Serves 4
1 medium onion, small diced
6 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
1 Tb butter
3 stalks celery, small dice
2 carrots, small dice
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups diced red potatoes
Kernels cut from 4 ears of corn
1 medium zucchini, shredded
1 cup heavy cream
1 Tb dill
Salt and pepper to taste
Sauté the onion and garlic in the butter over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Add the celery, carrot, and bell pepper, and sauté for 3 more minutes. Add the chicken stock and the potatoes and a little salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to a simmer.
Let simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Add the zucchini, dill, and corn and simmer for five more minutes. Stir in the cream, reduce the heat further and cook for a couple of minutes longer. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.
If you’d like a bit more oomph, try one or more (or all) of these optional additions:
-A handful of fresh spinach leaves, added just a couple of minutes before the soup is done.
-1 cup crumbled crisp bacon, added just before serving
-1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, stirred in a minute before you take the soup off the heat.
