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Irish: Farmhouse Vegetable Soup

Source of Recipe

From "Real Irish Food" by David Bowers


Recipe Introduction

"The 'farmhouse' part of the title has become inseparable from 'vegetable soup,' but it does conjure up images of a hearty pot of wholesome soup on the back of the range in a farm kitchen. Farmhouse vegetable soup also tends to be mostly puréed, with just a few chunks of visible vegetable left floating. And it's often enriched with a dash of heavy cream, but it's no problem to leave that out. I love this simple soup with crunchy, freshly made croutons floating on the surface. They only take a few moments to prepare."

Recipe Link: https://tinyurl.com/2p8wwc5y

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 2 tablespoons butter
â—¦ 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
â—¦ 3 stalks celery, thinly sliced
â—¦ 4 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced
â—¦ 2 large carrots, diced
â—¦ 2 quarts (8 cups) chicken stock
â—¦ 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
â—¦ ½ teaspoon dried sage
â—¦ 1 cup frozen peas
â—¦ ¼ cup heavy cream (optional)
â—¦ Salt and pepper

Croutons for serving:
â—¦ 2 thick slices good bakery bread
â—¦ 3 tablespoons olive oil


Recipe

Heat the butter in a large, heavy soup pot over medium heat. Stir in the onions and celery, and put the lid on the pot. Cook the vegetables covered for 6 to 7 minutes, so they steam and soften but do not brown.

Add the potatoes, carrots, stock, thyme, and sage. Bring to a boil, cover loosely, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender. Add the peas for the last 5 minutes of cooking time.

Add the cream, if using, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Using an immersion blender, purée most of the soup, leaving a few visible chunks of vegetables.

To serve, cut the crusts off the bread and trim the slices into ½-inch cubes. Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat, add the bread, and fry briskly, shaking the pan and turning the croutons, until golden brown, three to four minutes.

Spoon the soup into bowls and sprinkle with croutons.

Makes 4 to 6 servings