Farmhouse Vegetable Soup(English)
Submitted by brighteyes24
English farmhouse vegetable soup simmers carrots, leek, onion, celery, and potatoes in lamb stock with a bouquet garni. Potatoes break down to thicken the broth naturally.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
55 minREADY
70 minFarmhouse vegetable soup is the kind of unfussy English country cooking that doesn’t ask much of the cook beyond patience. Five vegetables (carrots, onions, leeks, celery, and potatoes) get sweated in butter to soften and mellow before lamb stock and a bouquet garni go in for a long simmer. The result is rustic, deeply comforting, and naturally thick.
The genius is the potatoes. As they simmer, they break down at the edges and release starch into the broth, thickening the soup without needing flour, cream, or a blender. Some pieces stay chunky for texture; others dissolve completely into the liquid. Lamb stock instead of beef or chicken is what makes this distinctly British countryside fare, carrying a sweeter, deeper undertone that pairs nicely with the bouquet garni’s bay-thyme-parsley notes.
Kitchen Tips
- Use floury potatoes like Russets or Maris Piper. Waxy potatoes hold their shape too well and won’t thicken the broth properly.
- Sauté the vegetables a full 10 minutes before adding liquid. This step builds the flavor base; rushing it leaves the soup tasting raw.
- Keep the bouquet garni tied in cheesecloth or kitchen string so you can pull it out cleanly when serving.
- Make this a day ahead if you can. The flavors round out and deepen overnight, and the soup actually tastes better the next day.
Variations
- Use chicken or beef stock if lamb stock isn’t available; the soup loses some of its English character but stays satisfying.
- Add a parsnip or turnip for sweet root-vegetable depth.
- Stir in cooked diced lamb or beef at the end to turn it into a heartier main-course soup.
Ingredients
Directions
Peel and coarsely chop the carrots, onions, leek and celery.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the chopped vegetables.
Sauté for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft.
Peel the potatoes and cut into small chunks. Put the potatoes, bouguet garni, stock, and salt and pepper into the saucepan with enough water to cover the vegetables.
Bring to the boil and simmer for 45 minutes.
Remove the bouquet garni and serve. The potatoes thicken the soup and may disappear into the liquid.
The vegetables may be diced or finely chopped, using a food processor, if preferred.
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