Zucchini and Rosemary Soup

Midday, and the Southern California Fall heat is descending.  Bees are hovering around the bird bath like airplanes circling a runway waiting for a space to land.  The sun has worked its tangent over enough so that the big pine shades the pond and the big bay window, and it is still mercifully cool in the house.  Its fall and almost time for soups and bread, some of my favorite foods.  For those of you who live in cooler areas, I’m posting a reliable friend.  It is a beautiful green soup, so if you want something warm, tasty and nutritious to serve on Halloween, this would be a good choice. It is wonderful when you have a cold, too.  Best of all, it uses up zucchini!

Zucchini and Rosemary Soup

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter

1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil

(or omit butter and use a total of 3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil)

1 large onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, sliced

2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary

6 cups vegetable broth

1 russet potato, peeled and sliced

3 medium zucchini, thinly sliced

Croutons, pepper, chopped green onions  or parsley sprig for garnish

Melt butter with oil, or heat oil, in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.  Stir in rosemary and garlic.  Add broth and potato: bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for ten minutes.  Add the sliced zucchini and simmer until tender, about 15 more minutes.  (At this point you may cool soup until you are comfortable with handling it.)  Working in batches, puree in blender or Vita-Mix.  Soup can sit and wait until you are ready to serve it, or be refrigerated a day.  Heat until almost boiling, season with salt and pepper and ladle into pretty bowls that highlight the green of the soup.  Top with garnish of your choice.  Serves 8 as a starter or side, or four as a main dish.   I usually serve bread with soups, to sop up everything I can.  A mild, softer bread such as potato would be a perfect accompaniment.  Although the soup tastes fine after freezing (I’m eating a bowl right now for lunch!), the thawing makes the soup separate and the presentation suffers.  Store extra in the refrigerator for up to three days – best eat it fresh.