way back in some city heat when a friend was anybody with food to eat

I came home tonight and begged my roommate to let me make soup for her dinner tomorrow night and this was the soup I made up with the random leftover shit in the house and she and my other roommate said I needed to write it down because it was really good so here it is. And ours is vegan.

Random Leftover Shit in the House Soup
(makes approximately 5 quarts)

1 1/2 onions
2 1/2 quarts water
5 tablespoons butter or butter substitute (we used Earth Balance to keep it vegan)
1 package frozen green beans, french style
1 bunch asparagus, cut into pieces
3 14.5 ounce cans tomatoes
1 large sweet potato, cut into cubes
1 small package baby cut carrots
crushed red pepper flakes
salt
freshly ground pepper
1 cup rice vinegar
1 cup white wine
3 tablespoons garlic powder
olive oil
6 cloves garlic
fresh ginger, grated

stock:
thinly slice 1 onion, reserve the other 1/2 onion for later. sauté onion and 3 cloves garlic, chopped in half, in pan with 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-low heat, adding another 2 tablespoons of butter and olive oil to keep glistening. Cook until onion is caramelized, approximately 35-45 minutes.

At same time, heat water, 1 tablespoon butter, 1 tablespoon grated ginger, 2 tablespoons salt, 6 tablespoons freshly ground pepper, 4 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes, rice vinegar, white wine, and 3 tablespoons garlic powder in large stockpot until warm and butter melts. when onions and garlic have caramelized, add them to the water mixture, leaving the pan unwashed for future use. heat stock to medium rolling boil for approximately 20 minutes. drain stock, leaving only liquid and removing and discarding onion and garlic.

soup:
add sweet potatoes and carrots to stock and bring to low boil. sauté remaining onion and cut asparagus in oil left in pan used to caramelize onion. after sweet potatoes and carrots have cooked for 20 minutes, add onion, asparagus and green beans to soup, add 3 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes and 3 tablespoons freshly ground pepper. mince remaining garlic and add to soup. cook until potatoes and carrots are softer than al dente. serve with fresh bread and wine.