Soups From the Underground

When I was studying cooking in Paris 15 years ago, many of my fellow students would get together regularly for small dinner parties. Since we all lived in small apartments with tiny kitchens, the party food had to be simple and quick to prepare. We each bought slices of pate from a nearby charcuterie or a terrific French cheese from the neighborhood fromagerie . And, of course, there was Champagne.

Surprisingly, the star of the party turned out to be a soup. Not a complicated shellfish bisque but a vegetable soup made from a humble, far from glamorous ingredient: the turnip. Smooth, creamy in texture and delicate in flavor, the soup was served hot in deep, heavy bowls and accompanied by slices of crisp-crusted baguette.

Made with inexpensive root vegetables, creamy vegetable soups are definitely easy on the budget. And they’re practical for people with busy schedules because they can be made ahead, kept up to two days and reheated easily.

The vegetables are cooked in chicken or vegetable broth (which can be purchased to save time) and are then pureed in a food processor or blender. The vegetable puree gives the soups body, and they are further thickened with potatoes, rice or oatmeal, which cooks along with the vegetable, or with a quick roux of flour and butter.

Although the classic recipes call for cream, butter or egg yolks for enrichment, I find that low-fat milk also gives soups a creamy taste and color.

French cooks like the vegetable’s flavor to be pure, so they usually avoid extra seasonings, while Italians often flavor their soups with a small amount of sauteed onions or celery. No garnish is needed for these cream-colored soups, though a sprinkling of snipped chives or chopped parsley is a nice touch.

Serve this soup with the best French or Italian bread you can find or with croutons.

CREAMY TURNIP SOUP 1 tablespoon oil or butter 1 small or medium onion, chopped 4 medium turnips, peeled, quartered and sliced about 1/4-inch thick 2 medium boiling potatoes, peeled, quartered and sliced about 1/4-inch thick 2 cups chicken stock or canned chicken or vegetable broth Salt White pepper 1 1/2 cups low-fat or whole milk

Heat oil in medium saucepan. Add onion and saute over medium-low heat until tender but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add turnip and potato slices, stock and salt and white pepper to taste. Stir and bring to boil. Cover and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 25 minutes.

Puree soup in batches in blender or food processor. Return to cleaned pan and heat soup gently. Gradually stir in milk and heat but do not boil. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve in heated bowls. Makes 4 or 5 servings.

Each serving contains about: 193 calories; 625 mg sodium; 7 mg cholesterol; 6 grams fat; 27 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams protein; 1.89 grams fiber.

Note : For canned broth, you can use 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can and add enough water to make 2 cups.

This sensational soup has a great flavor and lovely color. A small amount of cooked rice pureed with the carrots imparts a velvety texture to the soup.

CARROT SOUP WITH CHIVES 2 tablespoons oil or butter 1/2 cup chopped onion, optional 1 pound carrots, peeled (or scrubbed) and finely diced 2 cups canned vegetable broth or water 2 tablespoons uncooked white rice Salt Freshly ground pepper Dash sugar 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled 1 bay leaf 1 to 1 1/3 cups low-fat or whole milk 4 teaspoons thinly sliced or snipped chives

Heat oil in heavy medium saucepan over low heat. Add onion and carrots and saute, stirring often, 3 minutes. Add broth, rice, salt and pepper to taste, sugar, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to boil. Cover and cook over low heat until carrots and rice are very tender, about 30 minutes. Discard bay leaf.

Transfer carrots and rice with slotted spoon to blender or food processor, reserving cooking liquid. Puree mixture. With machine running, gradually pour in cooking liquid and puree until very smooth. Return mixture to saucepan and simmer over low heat 5 minutes, stirring often. Add 1 cup milk and bring to boil, stirring. Add more milk if necessary to thin soup to desired consistency. Bring again to boil, stirring. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Ladle hot soup into heated bowls and garnish with chives. Makes 4 servings.

Each serving contains about: 173 calories; 535 mg sodium; 5 mg cholesterol; 9 grams fat; 20 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams protein; 0.90 gram fiber.

Anyone who thinks cream soups are bland should try this one. It has an assertive celery flavor and creamy texture.

CELERY ROOT SOUP 1 (1 1/2-pound) celery root 2 tablespoons oil or butter 1 large onion, chopped 1 quart chicken stock or 2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans chicken or vegetable broth with water to make 1 quart 1 1/2 pounds boiling potatoes, peeled, quartered and sliced 1/4-inch thick Salt White pepper 3 cups low-fat or whole milk

Trim base of celery root with knife, then finish peeling with vegetable peeler. Rinse celery root, quarter and cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices.

Heat oil in large saucepan. Add onion and saute over medium-low heat until tender but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add celery root and chicken stock. Bring to boil. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Add potatoes and salt and white pepper to taste. Cover and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 25 minutes.

Puree vegetables with liquid in batches in food processor or blender. Return to cleaned pan and heat over medium heat. Gradually stir in milk. Heat but do not boil. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve in heated bowls. Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains about: 268 calories; 748 mg sodium; 10 mg cholesterol; 8 grams fat; 39 grams carbohydrates; 12 grams protein; 2.07 grams fiber.