Do you eat leftovers? I am not the best about it. After dinner I like to neatly package everything that’s uneaten into Tupperware containers, stick them in the fridge, and let them sit there until I throw them away a week later.
But once in a blue moon, the “leftovers” stars align and a perfect dish miraculously springs from the Tupperware.
Remember when we made chicken salad back in the summertime? I froze the flavorich chicken broth that resulted from poaching chicken breasts.
And all the way back on Monday, we did those chocolate ganache cupcakes. I had some heavy cream left from that.
And then of course we just did those roasted winter vegetables. They were so good that I could have eaten the leftovers stone cold, straight out of the Tupperware with a fork (okay, I might have snuck a bite or two). But I (mostly) managed to resist because I had something really lovely in mind for them.
With a little help from my handheld immersion blender, my leftovers came together as a delicious, very Fall roasted vegetable soup. Which turned out to be perfect when Hubba Bubba showed up fresh from the dentist’s chair with swollen cheeks and numb lips. Sometimes things just have a way of working out.
ROASTED VEGETABLE SOUP
Roasted vegetables – recipe here
Chicken broth (homemade if you have it, Swanson’s if you don’t) – about 1 cup per cup of vegetables
1-2 T heavy cream (you can leave this out if you don’t have any)
Salt & pepper to taste
Pinch of nutmeg
Good olive oil for garnish
Heat about 2 cups chicken broth in a heavy pot until boiling. Add vegetables. Using an immersion blender if you have it, puree until smooth. If you do not have an immersion blender, you can put the broth and vegetables into a food processor or blender, pulsing until smooth. Return soup to pot, stir in cream, and add more broth until the soup reaches your desired consistency. (You want it to be thick but not like mashed potatoes.) Add salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste.
Garnish with a drizzle of good olive oil. Serve with crostini or crusty French bread (that is, if no one in YOUR house is averse to carbs).
Have a fabulous weekend!
