Winter Greens and Root Vegetable Soup Recipe

Apologies in advance for any lack of articulation in this post. I’ve fallen victim to the “winter blahs” and the caffeine just isn’t doing it for me, so today you get your daily dose of healthy recipes sans personality.

I love soup, but for whatever reason I’ve always hated preparing it. This season all that has changed – I’ve made more soup this winter than I have my entire life. The main reason is the glut of veggies we’ve been getting in our CSA box, which seem to take over the refrigerator when I’m not looking. Like hangers in the closet (or bunnies under the hedge) they procreate like mad, and I somehow end up with six rutabagas and three dozen carrots in the crisper.

Root vegetables are especially great ingredients for soup, as they add bulk and starch to an otherwise watery medium. This soup is subtle, creamy, and sweet, with the lingering taste of fennel after all is said and done. To me it tastes like straight-up farmy goodness.

See? No personality today. Woot.

Winter Root Soup with Fennel Recipe

Makes four large servings, or six as a side.

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 young onion, diced from end to end (should yield about 1 cup)
1 stalk of green garlic, diced from end to end, green bits included
3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2″ rounds
1/4 cup chopped fennel fronds
1 tablespoon fresh oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried) chopped finely
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
6 small Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1″ cubes (should yield about three cups)
1 large rutabaga, cut into 1″ cubes
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup baby spinach
1 cup mustard greens, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup white wine (I prefer a decent sauvignon blanc)
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup heavy cream
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Yogurt and chopped onion greens for garnish

Over medium flame, heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven and saute onions and garlic until soft. Add in carrots, cooking for five minutes and stirring occasionally, then add in herbs and cook for another two minutes. Toss in potato and rutabaga cubes, stirring well to mix, then add in stock and bring to a simmer. Add in 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper.

Once the soup is at a slight bubble, cover and cook for fifteen minutes. Add in spinach, mustard greens, and white wine, then continue cooking until potatoes and rutabagas are cooked through.

Pour half of the soup into a blender, followed by all of your yogurt and heavy cream, and blend until relatively smooth. Set blended soup aside in another pot, then blend remaining soup just enough to break up the larger veggies. Pour both soup halves back into your soup pot, season to taste with salt and pepper, and mix well.

Serve with a small dollop of plain yogurt and chopped onion greens.