Veggie & Tortellini Soup

In a large stock pot or Dutch oven on medium heat, start melting the butter. Add the wine to the butter and let simmer. Taste the mixture before you add the garlic. The butter should cut the acidic taste of the tannins in the wine. If it still has a bitter taste, add a little more butter and keep tasting until you like it.

Add the garlic to the wine by using a garlic press. You want the garlic to nearly dissolve. Let this cook for a couple of minutes on a fast simmer.

Add the tomato paste to the wine and garlic and let the liquid cook for a couple of more minutes until it becomes a roux (near the consistency of thin gravy).

The recipe from here goes quickly. Add the broth, then the water, tortellini, corn, peas and beans. Keep the soup on medium to medium high heat.

Add all of your spices now and while the soup is working its magic, cut the zucchini into circles, then cut those in half.

After the soup has cooked for about ten to fifteen minutes (before the pasta plumps), add the zucchini.

Just before the pasta is al dente, add the mushrooms. They only take a couple of minutes to cook.

Garnish with Parmesan and olives. Enjoy!