Recipe: Spring Soup (Fanesca)

`INGREDIENTS:`
1 pound salt cod	4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) butter	2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced	1/4 teaspoon oregano	1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 bay leaf	freshly ground pepper	1 cup long-grain rice cooked in 1 cup milk and 1 cup water
1 cup cooked corn kernels	2-1/2 cups cooked shredded cabbage	2 cups cooked, mashed winter squash
2 cups cooked, chopped zucchini	1 cup cooked baby lima beans or broad (fava) beans	1 cup cooked green peas
1 cup cooked green beans, cut into 1/2-inch pieces	1/2 cup peanuts, ground	4 cups milk
1 cup light cream	1 cup Spanish fresh cheese (queso fresco or queso blanco) or Munster, chopped	salt
3 hardboiled eggs, sliced	grated Parmesan cheese

`1`	Soak the cod in cold water to cover for 12 hours or more, changing the water frequently. Drain the fish and put it into a saucepan with fresh water to cover. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer until the fish is tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, and reserve the fish stock. Remove any skin and bones from the fish and cut it into 1/2-inch pieces. Set aside.
`2`	Heat the butter in a large saucepan and saute the onions and garlic until the onions are soft. Add the oregano, cumin, bay leaf, and several grinds of black pepper and saute for a minute or two longer. Add 1 cup water, bring to a boil, and add the cooked rice, corn, cabbage, squash, zucchini, lima or fava beans, peas, green beans, ground peanuts, the fish and fish stock, the milk, and the cream. Stir to mix and simmer very gently for about 5 minutes to blend the flavors. Add the chopped cheese and salt to taste. The soup should be about as thick as a minestrone. If it seems too thick, thin it with a little more milk and simmer for a few minutes longer.
`3`	Pour the soup into a tureen and serve in soup plates. Garnish the servings with sliced hardboiled egg. Have the grated Parmesan cheese in a bowl on the table to be used as liked.