Soups that begin by sautéing vegetables in oil or butter can be adapted by cutting the fat in half and adding 1/4 cup water or stock, which sweats the vegetables rather than sautés them. The same vegetables can also be cooked directly in the soup liquid with no previous sautéing at all. Even if you are not concerned about fat, stock should always be degreased before use (see About Stocks) for purely aesthetic reasons. If meat is cooked in a soup, trim it thoroughly; after it has cooked, carefully ladle the fat from the surface—or, better yet, refrigerate the soup overnight so that the fat rises to the top and solidifies, then carefully remove it from the soup’s surface. (Many soups taste better the second day anyway.)
Most recipes calling for cream can be made with less cream than the recipe specifies or with none at all, but before you decide against a recipe calling for cream, divide the total amount of cream into the number of servings. Most of the time, a cup of the soup will contain only a few tablespoons of cream. If the soup is not boiled, you can often substitute low-fat milk, yogurt, or a touch of sour cream (which has half the fat of regular cream).
