Instructions: With winters weather here, we all could use a quick, healthful and hearty meal. Soup is the answer. And its easier to make than you may think.

I discovered just how easy a couple of months after starting my first cooks job, when our sous chef was fired - and I was suddenly in charge of soups. At 20 years old with little formal training, I gulped. Soup requires real culinary skills, doesnt it? I shouldnt have worried. The chef already was getting compliments for turning canned tomatoes and dill into soup.

Theres a reason restaurants always have soup on the menu. Its cheap, easy and quick. And it can be delicious. It took me a long time, however, to realize that thickening vegetable soups with roux and weighing them down with cream just masked the taste of the vegetables. I was making sturdy soups, well-suited for keeping hot all night, but they often looked and tasted dull.

Ive since mastered all manner of soups, including duck consomme and refined seafood bisques. But when time is an issue, I turn to a simple puree of cooked vegetables. I whir bright green, red or orange vegetables with just enough stock to make a naturally rich, silky broth.

It doesnt matter if its raining outside, if youve had a hard day or if you barely know how to make pancakes from a mix. You can do this.

First, forget the flour and heavy cream. Because I use a high ratio of vegetables to stock, I dont need them. The vegetables provide all the body, and the blender does all the work. Its an elegant dish, worthy of a dinner party, yet simple enough to make for one.

If Ive got chicken or vegetable stock on hand - and canned broth really does work fine in a pinch - I can have homemade soup in minutes. Ill use any vegetable that I have on hand, but in winter, fierce-looking root vegetables such as sweet potatoes or celery root are worth seeking out.

Just peel them, cut them into chunks and boil in heavily salted water until soft. Its easy and the best way to preserve their color. Winter squash, such as butternut or acorn, does best when cut in half and roasted in the shells, flat side down. Then just scoop out the soft flesh. Onions are best sauteed, eggplant grilled and peppers roasted. All of these add creamy sweetness to any soup or can stand on their own.

Whatever I use for soup, I always consider three components: flavor, color and body.

Even the most versatile vegetable usually can fulfill only two out of three.

Carrots, for instance, have great color and texture, but their flavor is a little flat, so I might boost it with fresh ginger or curry paste. Spinach has strong color and flavor but almost zero body, so Ill puree it with asparagus or something neutral, like potato. Fennel has some body and good flavor but a neutral color, so I might blend it with tomato or roasted red pepper.

Garnishes are another good way to add flavor, texture and color. A dollop of yogurt or sour cream on a brightly colored puree lends a creamy, tart edge.

Toasted almonds or pine nuts add crunch and richness. Fresh herbs, such as tarragon, chervil or dill, add a spot of color and flavor.

To cut down on time and increase nutrition, Ill boil vegetables in the stock that Im going to puree them with. Once theyre cooked, I transfer them to the blender, filling it only about two-thirds full, and adding just enough stock so the blender is able to process. I let the blender run until the mixture is super creamy. Then I transfer the puree to a pot and add stock until I have the right consistency. It should be a smooth, not-too-thick puree.

Once youve made a couple of good vegetable purees and vanquished your soup phobias, you can move on to other ingredients. Making purees from legumes, such as black beans or lentils, is as straightforward as using vegetables. Legumes just require long soaking and cooking times. Beans tend to be bland on their own, so try pureeing them with some aromatic vegetables or with sauteed garlic, onions and herbs. Then finish with a touch of sherry or by lacing each bowl with some fruity olive oil.

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