Friday, November 7, 2014

a soup not to Annie's liking


I used to make this soup for Annie and Rachael a lot--it was quick and easy and, I thought, pretty tasty--till Annie confessed that she didn't really like it. I stopped making it for about twenty years, but remembered it when I got lots of rutabagas  and parsnips in my vegetable box. I needed to use up some veg to make room in the fridge so I made a big pot of greens and another big pot of this soup. It was just as I remembered it, and I couldn't imagine why Annie didn't like it as well as I did! I think it, along with a nice, vinegary salad and some wholemeal bread, would be an ideal easy meal for this time of year. 

Root Soup
These ingredients are all mere suggestions except for the crucial potato. Use what you have on hand that sounds good to you. 
Two each: potatoes, carrots, peeled rutabagas, parsnips; all cleaned, trimmed, and roughly chopped
Onions, leeks, garlic to taste; prepared as above
Salt (plenty), pepper, nutritional yeast 
Butter or margarine for serving

Put everything except the butter in a big soup pan, add water to not quite cover, bring to the boil, then put on the lid and let simmer for about twenty minutes, till everything's very tender. If you have an imersion blender, use that to purée the soup; otherwise you can do it in batches in your regular blender or just mash it with a potato masher.

Serve with a knob of butter or margarine.