BASIC CREAMY VEGETABLE SOUP

2 TABLESPOONS OLIVE OIL
1-1/2 POUNDS VEGETABLE OF YOUR CHOICE, CUT INTO 1 INCH CHUNKS (OR PREPARED AS DESCRIBED IN VARIATIONS AT RIGHT)
1 LARGE ONION, CUT INTO LARGE DICE
1 TABLESPOON BUTTER
1 LARGE PINCH SUGAR
3 LARGE GARLIC CLOVES, THICKLY SLICED
DRIED HERBS AND/OR SPICES (SEE VARIATIONS)
3 CUPS CHICKEN BROTH, HOMEMADE OR FROM A CARTON OR CAN
FRESH HERBS (NOT CALLED FOR IN ALL RECIPES; SEE VARIATIONS)
1 TO 1-1/2 CUPS HALF AND HALF (OR WHOLE MILK)
SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER, TO TASTE
GARNISH (SEE VARIATIONS)

HEAT OIL OVER MEDIUM HIGH HEAT IN A LARGE, DEEP SAUTE PAN UNTIL SHIMMERING. ADD VEGETABLE OF CHOICE, THEN ONION; SAUTE, STIRRING VERY LITTLE AT FIRST, THEN MORE FREQUENTLY, UNTIL VEGETABLES START TO TURN GOLDEN BROWN, 7 TO 8 MINUTES.
REDUCE HEAT TO LOW AND ADD BUTTER, SUGAR AND GARLIC; KEEP COOKING UNTIL VEGETABLES ARE A RICH SPOTTY CARAMEL COLOR, ABOUT 10 MINUTES LONGER. ADD DRIED HERBS AND/OR SPICES; CONTINUE TO SAUTE UNTIL FRAGRANT, 30 SECONDS TO 1 MINUTE LONGER. ADD BROTH; BRING TO A SIMMER OVER MEDIUM HIGH HEAT.
REDUCE HEAT TO LOW AND SIMMER, PARTIALLY COVERED, UNTIL VEGETABLES ARE TENDER, ABOUT 10 MINUTES.
USING AN IMMERSION BLENDER OR TRADITIONAL BLENDER, PUREE (ADDING FRESH HERBS IF CALLED FOR) UNTIL VERY SMOOTH, 30 SECONDS TO 1 MINUTE. (IF USING A TRADITIONAL BLENDER, VENT IT EITHER BY REMOVING THE LID’S POP-OUT CENTER OR BY LIFTING ONE EDGE OF THE LID. DRAPE BLENDER CANISTER WITH A KITCHEN TOWEL. TO “CLEAN THE CANISTER, POUR IN A LITTLE HALF-AND-HALF, BLEND BRIEFLY, THEN ADD TO THE SOUP)
RETURN TO PAN (OR A SOUP POT); ADD ENOUGH HALF AND HALF SO THE MIXTURE IS SOUPLIKE, YET THICK ENOUGH TO FLOAT GARNISH. TASTE AND ADD SALT AND PEPPER IF NEEDED. HEAT THROUGH, LADLE INTO BOWLS, GARNISH AND SERVE.

YIELDS 6 TO 7 CUPS; SERVES 6 TO 8

A pureed vegetable soup can be an impressive, easy and affordable first course for an elegant dinner, or even a light dinner on its own with salad and bread. If you’re not careful, however, it’s easy to make a soup that tastes like baby food, thin and bland.
For a full-flavored soup, start by sauteeing an onion along with your vegetable of choice. Sauteeing browns and evaporates moisture, both of which heighten flavor. To further intensify the vegetables, lower the heat, sprinkle in a pinch of sugar and toss in a pat of butter. Add thickly sliced garlic (minced garlic might burn). The key is to have beautifully browned vegetables before adding spices and broth.
Use my basic creamy vegetable soup recipe to create an of the wonderful variations below. Don’t feel locked into the suggested spice blends and garnishes. Many are interchangeable. Try curry in cauliflower soup, saffron in potato, or rosemary in turnip. Whatever you do, flavor with gusto. There’s no point in serving a wimpy vegetable soup - unless you really are aiming for baby food.

For fall, pick one of these variations:

start with the basic creamy vegetable soup recipe, then get creative with flavors.

Broccoli with Mustard
use broccoli stems peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks, remaining broccoli cut into medium florets (7 to 8 cups total) add 1-1/2 teaspoons dried mustard, ½ teaspoon basil, ½ teaspoon oregano and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Garnish: toasted pine nuts. (To toast, heat a small skillet over medium low heat. Add pine nuts; stir and shake pan frequently until nuts are fragrant and golden brown)

Potato with Rosemary
Use peeled russet (Idaho) potatoes (4 to 5 cups), plus 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper. When recipe instructs to add fresh herbs, add 1-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary. Garnish: crumbled bacon.

Butternut Squash with Cinnamon
Use peeled, seeded butternut squash (about 5 cups), plus 1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Garnish: store bought apple chips.

Carrot with Curry
Use peeled carrots (4 to 5 cups) plus 2 tablespoon curry powder. Garnish: chopped roasted pistachios.

Sweet Potato With Ginger.
Use peeled raw sweet potatoes (4 to 5 cups) plus 11-1/2 teaspoons ground ginger, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Garnish: chopped honey-roasted peanuts.

Beet With Dill
Use peeled raw beets (about 4 cups), plus a scant teaspoon ground toasted caraway seeds and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper. When recipe instructs to add fresh herbs, add 2 tablespoons fresh dill. Garnish: chopped hard-cooked egg (to toast caraway seeds, heat ½ teaspoon seeds in a small skillet over medium low heat until they start to gently pop and smell fragrant. Cool slightly, then crush with a rolling pin)

Cauliflower with Ginger
Use one small head of cauliflower, cut into large florets (about 5 heaping cups) plus 1 teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon ground turmeric, ½ teaspoon saffron threads and ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper. Garnish: 1 seared sea scallop per bowl of soup. (Heat a small skillet over medium high heat. Lightly coat 6 to 8 large scallops with oil; salt and pepper. Sear until caramel brown, about 3 minutes on each side)

Turnip with Paprika
Use peeled turnips (bulbs, not leafy tops) or rutabagas (about 5 cups). Add 2 teaspoons paprika, 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Garnish: shallot crisps (heat 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add 2 large shallots, peeled and thinly sliced. Fry, stirring frequently, until golden 8 to 10 minutes. (Drain and cool).

The secret to silky-smooth soup

When pureeing soups, I prefer a blender to a food processor. The traditional upright variety works beautifully, but an immersion blender, also called a hand blender (shown) is easy to use and purees right in the soup pot. When you’re done, unplug it, wash the wands bas, then rinse and dry. They come in many brands, ranging from $20 to more than $100.