Recipe: Creamy Farm-Share Soup (Or "Clean-out the Fridge already!!!")

Well...  I switched the Farm-Share/CSA Delivery to "Veggies Only" which, unfortunately (or maybe not!), only comes in a "Medium" (or Large!) box.

The Small "Mixed Fruit and Veggie" box was great, but hubs just doesn't eat much fruit and I *can't* (can't take the sugar-content).  Invariably it would sit around, untouched, until I either made juice out of it (for hubs), or I'd end up tossing it in the composter b/c the fruit flies were beginning to magically appear! (Ick!  What's that in the bottom of the fruit basket? Ewwww!)

So the upshot to all of that is: I am OVERWHELMED with veggies at the moment (and Gawd Help Us when my garden *really* starts producing!!!).

I opened the fridge to assess the situation yesterday...  Hmmm...  Asparagus... Broccoli... Celery... Leeks... Mushrooms...Spinach...

Okay Google, what have you got for me?  I started with "Asparagus Broccoli Soup" and this is where I landed.

Sounds delicious!  I think I'll tweak it!

QT's "Clean-out the Fridge Already" Soup:
This particular batch yielded appx 6-8 "generous" servings (and I think it will freeze well - Yay!)

Ingredients (adjust to suit your refrigerator contents):

• 1 cup fresh asparagus, chopped into 1/2" pieces
• 2 cups broccoli, finely chopped
• 2 stalks of celery, finely chopped
• 1 cup fresh cauliflower, finely chopped
• 1 big fat leek, finely chopped (just use the white and light-green parts)
• 1/2 of a small onion, finely chopped (is there a "theme" here???)
• 1-2 cloves of fresh garlic - *minced!* (HA!)
• 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 handful of fresh spinach (no need to chop)
• 32 oz chicken (or vegetable) broth
• 1-2 Tbs olive oil
• 1/3 cup white cooking wine (although I think cooking sherry might be better)
• 1/2 cup of heavy cream
• 4 oz. softened cream cheese
• Seasonings of your choosing (I used Pea Soup Andersen's "Gourmet" seasoning salt - but that's not readily available unless you happen to live near - or more accurately - drive past a Pea Soup Andersen's Restaurant!)
• Dash of paprika

Instructions

1. Finely chop your veggies! (you'll end up pureeing it, so the finer the better)
2. Grab a large pot and saute the leeks, onions and garlic in olive oil, with a little salt, over medium heat, til translucent.  
3. Add the rest of the veggies and saute some more.  Maybe 5-10 minutes, til everything starts to get slightly mushy.
4. Add the cooking wine to deglaze the pan
5. Add the broth, bring to a light boil then reduce heat to low and let it simmer, covered, for appx 20-30 minutes.  Everything should be super-mushy by this point (except for the mushrooms, and that's okay)
6. Hit it with an immersion blender (or let it cool, then whir-it-up in a regular blender).
7. Add cream cheese, let it melt in.  You might need to blend it again.
8. Add the cream.  Simmer for a few more minutes and add seasonings to taste.
9. Serve hot with a dash of paprika

Enjoy!!! (Note: This might also be tasty with a blorp of sour cream - but I don't have any so I can't confirm).

Anyway, it was a nice, mellow soup.  Not too heavy (temps outside are hovering near the 90's - so "hearty soup" really doesn't seem very appealing right now!).  It was actually "just right" for lunch!