Great Beginnings for Basic Soups

Basic Soup Mixture:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or more
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 quart homemade rich chicken stock or you may use canned
2 ribs celery, stringed and chopped fine
1 small-medium onion, finely chopped
1 cup heavy cream

In heavy large kettle, melt butter. With wooden spoon stir in onions and celery. Saut� on medium or low heat, stirring continually until tender but not browned. Add flour. Stir with whisk. This will be lumpy as the flour cooks very rapidly. Slowly add some chicken stock and quickly stir with wire whisk to remove all lumps. Add remaining stock and stir very well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 45 minutes. The mixture must boil to cook the flour and thicken the soup. At this point add vegetables, seasonings, sherry, etc. Add heavy cream. Heat through thoroughly. Serve and garnish.

Cream of Asparagus Soup:
1 bunch asparagus
Fresh nutmeg, ground
Dash of cayenne or white pepper
1 carrot, thinly sliced

Steam asparagus until crisp-tender. Reserve a few tips for garnish. Process with 1 cup Basic Soup Mixture until smooth. Add back to hot soup. Add carrot slices. Serve soup hot with tips for garnish.

Cream of Broccoli Soup:
1 small bunch broccoli (3 to 4 one-inch stems)
1 carrot, sliced
White pepper
Nutmeg
Sherry (optional)*

* Do not use cooking sherry.

Steam broccoli until crisp-tender. Reserve some small florets for garnish. If a smooth consistency is desired, process with one cup of Basic Soup Mixture until smooth and fine textured. If a coarse texture is desired, chop coarsely. Add broccoli and carrots to soup base. Adjust seasonings. Add cream and 1/4 cup sherry (or to taste). Heat through. Serve with florets floating or a very thin wheel of lemon.

Cream of Mushroom Soup:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
2 pounds button mushrooms (very fresh)
Sherry
Fresh nutmeg
White pepper

In a large heavy skillet, saut� sliced mushrooms in melted butter until soft and tender. Drain off all liquid and pat dry on paper towel. Add to Basic Soup Mixture along with 1/4 to 1/3 cup sherry. Season with nutmeg and pepper. Do not add the mushroom juices to soup if a white creamed soup is desired. The dark liquid will color the soup brown.

NOTES: If a lighter soup is desired, use half-and-half or milk with the chicken stock. If a richer soup is desired, decrease the amount of stock and increase the percentage of cream during preparation. Many soups do not need rich cream to make a satisfying soup.