Root Vegetable Soup with Three Herbs

This mild tasting soup is a wonderful addition to a cold winter's day. Excellent served with a grilled cheese sandwich. Remember to finely chop the rosemary, large chunks of it have an unpleasant flavor.  

Ingredients:

3 lbs of turnips

1 lb of parsnips

1 1/2 Tbs. olive oil

3 cups chopped onion

3 large garlic cloves, minced

8 cups water or vegetable stock

1 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme, or 1 1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary, or 1/2 tsp. chopped dried rosemary

1/2 cup milk/cream combination

2 Tbs. parsley, chopped

1 tsp. salt

fresh ground black pepper, to taste

~Peel both turnips and parsnips (turnips with a knife, and parsnips with a vegetable peeler). Cut up into 1-inch pieces.

Heat olive oil in Dutch Oven, over medium heat. Add onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.

Root Vegetable soup with some homemade bread

Add the garlic, turnips and parsnips, cook for another 2 minutes. Add the water/stock and the thyme and rosemary. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Cook, partially covered, until vegetables are tender. 

Puree the soup in a food processor (best done in batches). Stir in the milk/cream combo, 1 Tbs.  parsley, salt and pepper.     

Serve warm, and garnish soup with remaining parsley when serving. 

Soupe a L'oignon

A traditional (well, except without day old French bread) French onion soup.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. onions, or about 5 cups of onions, thinly sliced
3 Tbs. butter
1 Tbs. oil
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. sugar (helps the onions to brown)
3 Tbs. flour
2 quarts (8 cups) of boiling stock, or 1 quart boilingwater and 1 quart stock
1/2 cup of dry white wine or dry white vermouth
salt and pepper, to taste
3 Tbs. cognac
1-2 cups of grated Swiss or Parmesan cheese

~Cook the onions slowly with the butter and oil in a heavy bottomed dutch oven for 15 minutes, covered. 

Uncover and raise heat to medium, stir in salt and sugar. Cook for 30-40 minutes, stirring often, until the onions have turned golden/brown. 

Add the flour and stir for 3 minutes. 

Take off the heat and stir in the boiling liquid. Add the wine, and season to taste. Simmer partially covered for 30-40 minutes more. Add more seasoning if necessary. 

Set soup aside, uncovered, until ready to serve, at which time you simmer to reheat the soup. Just before serving, blend in the cognac. Top with the grated Swiss or Parmesan cheese.

Roasted Autumn Hodgepodge

Very good, though be careful not to add too much rosemary.

Ingredients:
1 cup peeled and sliced parsnips
1 cup peeled and sliced carrots
1 1/2 cup peeled and diced turnip
4 cloves garlic and cut in half
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
1 cup of brussels sprouts, washed, peeled and cut in half if very large
1 leek, washed and cut in half, then sliced into 1 inch pieces
fresh ground black pepper

~Preheat oven to 375 F.
In a roasting pan, combine the parsnip, carrot, turnip, garlic, olive oil and rosemary. Toss to coat the vegetables with the oil. Bake in oven for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the brussels sprouts and leeks, stir and continue to cook for another 15 minutes, or until tender and beginning to brown. Remove from oven, add pepper and serve.

Roasted Garlic Soup

Everyone raves about this soup, it sounds delicious!

Ingredients:
1 bulb of garlic (large), all cloves peeled
1 onion, diced
1 Tbs. olive oil
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup cream
2 cups peeled and diced potatoes
salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

~Preheat oven to 400 F. Coat garlic with oil and wrap in aluminum foil; roast in oven for 45 minutes. Remove and let cool.
Place the garlic, onion, stock, cream, and potatoes in a Dutch oven, cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender. Let cool slightly, place in a food processor and puree. Return to Dutch oven and simmer while seasoning with salt and pepper.