Zucchini Soup with Cream Cheese

Ingredients

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• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion finely diced
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 150 g (5.3 oz) potatoes starchy, peeled, in 1/2-inch (1.5 cm) cubes
• 600 ml (2 1/2 cup) vegetable broth hot; check the label for allergens
• 800 g (1.8 lb) zucchini unpeeled, coarsely cubed
• 0.5 bunch basil leaves picked off the stems
• 100 g (3.5 oz) cream cheese plain, at room temperature
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• salt to taste
• black pepper to taste

Method

1. Wash the zucchini, trim the ends and cut it, skin on, into cubes of about 3/4 inch (2 cm). Peel and cube the potatoes, dice the onion and mince the garlic.
2. Warm the oil in a 3-quart (3-liter) pot over medium heat. Cook the onion for 3 minutes until translucent and add the garlic for the last 30 seconds. Add the potatoes and the broth, bring to a boil and simmer, covered, for 8 minutes.
3. Add the zucchini and simmer without the lid for another 8 to 10 minutes, until the cubes are tender but still have color.
4. Take the pot off the heat, add the basil, saving a few leaves, and blend everything smooth with an immersion blender for 1 to 2 minutes. A countertop blender only works in small amounts: fill it no more than halfway, leave the lid opening free and lay a towel over it. If you seal the lid tight, hot steam can blow it off.
5. Return the pot to the lowest heat and stir in the cream cheese a spoonful at a time until it has melted. Season with lemon juice, salt and pepper, do not let it boil again and serve with the remaining basil leaves.

Tip: Choose small, firm zucchini. Large ones have lots of seeds and watery flesh, which makes the soup thin and bland.