A Fall Favorite: Loaded Root Vegetable Soup

By Tammie Hughes

In anticipation of a busy end of the month, preparing for the Thanksgiving holiday, give this root vegetable soup a try for an easy, cozy dinner. This soup uses five kinds of roots – parsnips, turnips, rutabaga, potatoes, and carrots. Its layered flavors of pancetta, various herbs, celery, and alliums are accentuated with a garnish of sharp cheddar, fresh scallions, and crème fraîche.

INGREDIENTS

3 TB EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
2 TB Butter
1/2 C Diced Pancetta (or Bacon if you don’t have pancetta)
1 C Mirepoix (Diced Onion, Celery, and Carrot)
1 Medium Shallot – Peeled, Diced
2 Leeks – Cleaned and Prepped, Roughly Chopped
1 Medium Turnip – Peeled, Cleaned, Cubed
1 Medium Rutabaga – Peeled, Cleaned, Cubed
2 Parsnips – Peeled, Cleaned, Diced 
2 C Baby Red Potatoes – Cleaned, Halved
1 1/2 Quarts Chicken Stock/Bone Stock
1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 1/2 tsp Himalayan Pink Salt
1 tsp White Pepper
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
2 TB Fresh Snipped Rosemary 
1/4 C Loose Parsley (Stems Removed)
1 TB Dried Thyme
1 TB Herbs de Provence 

Garnish 
Fresh Heavy Cream Drizzle
Shredded Cheddar
Fresh Sliced Scallions
Dollop of Crème Fraîche (or Sour Cream)

INSTRUCTIONS

Add EVOO, butter, pancetta, mirepoix, and shallot to a stockpot and sauté over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes. Add a little of the chicken stock to loosen after 5 minutes.

Add the prepped, cleaned, and chopped leeks, turnips, rutabaga, parsnips, red potatoes, and the remaining first quart of chicken stock to the soup pot, cover, and cook on medium heat for approximately 20-25 minutes, adding the remaining stock as the mixture becomes dense.

Once the root vegetables are fork tender, add the herbs, seasonings, and the cream of chicken soup.

Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Remove about one-third to a half of the mixture and set aside.

Using an immersion blender, pulse the remaining soup to blend.

Add back the mixture previously set aside and remove from heat.

Presentation—add the garnish suggestions and serve with a toasted slice of sourdough bread, spread with butter and sprinkled with Hawaiian Lava Salt.