Recipe: Basic Homemade Cream Soup and 6 Variations (using light cream)

BASIC CREAM SOUP AND VARIATIONS

4 cups fresh vegetables, coarsely chopped
5 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock, divided use
5 tbsp butter
4 tbsp flour
3 cups light cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Peel the vegetable, if necessary, and chop coarsely. Place in a saucepan with 3 cups of the stock. Cook over medium heat until the vegetable is tender.

Set aside 1/2 cup choice pieces of cooked vegetables to use as a garnish. Puree the remaining cooked vegetable together with the vegetable water in an electric blender, or press through a strainer; set aside.

Melt the butter in a soup kettle, blend in the flour. Stir in the cream. Simmer over a low flame, stirring constantly for 3 minutes.

Stir in the pureed vegetable and the remaining 2 cups of stock; simmer for 3 minutes more.

Adjust the seasonings and serve in individual bowls garnished with the reserved cooked vegetable. Serve hot or cold.

Makes 6 servings

VARIATIONS:

CREAM OF CAULIFLOWER SOUP:
4 cups cauliflower flowerets
Paprika
Basic cream soup recipe

Prepare soup as directed in Basic cream soup. Garnish with reserved cauliflower and a sprinkle of paprika. Serve hot or cold.

CREAM OF BROCCOLI SOUP:
5 cups broccoli
A pinch or two of nutmeg
Basic Cream Soup recipe

Peel the stems and break broccoli into flowerets. Slice the stems. Proceed as directed in Basic cream soup recipe. Serve with nutmeg sprinkled on top.

CREAM OF CUCUMBER SOUP:
4 cups cucumbers, peeled, seeded -and diced
1/2 cup sour cream
Basic Cream Soup recipe

Reserve 1/2 cup diced raw cucumber to use as a garnish. Cook remaining cucumber for 8 minutes. Proceed as directed in Basic cream soup recipe. Serve hot or cold with a dollop of sour cream in the center of each bowl.

CREAM OF LIMA BEAN SOUP:
4 cups lima beans
4 tbsp crisply fried bacon crumbled
Basic Cream Soup recipe

Prepare soup as directed in Basic cream soup recipe but do not reserve any lima beans. Serve hot, garnished with crumbled bacon.

CREAM OF SPINACH SOUP:
4 cups spinach, coarsely chopped
2 hard cooked egg yolks
Basic Cream Soup recipe

Prepare soup as directed in basic cream soup recipe, but do not reserve any spinach. Serve hot or cold, garnished with hard-cooked egg yolks forced through a fine sieve.

CREAM OF ASPARAGUS SOUP:
4 cups tender asparagus tips
Pumpernickel croutons
Basic Cream Soup recipe

Prepare soup as directed in basic cream soup recipe. Garnish with reserved asparagus tips and Pumpernickel croutons. Serve hot or cold.

Source: misc.consumers.frugal-living/Marinanne (2002)