Winter Root Vegetable Soup

From Nourishing Traditions
Serves 6

4 tablespoons butter
3 medium onions, chopped
2 small leeks, washed, trimmed and sliced
4 carrots, sliced
2 turnips, peeled, chopped
1 small rutabaga, peeled, chopped
3 parsnips, peeled, sliced
1 ½ quarts chicken or vegetable broth
1 teaspoon thyme
4 cloves garlic, minced
Sea salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper
Pinch cayenne pepper
Pinch nutmeg
Sour cream or yogurt

Melt the butter in a large soup pot. Add onions, leeks, carrots, turnips, rutabaga, and parsnips. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt. Cover and cook about 30 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally. Add broth and bring to a boil. Add garlic, thyme, nutmeg and cayenne. Lower heat and simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Puree soup with an immersion blender.

Season to taste with additional salt, if needed, and freshly ground pepper. Ladle into bowls and serve with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt.

With a more delicate and sweeter flavor than onions, leeks add a subtle touch to recipes without overpowering the other flavors that are present. Although leeks are available throughout the year, they are in season from the fall through the early part of spring when they’re at their best.

Leeks tend to be full of dirt so to clean them, trim the rootlets and the dark green tops and remove the outer layer. For all preparations except cutting into cross sections, make a lengthwise incision almost but not quite to the end of root, fold open, and rinse under running water. If your recipe calls for cross sections, first cut it into the desired pieces, then place the sliced leek in a colander and rinse well in cool water.