A colleague of mine, recently, gave a presentation on the difference between taste and flavor. He also touched on vegetable mixtures that form the basis for a variety of dishes (including soups). For instance, the French mirepoix is a mixture of onions, carrots, and celery. Throw in garlic, and you get the Italian soffritto. The holy trinity, for example, is a mixture of onions, celery, and bell peppers.

This provoked me into trying to make a few soups that I like but never really cooked before. They all share the same base mirepoix mixture: a carrot, an onion, and a stalk of celery. Here are a few notes.

Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

  • Butter
  • Mirepoix (diced)
  • Two medium potatoes (cubed)
  • One medimum squash (cubed)
  • Chicken stock/broth

Steps:

  • Melt the butter, and cook all vegetables till slightly browned
  • Pour in stock/broth to cover the vegetables and bring to a boil, then simmer for 45 minutes
  • Use a blender or a hand blender to to smoothen the soup
  • Season with salt and pepper

Wear a pair of gloves when cutting and cubing the squash. I haven’t found anything, so far, that successfully removes squash residue from hands.

Potato Chowder

Ingredients:

  • Butter
  • Mirepoix (diced)
  • Two medium potatoes (cubed)
  • One and a half cups of chichen broth
  • One cup of milk
  • One cup of cooked chicken breast (diced)
  • Half a cup of shredded cheddar
  • Two tablespoons of all-purpose flour
  • A teaspoon of thyme

Steps:

  • Melt the butter, and cook the mirepoix mix until slightly brown while adding in the thyme
  • Add in the flour, stir, add in the broth and the milk, stir till slightely thickened, add in the potatoes
  • Bring to a boil, and simmer for 20 minutes, then add chicken and cheddar
  • Stir for a bit more, then season to taste

Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

  • Butter
  • Mirepoix (diced)
  • Three large tomatoes on vines
  • A can of plum tomatoes
  • Three quarters a litre of chicken broth
  • A tablespoon of garlic (diced)
  • Some basil leaves

Steps:

  • Melt the butter, and cook the mirepoix mix until slightly brown
  • Add the broth, bring to a boil, then add in the fresh and plum tomatoes
  • Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes
  • Use a hand blender to smoothen, and season to taste

Leave the tomato vines in the mix, and remove before blending. They add a lot of flavor.

If you use a blender, make sure to start at the lowest speed. The size of the tomatoes can create pressure on the blender’s lid, spraying soup everywhere … not a pleasant experience.