Cream of Vegetable Soup
This is a very flavourful soup, thanks to the browning of the vegetables and long, slow simmering. Garnish it with a drizzle of fresh cream for a satisfying lunch, or as an appetizer course.
Serves 6 to 8 as a main dish
2 tbsp (30 mL) oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 medium parsnip, peeled and diced
1 lb (450 g) carrots, peeled and diced
3 stalks celery, diced
1 red or orange pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
1 tsp (5 mL) kosher salt
10 oz (280 g) zucchini, about 2 medium, unpeeled and diced
2 fresh tomatoes, diced
8 cups (2 L) chicken or vegetable stock
salt and pepper, to taste
1 tbsp (15 mL) lemon juice
¼ cup (60 mL) fresh cream
In a large stockpot, sauté the onion, parsnip, carrots, celery, pepper and garlic over medium heat. Season with 1 tsp (5 mL) salt and continue cooking until the vegetables have started to brown and caramelize, about 10 to 20 minutes. (Don’t skip this step as it gives the soup flavour.)Add the zucchini, tomatoes and broth. Cover and simmer for about 40 minutes, until the vegetables are very soft, stirring occasionally.Puree the soup in batches. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Serve warm garnished with a drizzle of fresh cream.
