Mirepoix is one of those things I picked up in cooking school that I will never do without again. In certain recipes I had been using it without realizing it, but now that I know better it is a staple of my cooking.
Mirepoix is a combination of one part diced onions, one part diced celery, and one part diced carrots that make up the base of French cooking. These aromatic vegetables are sweated in butter (or olive oil for an Italian influence) and then used with soups or stews or sauces or just about anywhere you need something that tastes good. I came up with this recipe a few months ago, and it’s perfect to return to in this chilly weather. When I made up all that marinara sauce I made a while back, I used a mirepoix, but I had to guess how much I needed since I was working in such an enormous quantity. I ended up with a ton of onions, carrots, and celery grated by the food processor, begging to be used somehow. So since I love the flavor so much, I decided to make something where it could be the star.
Mirepoix Soup
2 C olive oil
6 C celery
8 C carrots
6 C onions
7 C chicken broth
1 C heavy cream
salt and pepper
sour cream
In a great big huge stock pot, combine all the vegetables and the oil. Stir occasionally, but let it cook at a low heat for a good long time. If you can hear sizzling, your heat is too high. Let this go until the veggies are tender and the onions are translucent.
Add in the broth and cream and let simmer for 15 minutes. Transfer to a blender or use a stick blender right inside the stock pot, and blend the soup until smooth. Taste for seasonings and add salt and pepper as necessary.
Serve with a dollop of sour cream on top.
This gets really great the next day, and especially when eaten dunked with crusty bread. It’s hearty and slow, and with a food processor, a total snap to make.
