It’s soup season. I’m going to give you a ery easy, yet hardy way to make soup that not only makes a meal, but a great pick-me-up snack after you’ve been working outside or whatever. Today’s recipe is Cream of Vegetable Soup. This is a vegetarian recipe, however, you could totally make it vegan if you want. My take here leans towards Keto, but this recipe is mutable to allow for your own dietary preferences.
One of the great things about this recipe is that I often create it using the leftovers form our Sunday-Seahawks-viewing vegetable trays. So you’ll see in my photos that I used broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, peppers. Just don’t use the celery from the veggie trays, because it doesn’t work quite as well. However, feel free to use any combination of raw vegetables (frozen is okay as well) to make this recipe. Like I wrote above, this is a very mutable recipe.
The fat in this recipe is very necessary to make it a satisfying meal or snack. You will note that there is a range of measurements for the ingredients, that is because it depends on the fat that you use. start with 1/4 cup and decide for next recipe, which you prefer. When using lard, I use 1/4 cup; but butter I use 1/2 cup. Olive Oil falls right in the middle at 1/3 a cup.
In regards to the broth choice, you decide which to use. My preference is always pork broth. But chicken or vegetable broth works well, too. In a pinch you can even just use water. It won’t be as rich a soup, but it still is good.
You’ll need a Heavy Cast Iron Dutch Oven and an Immersion Blender. You could make the soup in a two-step process and let it cool and blend in a blender. For me? I love my immersion blender.
This recipe will take you a couple of hours, but that’s part of the pull of soup. It starts to create this warm, welcoming aroma in the house, making you want to eat this healthy meal.
Ingredients:
4 cups of raw vegetables, chopped
1 cup of onion, chopped
1/4 cup lard, or 1/2 cup butter, or 1/3 cup olive oil
4 cups of broth
1 pint of heavy whipping cream
Garnish (Optional) shaved or shredded Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley or chives
Equipment:
Heavy Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Immersion Blender
Instructions:
Heat your lard (or butter or olive oil) on medium heat until it coats pan and is warm. Add the onions in. Saute until translucent. Then add the rest of the vegetables, and cook for about three minutes, just heating the vegetables for a short time with the lard and onions. Then add the broth. Cover and simmer on stove top for about an hour. The broth will reduce some, but not enough to worry about. Feel free to stir ever now and then and soak up the warm, inviting aroma. That’s the joy of being the chef. Once the vegetables are super tender, remove from heat. If you need to use a blender to cream the vegetables, you’ll need to let it cool completely. If not, use your immersion blender and blend vegetables until smooth. Return to low heat and add the cream. Stir. Let heat all the way through and serve immediately garnishing with Parmesan and fresh chives or parsley or both. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge to eat all week. You can make a double batch and freeze and reheat slowly afterwards.
[…] Pagan Barnabas, who loves to share his shine and is a bartender extraordinaire. We go hunting, cook up some soup, and hang out with Bob Marley. As always we leave you with some powerful […]