– A love winter soup recipe –
Apologies in advance for any lack of articulation in this post. I’ve fallen victim to the “winter blahs” and the caffeine just isn’t doing it for me, so today you get your daily dose of healthy recipes sans personality. I’ve eaten a gallon of my favorite chicken soup, and now I want something a little different.
This season I’ve made more soup this winter than I have my entire life. The main reason is the glut of veggies we’ve been getting in our CSA box, which seem to take over the refrigerator when I’m not looking. Like hangers in the closet (or bunnies under the hedge) they procreate like mad, and I somehow end up with six rutabagas and three dozen carrots in the crisper.
Root vegetables are especially great ingredients for winter soup, as they add bulk and starch to an otherwise watery medium. This soup recipe is subtle, creamy, and sweet, with the lingering taste of fennel after all is said and done. To me it tastes like straight-up farmy goodness.
Greens and Root Vegetable Winter Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter or extra virgin olive oil
- 3 whole green onions root removed, diced from end to end (should yield about 3/4 cup)
- 2 cloves of garlic chopped
- 3 large carrots peeled and cut into 1/2" rounds
- 1/4 of a fennel bulb sliced thinly
- 6 small Yukon gold potatoes cut into 1" cubes (should yield about 3 cups)
- 1 large rutabaga or parsnip, cut into 1" cubes
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 cup baby spinach
- 1 cup mustard greens coarsely chopped
- 3/4 cup white wine (I prefer a decent Sauvignon Blanc)
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- Sea salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Plain yogurt for garnish
- Chopped green onions for garnish
- Chopped fennel fronds for garnish
Instructions
- Over medium flame, heat butter or olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add onions and sauté until soft. Add in garlic, carrots, and sliced fennel, cooking for 5 minutes and stirring occasionally. Toss in potato and rutabaga (or parsnip) cubes, stirring well to mix.
- Add in broth and bring to a simmer. Add in 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper.
- Once the soup is at a slight bubble, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Add in spinach, mustard greens, and white wine, then continue cooking until potatoes and rutabagas are cooked through.
- Pour 1/2 of the soup into a blender, followed by all of the yogurt and heavy cream. Add the herbs and blend until relatively smooth. Set blended soup aside in another pot, then blend remaining soup just enough to break up the larger veggies but still leave a chunky texture.
- Pour all of the soup back into the soup pot, season to taste with salt and pepper, and mix well. Garnish in a dollop of yogurt, a sprinkling of chopped green onions, and a dusting of fennel fronds.
Nutrition
This content was originally posted on FearlessFresh.com.
