use a slotted spoon to divide dumplings among 8 bowls. Stir baking soda into soup; then, ladle soup into the bowls and garnish with parsley sprigs if desired.

Source: Hannaford fresh Magazine, January - February 2013