Cream-of-Anything Soup

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter or extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, sliced

3 cups chopped vegetables of your choice, one kind or a mix

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup dry white wine, or more to taste (optional)

1tablespoon soy sauce

2 cups stock of your choice or water, plus more as needed

½ cup cream, coconut milk, or whole milk, whisked with a pinch of flour it you like a thicker soup (optional)

Smooth pureed soups call for a lavish assortment of garnishes. We like something crunchy (Toasted Breadcrumbs; Croutons; or roasted nuts), something green (chopped fresh herbs or a swirl of Green Sauce) and something a bit luxurious, like bacon bits or a dollop of sour cream.

Directions

Melt the butter in a soup pot and add the onion, garlic, and vegetables with a good pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Sauté over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft, translucent, and browned on the edges, about 10 minutes. Add the wine (if using) and soy sauce and use a wooden spoon to Scrape the bottom of the pan of any flavorful bits.

Add the stock and a bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the toughest veggies are tender. Puree with a blender or immersion blender (if you're using a regular blender, make sure to let some steam escape when pureeimg, then return the soup to the pot). You can skip the pureeing step altogether if you're happy with a chunky texture, or add a bit more stock if you'd like a thinner soup.

Bring the soup back to a simmer, then turn off the heat and stir in the cream, if. using. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed, and top with your favorite embellishments.

Notes

Source: Perfectly Good Food, by Margaret Li and Irene Li

A basic creamy soup is one of the most useful recipes to have up your sleeve, allowing you to use up any surplus vegetable with iust a few pantry items. Creamy doesn't have to mean dairy. This template recipe is equally good with coconut milk or without any creaminess at all, simply pureed veggies with stock or water (but Anything Soup just doesn't have the same ring). We love it as carrot soup or broccoli soup, and it's absolutely superlative as mushroom soup. Enjoy with crusty garlic bread and a glass of the same dry white wine that you liberally splashed into the soup.