Recipe: Low-Fat Old-Fashioned Vegetable-Rice Soup

Low-Fat Old-Fashioned Vegetable-Rice Soup
Newsgroup: rec.food.veg.cooking/Susan Peters
Makes 8 servings

1 cup long-grain rice, or 2 to 3 cups cooked rice
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium celery rib with leaves, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
8 large cloves garlic, crushed
2 sprigs parsley
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon peppercorns
1 1/2 quarts water. or more as needed
1 large waxy new potato (scrubbed), 3/4-inch cubes
chopped fresh herbs, for garnish such as basil, dill, or tarragon

To make the vegetable soup, in a large pot, bring all of the ingredients except the potato to a boil over high heat, adding enough water to completely cover the vegetables. Reduce the heat to low and partially cover. Simmer very gently for 1 hour. Add the potato and cook until the stock is well flavored and the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.

Spoon rice into individual soup bowls and ladle the soup over the rice. Sprinkle with the herbs and serve immediately.