Creamy Garden Bisque

Total Time: 1 hr 45 mins Preparation Time: 35 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 10 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
• 1 bunch fresh parsley, stems of
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme, crumbled
• 1 quart rich chicken broth, preferably homemade
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 ears corn, husked
• 3 large carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
• 1 medium zucchini, diced
• 2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1/4 lb fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1/3 inch pieces
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• fresh ground pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, minced (or parsley, marjoram, or thyme)

Recipe

• 1 melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat.
• 2 stir in next 6 ingredients.
• 3 cover and cook until vegetables are light brown, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.
• 4 mix in stock and salt and bring to a boil.
• 5 reduce heat, cover partially and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 30 minutes.
• 6 strain; discard solids and return soup to pan. (can be prepared 1 day ahead. cool, cover and refrigerate.).
• 7 scrape corn into bowl, using knife.
• 8 bring soup to boil in heavy medium saucepan.
• 9 add carrots and boil 5 minutes.
• 10 add green beans and pepper and boil 5 minutes.
• 11 add zucchini and boil 5 minutes.
• 12 add tomatoes and corn and bring to a simmer.
• 13 stir in cream and pepper; taste and adjust seasoning.
• 14 heat until soup is hot, about 5 minutes.
• 15 ladle into bowls, sprinkle with herbs and serve immediately.