Puréed Vegetable Soup Without Cream

Puréeing makes any vegetable soup velvety smooth and elegant. All sorts of vegetables can be used, but the best have some body, like winter squash or potatoes, and aren’t overly fibrous (celery, for example, can be tough to purée without straining first). You can use various tools to purée your soup; some yield smoother results than others. The smoothest purées are done in a blender, in the pot with an immersion blender, or with a food mill; a food processor or ricer does a good job but doesn’t get the soup velvety smooth; and a potato masher or fork, of course, gives you the chunkiest results. After pureeing, passing the soup through a fine-meshed strainer, though laborious, will guarantee the ultimate in smoothness and is especially worthwhile if the vegetable is fibrous. Other vegetables you can use: peeled and chopped winter squash, like butternut, pumpkin, or acorn; sweet potatoes; chopped cauliflower, broccoli, or sunchokes; green peas.

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 shallots or 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 pounds carrots, sliced
• 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock (or water)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chervil or parsley for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a large, deep pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the shallots or onion and cook until they start to soften, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the sliced carrots to the pot and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir to coat the carrots with the butter and shallots.
3. Pour in the chicken or vegetable stock and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are fully tender and the liquid thickens slightly, about 10-15 minutes.
4. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup directly in the pot until smooth. Alternatively, allow the mixture to cool slightly, then carefully transfer it to a blender and blend until smooth. If desired, refrigerate the soup to serve it cold or reheat it over low heat to serve hot.
5. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve the soup garnished with chopped fresh chervil or parsley.

VARIATION: 

• Puréed Turnip or Celery Root Soup: Substitute 1 pound peeled and chopped turnips or celery root and 1 medium peeled and chopped potato for the carrots.

7 TERRIFIC COMBINATIONS FOR PUREED SOUPS:

• Puréed Broccoli-Basil Soup: Use chopped broccoli instead of carrots and add chopped fresh basil when puréeing. Garnish with olive oil and Parmesan.
• Puréed Butternut Squash-Coconut Soup: Use peeled and chopped butternut squash instead of carrots and substitute coconut milk for some of the stock. Add garlic and curry powder for flavor. Garnish with fried shallots and cilantro.
• Puréed Roasted Red Pepper Soup: Use roasted red peppers and potato instead of carrots. Add smoked paprika and garlic for flavor. Garnish with parsley or cilantro.
• Puréed Eggplant-Sesame Soup: Use the Puréed Eggplant Soup variation and add tahini when puréeing. Garnish with yogurt and cilantro or mint.
• Puréed Sweet-and-Sour Beet Soup: Use beets and potato instead of carrot. Add red wine vinegar for tanginess. Garnish with goat cheese or sour cream and chives.
• Puréed Carrot-Ginger Soup: Add minced fresh ginger for flavor. Season with soy sauce, sesame oil, or cream before serving.
• Puréed Cauliflower-Saffron Soup: Use cauliflower instead of carrot. Add saffron threads and cream when puréeing. Garnish with chervil.

Enjoy the velvety smoothness of this Puréed Vegetable Soup without Cream, and explore different variations to suit your taste preferences.