Recipe: Creamy Winter Vegetable Soup

INGREDIENTS: 

3 qts chicken or vegetable stock

4 small white turnips (the one with the purple blush on top), peeled and diced

4 large potatoes, peeled and diced (Yukon gold, red bliss or all-purpose)

1 lg head cauliflower, cut up into fleurettes

1 bunch leeks (3-4 leeks), green tops trimmed off, bulb cleaned* and sliced 

1 cup heavy cream   (okay to substitute with evaporated milk) 

1/2 stick butter or your favorite butter substitute

1 tsp ground nutmeg (freshly ground is best)

salt & pepper to taste

4 scallions sliced – including about 2 inches of green top

HOW2:

1. In a large pot, sauté sliced leeks in butter until transparent. 

2. Pour stock over leeks, add diced vegetables, and simmer until they are all tender. 

3. Drain stock into another pan, reserving about 1 qt for use in the next step.

4. Spoon vegetables into a food processor about 2 cups at a time, plus about 3/4 cup of the stock, and pulse gently. 

5. As each batch is pureed, return to pot - I like a bit of texture, so I don't completely get it smooth.

6. Enjoy Fresh or Refrigerate for later enjoyment.

HOW2 REHEAT:

When ready to serve, return the soup to a light simmer, add the cream (or evaporated milk), season with nutmeg, salt & pepper, and sprinkle chopped scallion over each bowl. 

Pastel By Mary Ann D’Ambruoso

PROTIPS:

• Do not let the soup come to a boil as the cream will separate. 

• If you prefer, no milk or cream needs to be added - it still tastes wonderful. 

• Leeks can be sandy. After cutting off green tops, score the bulb from just above the root to the top and swish in cold water to release the sand.

• The cream can be substituted with 1 can of evaporated milk, undiluted - still gives a creamy texture with significantly less fat and tastes pretty much the same.

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