Cream of Vegetable Soup

An easy tasty soup which makes good use of your food processor. Recipe source: Bon Appetit (January 1985)

• Ready In: 1 hr 40 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 2  parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice
• 1  onion, quartered
• 2  garlic cloves
• 4 1⁄4 cups chicken broth (or stock)
• 1  cup  spinach leaves, with stems
• 3  carrots, peeled and cut into lengths that will fit the feed tube of your food processor
• 1  potato, peeled and cut into pieces small enough to fit the feed tube
• 1  zucchini, trimmed and cut into pieces small enough to fit feed tube
• 3⁄4 cup  whipping cream
• 1⁄2 cup ham (or use smoked sausge - or for a no-meat supper skip the meat)
• 8  mushrooms, sliced
• 1⁄2 teaspoon dried tarragon
• 1⁄8 teaspoon nutmeg
•  salt and pepper

Directions

1. Using the steel knife of your food processor mince parsnips, onion and garlic. Transfer vegetables to a large soup pot or sauce pan along with two cups of chicken broth. Cover pot and simmer for 40 minutes.
2. Let soup cool a few minutes and then using the steel knife in your food processor puree soup (about 1 minute). Add spinach and process for 20 seconds. Return all to soup pot along with remaining broth (2 1/4 cups).
3. Using the slicer in your food processor slice carrots and add to soup pot. Simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Using the slicer in your food processor slice potato and add to soup and simmer an additional 20 minutes.
5. Slice zucchini using the same slicing disc and add to soup, simmering another 2 minutes. Stir in cream and ham or sausage (if using) and heat through. Stir in tarragon, nutmeg, salt and pepper.