The Occasional recipe: Sheila's vegetable soup

The occasional recipe: Sheila’s vegetable soup

It’s my friend Sheila’s birthday and in her honor I offer you her delicious and amazingly easy vegetable soup. It’s a pureed soup that can be served hot or cold, so it’s perfect for these days of unpredictable weather.

Sheila has been one of my closest friends--”nearest and dearest”--since both of us lived in suburban New York and had young children. Before she retired a few years ago, she was an elementary school teacher, the kind everyone remembers as their favorite and the kind who inspires others to become teachers themselves. And she is the kind of person who makes genuine “best friends” wherever she goes. I am lucky to be one of them.

The soup is very forgiving of ingredients and amounts. This is the recipe exactly as she gave it to me. Trust me, you will love it. And it freezes well, too, so you’ll want to make a big batch.

Sheila’s Vegetable Soup

Throw in pot:
string beans (frozen ok)
carrots
tomatoes
onions
mushrooms
zucchini
a lot of parsley and dill
parsnips
turnips
etc.

(I’ve found you can use any assortment and amount of vegetables, but the parsley and dill should always be part of the combination. These are really the key ingredients. )

Cover with water and/or stock. (I always use water.) Check taste for salt and pepper. Cook until tender. Cool. Put through blender or food processor. I just use one of those stick blenders that you can use right in the pot.

Serve either hot sprinkled with grated Parmesan or chilled, without the cheese.
Yum!