Zucchini Soup

 

I know, it's getting late in the season for zucchini recipes, but in truth I'm not in the mood for soup in the summer as much as I am now that the days are colder. Plus, I must be truthful and admit that I buy my zucchini anyway and it's always zucchini season at the grocery store. If you are a better person than me and grow your own veggies in a garden you should stash this recipe away for next summer. It's a great way to use zucchini and a lot nicer to the hips than sugar and fat zucchini bread.

This recipe comes from one of my favorite ex-roommates (what would I eat if it weren't for recipes from old roommates?) who always claimed she couldn't cook, but then would whip up something like this one evening. I love pureed soups because they always seem so elegant for how easy they are. I especially like them since I got an immersion blender. If you are making this with a regular blender, just remember to leave the top cracked a bit so steam can get out or you will end up with an explosion. Trust me that this will happen, and that it will be very annoying to clean up. Also, trust me that you should not skip the final step where you add salt and pepper to taste. Soup can be pretty bland when you are making it from scratch, especially if you are using low sodium chicken broth. The idea is to add just a little salt at a time and taste in between so you don't overdo it.

Zucchini Soup

1/2 cup chopped onions
3 T butter
2 T flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
3 cups of zucchini, quartered and sliced about 1/4 inch thick
1 cup milk
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 tsp seasoning salt
1/2 T fresh parsley or 1/2 tsp dried
salt and pepper to taste
Toppings, such as cheese, cheesy crackers, sour cream, bacon, oyster crackers . . .

In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat and add onions. Cook until tender (about 4 minutes). Add flour and cook one minuted longer. Add chicken broth, adding a small amount at first and stirring between additions to prevent lumps. Add zucchini and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until zucchini is tender (about 15 minutes).

Pour mixture into blender and puree. (Don't forget to vent the top!) Return pureed mixture to saucepan and add milk, evaporated milk and seasoning salt. Heat soup until warm and stir in parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with toppings if desired.


Recipe source: Adapted slightly from my old roommate, Rachel

Posted in: Main Dish, Soups/Stews