For the past few days we have searched for a pureed roasted vegetable soup, and we loosely followed this one: https://www.yakimaherald.com/explore_yakima/food_and_drink/salt-and-stone-roasted-vegetable-soup-hits-the-spot/article_13ce7e34-48fc-11ed-a0ff-0b1b8e6bbf79.html We took inspiration from the author’s observation that this recipe is versatile and useful for any raw vegetables in one’s fridge.
First, prepare the following for roasting: 1 extremely large (or two medium) carrot, 2 medium parsnips, 1/3 large rutabaga, 1/3 large celeriac, 1/4 large cauliflower, 1/4 red bell pepper, 3 medium shallots, and 1 medium onion. Preheat oven to 425. Peel the carrot, parsnips, rutabaga, and celeriac. Remove the seeds and membrane from the bell pepper. Cut all of the vegetables into uniform chunks (approx. 2″ chunks). Toss with 2 Tbsp canola oil, sprinkle with salt and black pepper, and spread on two foil-lined rimmed baking sheets (foil sprayed with canola). Roast until the vegetables are tender (about 30 mins, tossed halfway). Remove roasted vegetables from oven and place them in a low-walled stainless steel Dutch oven. Keep the oven on, but reduce to 400.
Second, prepare 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth (we used Better Than Bouillon chicken flavor), separating into 3 cups (for immediate use) and 1 cup (hold on the side). Mince 3 large garlic cloves. Add the minced garlic plus 3 cups broth to the roasted vegetable mixture. Season with 1/2 tsp McCormick curry powder and 1/4 tsp Aleppo pepper (coarsely ground). Heat on medium until boiling, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 20 mins. While this is simmering, start preparing the croutons (recipe below).
Third, puree the vegetables in broth with an immersion blender. Add the additional broth as needed to reach the right consistency; for us, we wanted the consistency of butternut squash soup, so we used the full additional cup of broth, for a total of 4 cups broth. Season to taste; we added 1 tsp apple cider vinegar and a sprinkle of salt (1/2 tsp) and sugar (1/4 tsp).
Crouton recipe: We removed 5 slices of sourdough bread from the freezer. We cut the sourdough slices into bite-sized pieces (about 6 per slice). Toss into 2 tsp canola oil and 1 tsp minced rosemary leaves. Place on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet, lightly sprayed with canola oil. Place in the oven at 400 for about 10-12 mins until toasted. (Jan. 2023)
Cooking Adventures 