BASIC VEGETABLE SOUP
Ingredients:
2 potatoes (about 4 ounces each)
1 small cabbage
2 leeks
2 carrots
2 celery ribs with their leaves
2 medium-size yellow onions
Freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
Small bunch of fresh parsley
10 cups of water
Directions:
Peel the vegetables. Cut the potatoes and cabbage into small cubes; wash the leeks carefully and slice them crosswise. Slice the carrots and celery as well, and quarter the onions. You should have about 10 cups of prepared vegetables. Use the same amount of water.
Place all the vegetables in a stockpot. Season with a grind of fresh pepper, add the salt, thyme, bay leaves, and parsley, and toss with the vegetables. Add the water. Cover and bring to boil slowly. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
Remove and discard the bay leaves. Drain the vegetables, reserving the cooking liquid. Puree the vegetables in a food mill, using the cooking liquid to thin them out, if necessary. Reheat the soup to the boil. Taste and correct the seasonings and serve.
At the end of the fall, Mother would add the last tomatoes of the garden and in the dead of winter half of a celery root, but you can add whatever you like. Same for herbs — suit your fancy.
Serves 8.
Ingredients:
2 potatoes (about 4 ounces each)
1 small cabbage
2 leeks
2 carrots
2 celery ribs with their leaves
2 medium-size yellow onions
Freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
Small bunch of fresh parsley
10 cups of water
Directions:
Peel the vegetables. Cut the potatoes and cabbage into small cubes; wash the leeks carefully and slice them crosswise. Slice the carrots and celery as well, and quarter the onions. You should have about 10 cups of prepared vegetables. Use the same amount of water.
Place all the vegetables in a stockpot. Season with a grind of fresh pepper, add the salt, thyme, bay leaves, and parsley, and toss with the vegetables. Add the water. Cover and bring to boil slowly. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
Remove and discard the bay leaves. Drain the vegetables, reserving the cooking liquid. Puree the vegetables in a food mill, using the cooking liquid to thin them out, if necessary. Reheat the soup to the boil. Taste and correct the seasonings and serve.
At the end of the fall, Mother would add the last tomatoes of the garden and in the dead of winter half of a celery root, but you can add whatever you like. Same for herbs — suit your fancy.
Serves 8.
