Purée of Winter Vegetable Soup
Published January 17, 2011
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
- Total Time
- 1 hour 15 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
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Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
½ pound leeks 1 large or 2 small, white and light green parts only, cleaned well and sliced
½ pound carrots 2 large, peeled and sliced
½ pound kohlrabi, trimmed, peeled and diced
½ pound turnips, peeled and diced
6 ounces potatoes 2 medium, peeled and diced
1 ½ quarts water, chicken stock or vegetable stock (see note)
2 fat slices ginger, peeled
1 bay leaf
A couple of sprigs each thyme and parsley
12 peppercorns
Salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
23 grams carbs; 121 calories; 2 grams monosaturated fat; 3 grams fat; 6 grams fiber; 1037 milligrams sodium; 3 grams protein; 7 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the onion. Cook, stirring, until it begins to soften, about three minutes. Add the leeks and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until tender but not browned, about five more minutes. Add the carrots, kohlrabi, turnips, potatoes and water or stock. Bring to a boil.
- Step 2
Meanwhile, wrap the ginger, bay leaf, thyme, parsley and peppercorns in cheesecloth. Tie them up to make a bouquet garni, and add to the pot. Add salt to taste (about 2 teaspoons), reduce the heat, cover and simmer one hour. Remove the cheesecloth bag, and discard.
- Step 3
Blend the soup until smooth with an immersion blender or in batches in a regular blender. (Do not put the top on tight; cover the top with a towel to prevent hot splashes.) Pour the soup through a strainer into a bowl; press the soup through the strainer with the back of a ladle or with a pestle. Return to the pot and heat through. Add lots of freshly ground pepper, taste and adjust salt, and serve.
To make a quick vegetable stock, cut away the dark green outer leaves of the leeks, wash thoroughly, and simmer in a pot of water with the peelings from the carrots while you prepare your other vegetables. Strain, and use for the soup.
Advance preparation: The finished soup will keep for three or four days in the refrigerator. Whisk before reheating.
Private Notes
Comments
Miso. Maybe sesame to garnish. I look at this and say that I've added a final generous spoonful of miso to every similar soup I've made.
I usually finish it off with a little curry power, or some variety of middle eastern spices. Just enough to set it off and mask any potential lingering bitterness from the root veg.
Delicious soup. Subbed a parsnip for the unavailable kohlrabi. For a little more heat, I chopped two inches ginger right into the soup - not in a bouquet garni. Very flexible soup. Will make this often and will play more with the seasonings.
I made exactly as written except for subbing celeriac for the kohlrabi (which was unavailable). The flavor was complex, delicate and delicious. Also love the texture. I also made the stock from the veggie peels as Martha suggested -- great idea!
Loved this soup. Added a little red wine, 3 long peppers in the bouquet garni, and a smidge of grated apple 10 minutes before serving to lift it up. Really lovely.