A Rich and Earthy Soup: In Preparation for Winter

Well, it looks like it’s getting to be that time of year again...

TIME TO BREAK OUT THE SOUP RECIPES!

Tired of using the same chicken-noodle soup recipe every year?

Try this roasted winter vegetable soup, adapted from the Barefoot Contessa Family Style cookbook by Ina Garten, as seen on the Food Network.

The soup gets it’s richness from a drizzle of olive oil, but maintains a bright, fresh, earthiness from the roasted root vegetables and the addition of parsley.

It also makes use of one of my favorite vegetables; what I like to call the “white carrot.” The parsnip, which comes in season in the fall, usually gets much less credit than it deserves. Not so in this soup recipe, however, where the addition of the white carrot adds an unmistakable flavor and texture.

This recipe comes together very easily; the hardest part is prepping all the vegetables. If you don’t have a very sharp vegetable peeler, use a sharp serrated knife to cut the butternut squash. Cut the ends off first so that the squash can stand up as you remove the skin. After removing the skin, cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds.  

One thing that I LOVE about this recipe is that it freezes well. You can make a double batch and freeze half of it in 1 cup portions to whip out on those busy weeknights or on sick days. 

If you’re in a rush, recruit a family member or friend to help you peel the veggies as you cut them.

Roasted Winter Vegetable Soup

1 pound carrots, peeled

1 pound parsnips, peeled

1 large sweet potato, peeled

1 small butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled and seeded

3 tablespoons good olive oil

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

8 cups water

4 cups vegetable stock

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut the carrots, parsnips, sweet potato, and butternut squash into medium-sized cubes. All the vegetables will shrink while baking, so don't cut them too small.

Place all the cut vegetables in a single layer on 2 sheet pans. Drizzle them with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss well. Bake for 45 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender, turning once with a metal spatula.

In a large saucepan, heat the 4 cups of vegetable stock. In 2 batches, coarsely puree the roasted vegetables and 2 cups of water in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade.

Pour the soup back into the pot and season, to taste. Thin with the remaining 4 cups of water and reheat.

To serve, ladle into shallow bowls, drizzle olive oil over the top, and garnish with parsley.