Cream of Zucchini & Mushroom Soup

a simple midsummer delight

_{cream of zucchini and mushroom soup garnished with wild thyme and lambs quarters}

Its mid may, my partner and I arrive at our new rural Amish farmhouse in the late cold and rainy season. The birch leaves were beginning to peak out from the buds, and the ground was still cold and saturated with thick puddles of mud that would enrapture your feet in as you walked about. Hopes of a garden were high and we knew it was about time to get one in.

We had just moved our entire small farm across the country and knew there was to be a busy year. Seeds were started in May and planted in June. It has been a busy few months and there is only one hand pump well on this property, which means every bucket is manually pumped and poured with a watering can throughout the garden until we are able to upgrade our water system.

This year was experimental; how much can I grow with minimal effort I wondered. So far zucchini, corn, squash, pumpkins, watermelon, garlic, peas, beans, and okra have been growing well while some other crops didn’t thrive this year. Now in July, our Zucchini’s are yielding alot with minimal effort. This makes it one of Kyle and I’s favorite crops with its high yield and ease of growth.

Cream of Mushroom and Zucchini Soup

1-3 zucchini’s

3 cloves garlic

1/3 onion

1/2 cup mushrooms

3 tbs butter

4 cups chicken broth

1 cup half and half

6tbs flour

3tbs olive oil

salt and pepper

notes

add any veggies of your choice liberally

I had half & half, but either milk or cream works as well

garnish with herbs of choice

(optional) rice, quinoa, barley, farro or any type of grain makes a great addition to the soup. I added a scoop of rice to each bowl when serving.

Recipe

1.) Sauté onions, garlic and butter

2.) Add veggies: zucchini and mushroom. Sauté for 5-10 minutes.

3.) White veggies are sautéing, start to cook your grains like rice or quinoa if desired.

Next, in a small bowl, add together 3-6 tablespoons of flour. The more tablespoons of flour you add, the thicker your soup will be.

4.) Pour in olive oil and mix until thick and smooth mixture forms.

5.) Bring the chicken broth over to the soup, and get ready to add in. First, slowly pour the olive oil and flour mixture into soup and stir. This will rapidly thicken in the pot.

6.) Slowly pour in the chicken broth and stir throughout to avoid lumps.

7.) Once well incorporated, allow this to cook and bring your milk or cream to add. Pour in the milk and let simmer on low. The soup will gradually thicken. I usually let mine simmer for about 10-15 minutes, it depends on what you like.

Thank you for reading and kisses to the chef!

Follow the link to the video of this recipe on YouTube.