Vegetable Soup

Throw in any veggies you like to make it your own. It's also good with a little fresh basil pesto on top for texture, or with crusty croutons.

Ingredients:

4 quarts beef (or veggie) stock, canned or fresh (recipes follow)
1 bunch leeks (soaked in water for about 30 minutes and rinsed very clean)
4 stalks celery
2 large yellow onion
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
5 large potatoes
6 carrots
3 bay leaves
1 zucchini
white wine
fresh thyme
olive oil
whipped unsalted butter

Chop all the veggies (except the onions & leeks) into the size of about the width of a tablespoon. Slice the onions and leeks to about 1/8 tablespoons width. After chopping the potatoes, let them sit in a bowl of cold water while you assemble the rest of the soup; this will help remove some excess starch.

In a large stock pot, add about 3 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter on medium-high heat until the butter melts, but is not browned. Add the onions, garlic and leeks. Stir until the onions are transluscent.

Add another tablespoon of olive oil, the celery and carrots. Cook until the celery is slighly wilted. Add about 1-2 cups of white wine (to your preference) and turn the heat to high, reducing the wine by about half, but making sure it covers all the veggies.

Add the potatoes, stock, bay leaves and a few sprigs of fresh thyme. If you substitute dried thyme, put it in a cheescloth bundle and drop it in, then remove it before storing the soup. The dried herbs will feel rough on your tongue with all the soft veggies.

Cook for about an hour, or until the potatoes are tender. Add the zucchini and cook until it's tender, about another 10 or 15 minutes.

It keeps well in my fridge for about a week and makes like 10-12 regular size bowls, so it's great for lunches and light snacks. Don't skimp or omit the butter; it leaves a great melt-on-your tongue-taste. The soup doesn't have a lot of calories, so you can afford it.

Beef stock
1 large beef bone, preferably from a roast or from the butcher with a lot of meat and fat
3 carrots
3 stalks celery
peppercorns (to taste)

If you have a crock pot, combine all the ingredients in it along with about 4 quarts of water overnight. If not, combine all the ingredients with 4 quarts of water in a large stock pot on high. Bring up to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for like, 3 hours or so, until it becomes a deep brown color. Skim the scum off the surface as it's cooking, and strain through a sieve. It'll freeze really well for about 3 months, jarred, not in tuperware. I wouldn't leave it in the fridge for more than 5 days.

Veggie stock
3 carrots
3 stalks celery
1 parsnip
1 turnip
1 bunch fresh parsley, patted dry
2 bay leaves
peppercorns (to taste)
1 large onion

Same directions as above.