Purée of Vegetable Soup
This is one of the first things we made in culinary school – a simple, fool-proof vegetable soup. The lesson here is that you can use the same basic method to make a variety of different soups.
I love that this is more of a technique than a recipe. Whether you’re in the mood for carrot + squash or potato + parsnip soup, you can use this basic technique and get amazing results.
This soup is great served alone, or topped with some simple croutons + a drizzle of good olive oil. There is an option to add heavy cream to enrich the soup a little. I personally don’t love adding cream to my soup (I don’t think you need it – the vegetables are naturally creamy) but it definitely makes for a little more of a luxurious end product.
I hope this soup makes it into your easy weeknight meal line-up – I know it has at my house!
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS
4 Tbsp butter
1 medium onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 lbs vegetables (i.e. butternut squash, carrot, potato, rutabaga, celery root, parsnip, etc.), peeled and sliced
2 qts chicken stock, or half stock and half water
1/4 cup heavy cream (optional)
METHOD
Melt the butter in a deep saucepan and add the sliced onions with a big pinch of salt. Cook the onions over medium-low heat until soft and translucent, making sure not to brown them.
Turn the burner down to low and add the root vegetables. Cook for 5-10 minutes, covered. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about another minute.
Add the stock (or stock + water combination) and cook over medium-low heat, covered until the vegetables are falling apart. This will take about 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of your vegetable pieces.
Set aside about a cup of the liquid from your cooked soup base. Puree the vegetables and remaining liquid until smooth. Add additional reserved liquid until you reach your desired consistency.
Transfer back into the pot and stir in heavy cream (if using). Serve warm.
Recipe adapted from SF Cooking School