Fend off the last (hopefully) of this winter’s chill with a bowl of elegant, creamy vegetable soup, which is not just comforting and supremely French but remarkably easy to make. All you need is a leek, a potato, a carrot, dried tarragon and some heavy cream, as well as salt and freshly ground black pepper (de rigueur). Add some fresh herbs for garnish — chervil, as shown in the photo, or dill, cilantro, whatever — et voilà. Soup’s on.
Crème de légumes / Creamy vegetable soup
I concocted this recipe on a blustery, rainy day when I just didn’t feel like going out of the house to shop. Checked the fridge, and I had all the ingredients needed for a classic French vegetable soup, which is always served puréed. Carrot, leek and potato are the basic elements. The soup’s color can differ depending on how much carrot you add — if you use a whole leek and equal quantities of carrot and potato, it tends to turn out pale green. This time, needing comfort, I stirred in extra cream. The result knocked me out of my socks.
You can vary the flavor and look of the soup through your choice of fresh herbs for garnish. I love feathery chervil (cerfeuil), and happened to have some on hand, so that’s what I used (at right). But chervil is far harder to find than dill, which would otherwise be my top choice, or cilantro, basil or tarragon. Chives are another possibility. Or use your imagination.
Puréed vegetable soup has a special place in the heart of the French, as they are served it from tiniest tot-hood, i.e. well before the age of one. It features often on school menus, and used to appear regularly on Paris bistro menus as a starter — although as tastes have become more sophisticated, this simple dish is seen less often in the capital. In the country, however, where rural people tend to stick to the tradition of having the main meal at midday and a supper of soup and cheese, veggie soup retains its place of pride.
Serve this soup for lunch, with crusty bread and a glass of hearty red (e.g. Côtes du Rhone or Bordeaux), or as the starter of a more elaborate meal. And if you’re having a crowd, double or triple the recipe. I can guarantee that your guests will be asking for more.
Happy cooking.
