Instructions: 1. To make the vegetable soup, in a large pot, bring all of the ingredients except the potato to a boil over high heat, adding enough water to completely cover the vegetables. Reduce the heat to low and partially cover. Simmer very gently for 1 hour. Add the potato and cook until the stock is well flavored and the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.

2. Spoon rice into individual soup bowls and ladle the soup over the rice. Sprinkle with the herbs and serve immediately.

VARIATIONS: By separately preparing a pot of grains, you can use whatever you prefer, from amaranth to wheat berries. BROTH: Without rice, the soup can be strained to make a vegetable broth to use in other recipes. I recommend making a double batch, serving half as soup and straining the remainder for vegetable broth (see further).

Homemade Vegetable Broth : Pour the soup into a coarse wire sieve set over a large bowl. Discard the solids in the sieve. Cool the broth to room temperature then refrigerate or freeze in 2-cup containers. (The broth can be stored for up to 3 days covered and refrigerated, or frozen for up to 3 months.)

Makes about 1 1/4 quarts broth.

Description:"Almost hearty - one of its beauties is its light, but flavorful, simplicity"

Yield: 8 cups

NOTES : Some people cook the rice right in the soup, but I like to do it separately so you can have as much rice as you want. Some like their soup thickened with rice until it resembles porridge; others like just a sprinkle.

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