Perfect vegetable soup

Seeing as I mentioned the holy bowl of vegetable soup, I think it's only fair I share with you my recipe for it. I made this simple vegetable elixir for the first time about 3 weeks ago while visiting my grandparents in Wales. They live on their own and rely on their family to make them lots of good homecooked grub (no meals on wheels for them!). Visiting relatives leave boxes full of curry, rice, bakes and much more which are stored in the freezer for forthcoming weeks' eating. Seeing as both my grandparents are quite unwell and that the weather in wales was quite wintry for August, I decided to leave them with a warming pot of vegetable soup. You can leave out the cream if you're after a lighter 'broth'; keep it in if you want a rich, velvet-textured soup.

(Holy) Vegetable Soup
1 large carrot, finely chopped into half moons
1 leek, finely sliced into slivers
1 onion, finely diced
2 tbsp olive oil
bouquet garni and 1-2 extra bay leaves
4 garlic cloves, finely diced (or to taste)
1lt vegetable or chicken stock
4 tbsp or thereabouts single cream

1. Fry your onions until they just begin to soften, then add the garlic. Fry for a further 2 mins or so (be careful not to burn the garlic), then add the chopped vegetables.
2. Saute the vegetables over a low heat, stirring, for about 10 mins. The veg should be just softening.
3. Pour in your stock, throw in the herbs, bring to the boil and then simmer, covered for about 15 minutes. Finish by stirring in your cream, bit by bit.

It's a very simple recipe I know, so feel free to add whatever veg you've got leftover in your cupboard. When making this soup I will always remember the deep joy it gave me to see my grandfather wolf down his portion that day, slurping noisily all the way through. He came bounding into the kitchen afterwards exclaiming 'Superb soup putha', eyes gleaming and a broad, satisfied grin across his face. I knew I had succeeded - my granddad is incapable of lying.