This simple and delicious recipe evolved when I looked in my vegetable drawer and found two leeks, half a bunch of celery and a stub of a carrot.

Summer Lights Celery Soup
1 tablespoon of olive oil
2 leeks
1 pared down bunch of celery
an inch of carrot
salt and pepper
herbs for garnishing (chives, parsley)

First I cleaned the leeks and chopped them finely, and put them into a pot with some olive oil and salt to saute. The celery was close to the heart of the bunch – the outer stalks had already been pulled off for other snacks and the upper half lobbed off for another soup, so what was left was the tenderest most flavorful part. I chopped it up right down to where the roots start, leaves and all, and added it to the leeks. I fine chopped the carrot stub, more for color than for taste and threw it in. When the vegetables had all softened, I added three cups of water to cover them and simmered for half an hour. With the soup blender I pureed the soup with 2 cups of rice milk. Seasoned with salt and pepper, and served with some fresh chives and parsley from my garden herb pots.

My family loved this soup. The tender celery makes it very sweet and there are none of the harsh strings that outer celery stalks bring to a soup. The leeks contribute a more gentle flavor than onions. All together creating a soup that feels soft and gentle, and a delicious antidote to the heat of a hot summer night.