Slovenian Sweet Corn Minestrone (Bobiči) for Abundance and Strength | Sara's Kitchen Witchcraft
- Sara Raztresen
- 11 hours ago
- 4 min read
Leo season is here, and that means we need to turn the fire up.
You know what time it is.
CORN SEASON.
With all the corn coming in at the end of summer, we're sitting pretty in that summer squash/tomato/corn abundance that marks that first cycle of the harvest. I have been drowning in tomatoes and hot peppers since late July, and fighting my second batch of cilantro to keep it from bolting like the first one did. I've also been keeping bags on jars of herbs stocked in the fridge and freezer, which will go a long way for the winter, when I don't have Thai basil on hand like I do all summer!
And now, the watermelons are just coming through, and the acorn squashes and pumpkins are growing for the fall harvest in a month or two. So much bounty to look forward to!
Still, with the local-grown corn on sale (two ears!!! for one dollar!!!), I knew it was time to get a new soup going on—and I took this week's recipe from Cook Eat Slovenia and adapted it to make it a bit easier for the practical, everyday cook. This book is so sweet, because it goes over so many traditional Slovenian recipes by each season, and this sweet corn minestrone (or bobiči in Slovenian) is perfect for that end-of-summer harvest.
Naturally, we're looking at the corn, bean, carrot, onion, and bay leaf for all kinds of good magic related to our stamina, power, and health. Let's take a look!
Magic in Slovenian Sweet Corn Minestrone (Bobiči)
With all these important harvest items as the star of our show vs. a lot of herbs and powders, you can definitely feel the vitality of the land in this dish. Nutrient-rich beans, fresh, juicy corn, ripe onions and crisp carrots! The beauty of this dish comes from that smoked meat, of course, but also from the sheer abundance of the land represented in each bite. The sweetness of that corn, too, adds an extra layer of that joie de vivre that we're looking to manifest and consume. These ingredients, with their freshness and simplicity, restore us in mind and body, and their spiritual significance—talents of power and vigor and luck and protection—help us get right to restore our spirits, too.
With the majority of this dish's elemental energy being about fire, and then the balance of earth and air between the corn and beans (though adding potato to the mix tips it in earth's favor), this is a dish that's all about getting that spark back. Both Mars and the Sun are here to boost up that fiery passion and zest for life, as well: optimism and fighting spirit locked together. And Mercury helps us find our communicative center, while Venus keeps our thoughts on harmony, stability, and peace. A great dish to round out a hectic summer and welcome Virgo season!
Slovenian Sweet Corn Minestrone (Bobiči)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook Time: 30 min
Makes 4-6 servings
Ingredients:
1 large onion, diced
2-3 medium carrots, cut small
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 ears of corn, shucked and cleaned of silk
2 cans of white beans, drained
1 lb smoked, lean bacon (preferable in a chunk to cube)
(Optional) 2 links of kielbasa, sliced and pan fried
2 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced
3 bay leaves
Salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
Cube your lean bacon and fry in a pot until golden brown.
Add your onion, carrot, and garlic and fry in the fat rendered from the lean bacon on medium-low heat. (If the pot is too dry, add a little olive oil or butter.)
(If using kielbasa) slice your kielbasa and fry to release its fat and get golden brown and crispy on each side, then set aside.
Add one can of drained beans to the pot of vegetables and stir.
Mash the other can of beans in a bowl with a pestle, then add to the pot.
Add one cup of water to prevent anything from burning, then add pepper and bay leaves.
Peel, dice, and boil potatoes in well salted water until tender.
While potatoes boil and pot begins to simmer, process your corn. Cut as much off the cob as you can and add to the pot.
Add the kielbasa to the pot, and when the potatoes are done, add the potatoes and potato water to the pot.
Stir together and simmer on low for another 15-30min.
Serve with crusty bread and enjoy!
There really isn't anything better than a delicious pot of hearty Slovenian stews. Whether Istrian ones like these or northern ones like jota and ričet, they're so good, so nutritious, and so magical. I hope you like this simple recipe! ♥
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Sara Raztresen is a Slovene-American writer, screenwriter, and Christian witch. Her fantasy works draw heavily on the wisdom she gathers from her own personal and spiritual experience, and her spiritual practice borrows much of the whimsy and wonder that modern society has relegated to fairy-and-folktale. Her goal is to help people regain their spiritual footing and discover God through a new (yet old) lens of mysticism.
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