Soup’s On: My Favorite Winter Soup

There is nothing quite like a bowl of vegetable soup. Whether it’s heartiness on a cold night or the first course to a wonderful meal, soup always gives us exactly what we need.  My only advice to you when making soups, whatever the season, is to be sure to use only the best ingredients.  Don’t ever skimp on quality and flavor when it comes to your fine pots of soup.

In my new book, Ten, I dedicate an entire chapter to vegetable soups.  In fact 11 of them (it was too difficult to narrow it down to only ten recipes).   The Roasted Carrot Ginger Soup is my personal favorite, and this is the perfect time of year to be serving this one.  It makes a great soup course for a winter dinner party and it’s simply delicious on its own for lunch with a salad and some crusty bread.

Roasted Carrot Ginger Soup

Serves 10

I’ve always been a fan of roasting winter vegetables, and there is nothing like roasting to make the ordinary extraordinary. The humble carrot and parsnip become stars when popped in the oven, where the flavors caramelize beautifully.

1½ pounds carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise

1 pound parsnips, peeled and quartered lengthwise

1 large onion, sliced

1 piece (3 inches) fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter

3 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar

8 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth

Salt, to taste

Pinch of cayenne pepper

¼ cup crème fraîche, for garnish (optional)

Snipped fresh chives, for garnish

1.?Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2.?Combine the carrots, parsnips, onion, and ginger in a shallow roasting pan. Dot with the butter and sprinkle with the brown sugar.

3.?Pour 2 cups of the broth into the pan, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and bake until the vegetables are very tender, 2 hours.

4.?Transfer the vegetables and broth to a large soup pot, and add the remaining 6 cups of broth. Season to taste with salt and cayenne pepper, and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 10 minutes.

5.?Puree the soup, in batches, in a blender or food processor until smooth, adding more broth if needed. Return the soup to the pot, adjust the seasonings if necessary, and heat through. Serve each portion dolloped with a teaspoon of crème fraîche, if desired, and sprinkled with chives.   

Check in tomorrow for a wonderful main course that is stunning for a dinner party or the perfect for a romantic evening at home for two.

Until then,

Sheila

Sheila Lukins, author of Ten: All the Foods We Love, Ten Recipes for Each, is guest blogging on Jewcy, and she’ll be here all week. Stay tuned.

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Want a copy of Ten: All the Foods We Love, Ten Recipes for Each?  Participate in this week’s giveaway contest! Make a comment on this and other posts by Shiela. At the end of the week the authors of the top five comments will receive a FREE COPY of her book!