Free The Essential James Beard Cookbook by James Beard Page A

they are sometimes more reliable than starchy, over-the-hill fresh peas. You may have to use more or less cream, depending on the thickness of the puréed peas.
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5 pounds fresh peas in the pod, shelled (6¼ cups) or use 6¼ cups thawed frozen peas
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 cups light cream
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
Chopped fresh chives, for garnish
    Cook the peas and onion in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until just tender. Drain, and purée in a blender with the lid ajar or in a food processor. Transfer to a saucepan over low heat, and stir in the butter and salt and pepper to taste. Slowly add the cream, and stir until well blended and very hot. Serve garnished with the chopped parsley and chives.
    CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP
    MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
    An easy soup that is distinctive enough to serve to company. This was the recipe used in the Beard household for many years.
Two 28-ounce cans Italian plum tomatoes, drained (about 3 cups tomatoes)
1 cup Beef Stock or canned beef broth
1 small yellow onion, stuck with 2 whole cloves
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1½ teaspoons sugar
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon plus 1½ teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon plus 1½ teaspoons unsalted butter
2 cups heavy cream
Chopped fresh basil or fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
    Put the tomatoes, stock, onion, basil, salt, and pepper in a large saucepan. Cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. Add the sugar, and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove the cloves from the onion, and purée the tomato mixture in a food processor. Return to the saucepan. Add the baking soda. Taste for seasoning. Blend the butter and flour together into a smooth paste, beurre manié, and whisk it, bit by bit, into the tomato mixture over medium heat. Cook until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat. In a separate saucepan bring the heavy cream almost to a boil. Gradually stir into the tomato purée. Bring nearly to a boil over low heat. Serve with a sprinkling of chopped basil or parsley.
    FOUR-DAY VEGETABLE SOUP
    MAKES 8 SERVINGS
    I happen to think that vegetable soups made without meat stock are infinitely more intriguing. The results are often so delicate and unexpected that one is inspired to improvise constantly and find new and even more delicious combinations, for to my mind, success with vegetable soups is entirely a matter of inspiration, taste, and inventiveness.
    I remember going through the refrigerator and the vegetable basket one winter day while living in France and coming up with a considerable array of bits and pieces, which I turned into a thoroughly good soup. This continued with a series of variations for four days (hence the name of the soup), resulting in three hot soups and one cold. Each time I had a totally different and distinctive product. This recipe, then, is not to be slavishly followed, but to serve as a starting point for your own ideas.
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 cups finely chopped cooked cabbage
2 carrots, shredded
1 small turnip, peeled and finely diced
4 white button mushrooms, chopped
4 Swiss chard leaves, with stems, well rinsed, chopped
2 small zucchini, finely diced
1 tomato, peeled, seeded, and chopped
3 or 4 leaves fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
    Put all of the ingredients in a deep saucepan with water to cover, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste—about 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil gradually over low heat. Cover and simmer the soup gently for 1½ to 2 hours, or until all the flavors are well blended. Taste and correct the seasoning.
    Four of us ate the soup that night. The next day, I added to the remainder another couple of peeled and chopped tomatoes, a few leaves of finely chopped