Eileen’s Everyone Eats Right™

Creamy roots soup, February 2011

This is a wonderful soup we’ve enjoyed from time to time over the years. Every time I make it I tell myself I need to make it more often.

Feel free to take liberties with the recipe. Some ingredient options are provided and you can adjust it to your own taste, but make sure to include the parsnip. Parsnip is the magic ingredient that makes this soup slightly pungent and very delightful.

You may want to serve this soup with a slightly sweet bread such as lemon-poppy seed muffins.

CREAMY ROOTS SOUP

Start to finish: 45 minutes (active time: 15 minutes)
Servings: 4 to 6

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 onion and/or 1 stalk celery, chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
1 parsnip, peeled and sliced
3 medium potatoes or 2 medium yams, peeled and sliced
3 to 5 cups water
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in soup pot. Add onion and/or celery and garlic and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add carrots, parsnip, potato or yam, and enough water to cover. Heat to boiling, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until vegetables are soft, about 30 minutes. Process until smooth in batches in blender or with immersion blender or food mill.  Add water as needed for desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste and re-warm.

(Recipe adapted from the October/November 1999 issue of The Wedge Natural Foods Co-Op Newsletter.)