Recipe: Homemade Vegetable Soup

Homemade soup is a fantastic recipe to have for your family and it makes a great starter or a tasty snack.

Homemade Vegetable Soup

Prepared by Kevin Dundon

Homemade Vegetable Soup

Homemade Vegetable Soup

Prepared by Kevin Dundon

Enlarge image

Ingredients

1oz/25g butter
1 medium sized onion
2 sticks of celery
1 medium leek
3 cloves of garlic
2 large potatoes
2 medium carrots
Seasoning
2 pints/1200ml chicken/vegetable stock 

To garnish:
1 tablespoon pouring cream
1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley

Method

Begin by chopping all of the vegetables and garlic.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan and then add in the vegetables.
Sauté gently for 4-5 minutes until the vegetables are beginning to soften. 

Next add in approximately two thirds of the stock and bring the mixture to a slow boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for an additional 15-20 minutes or until all of the vegetables have softened down completely.  

Purée the soup until it is nice and smooth. Return to the heat and bring back to a very gentle boil.

If you would like a thinner soup, now would be the best time to add some additional stock to thin it down. Correct the seasoning at this stage also, adding in some salt and pepper as required.

Transfer it to your serving bowls or cups and garnish the soup with a little pouring cream and chopped parsley.

Serve immediately or alternatively allow the soup to cool down and then transfer it into suitable containers and freeze until required.

Top Tip:

I have chosen only to add 2/3 of the stock during the cooking process, retaining the rest to correct the consistency if it is required. Depending on your preference of soup consistency and/or the size of your vegetables you may o may not need the additional stock.