Soup

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• leek (ok, if you like them, clean part well & finely chop, add with onion)
• 1 onion
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 carrots
• 4 celery ribs
• 5 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon dry herbs or 1 tablespoon fresh herb
• 1 teaspoon another dry herbs (optional) or 1 tablespoon another fresh herb (optional)
• 8 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper (to taste)

Recipe

• 1 wash and trim the onion, carrots and celery and dice them.
• 2 put the onion, carrot, celery and olive oil in a larger, non-stick frying pan over medium-low heat.
• 3 stir the vegetables every few minutes so they don't burn.
• 4 once the vegetables have softened, after 7-10 minutes, add garlic, herbs and water.
• 5 turn the heat down to low so the pan is just simmering.
• 6 after simmering for 10 minutes, carefully puree the soup using an immersion blender. (use electric mixer if no blender).
• 7 options below--choose an option or two to make the soup your own:.
• 8 strain the soup through a fine sieve to make a clear broth.
• 9 add 2 cups vegetables and simmer until vegetables are cooked--about 10 minutes.
• 10 add 1/2 cup of barley, rice or pasta or other favorite grain and simmer until cooked.
• 11 replace 2 cups of the water with 2 cups of chicken or beef broth.
• 12 add 3 cups of already-cooked dried beans (lentils, pintos, etc).
• 13 add 1-2 cups of finely chopped, cooked meat or fish and heat through.
• 14 with raw meat or fish, cook it first, then drain off fat if the meat is very fatty and begin the soup adding the olive oil and veggies --
• 15 add 1 cup of cream or half and half at the end of cooking to make into a creamy soup.
• 16 add 3 tablespoons of tomato paste and 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, stir in and heat through.
• 17 add 1/2 cup very finely chopped spinach; if already cooked, then heat through, otherwise, simmer the spinach for 3-4 minutes.
• 18 get creative with garnishes to put on top--croutons, shredded cheese, mint or parsley, teaspoon of sour cream, paprika sprinkle.