Four-Day Vegetable Soup

Directions

Put all the vegetables and the rosemary in a deep pan.

Cover with water and add salt and pepper to taste -- about 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.

Bring to a boil gradually over low heat. Cover pot and simmer the soup gently for 1½ to 2 hours, or until all the flavors are well blended.

Taste and correct the seasoning.

Serve with crackers, cheese, or whatever you’d like.

• Examples of variations * First day: Enough soup for four people.

Serve as described above.

Second day: Add to the remainder another couple of peeled and chopped tomatoes, a few leaves of finely chopped spinach, another zucchini, and a few leftover cooked chickpeas.

Add a bit of grated lemon rind and a touch of onion about 10 minutes before serving.

Third day: For lunch, the soup is good cold with a dollop of creme frai’che.

Fourth day: Add 2 or 3 peeled and diced beets, another cup of finely chopped, cooked cabbage, 3 or 4 more mushrooms, and if any, a little left over vegetable broth cooked from another day.

NOTE: Of course, if you have some chicken or vegetable broth you can add it to the soup.

The secret is to have variations of color, texture and flavor.