Soup a la Julienne

This is a vegetable soup which is quick to make up and surprisingly delicious.   It could easily be served with fried snippets, or bread triangles fried in a bit of butter to make a lovely lunch meal.  I make this for my own lunch during the winter when there are no leftovers handy.  Sometimes I also add a little leftover meat, which of course makes it a little more filling. 

 Sadly, I've only been able to find the recipe book, The Dominion Home Cookbook, 1868, published in Toronto, on microfiche, which really is a more difficult format to work with. Still it's a tasty, simple recipe.

Soup al la Julienne or Vegetable Soup - The Dominion Home Cookbook 1868 (Toronto)

Soup al la Julienne or Vegetable.  Cut various kinds of vegetables in pieces, celery, carrots, turnips, onions &c., and having put two ounces of butter in the bottom of a stew-lan, put the vegetables on the top of the butter, together with any others that may be in season.  Stew or fry them over a slow fire, keeping them stirred, and adding a little of the stock occasionally; soak small pieces of crust or bread in the remainder of the broth or stock, and when the vegetables are nearly stewed, add them and warm them up together.

5 cups chopped veggies -  carrots, onions, celery, turnip, mushrooms, leeks or whatever you have on hand.   If you are also using softer veggies, add them a little later so they don't over cook.

1 litre broth or stock, 

water

bread crumbs, or some crust pieces if you want the soup thickened.

1/4 cup butter. (half that will do fine if you want a less rich soup)

Method

Put butter in a stew or soup pot.  Start it melting.  Add the chopped veggies and stir periodically until they are almost cooked.   Add the broth, a bit of water to thin the soup out a bit or add volume (1/2 cup - to 2 cups).  Add any more delicate veggies at this time : peas, beans, cabbage, etc.  

Heat up and simmer until the vegetables are tender and the soup is heated through.  Add soaked bread bits if you want it thicker.