Soup Kitchen

Soup is one of the most seasonal foods around. No matter what vegetables (or fruits!!) the season is producing, it is guaranteed to make a phenomenal soup.  Spring's asparagus soup, summer's gazpacho, and winters hearty beef stews can be joined by fall's roasted root veggie soup.  This creation was simple, and perfect for the first night of 30 something degree temps.  Add 1 fireplace, a few glasses of wine (or Oktoberfest!) and you have yourself the recipe for a cozy evening.

1 small sweet potato
2 celery stalk
3 cloves of garlic
2 carrots
1 large parsnip
1/2 white onion
1/2 large fennel
1 leek
Fresh Tarragon
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Cayenne pepper
Veggie Stock (4 cups)
water (about 3 or 4 cups)
1 cup white wine

Set oven at 425. Roast garlic in skin, in olive oil- I do the foil pocket with enough oil to cover for about 15/20 ish minutes. Once it's done is soft, sticky, and squeezes out of the paper. I LOVE the softer flavor of roasted garlic.
Cut all other veggies into cubes/ pieces roughly  1-2 inches big.  Onion can remain bigger.
Roast veggies for 30 minutes. 
Place veggies and garlic in a food processor (I ended up doing 2 batches in the food processor).  Pulse until smooth. It gets thick, so begin adding the veggie stock while in the processor.  Once it's your desired consistency (chunky or creamy smooth- my favorite!) put it in a large dutch oven. Once all veggies are blended, and in the dutch oven add any remaining veggie stock and wine.  My soup was super think, so I began watering it down to the perfect consistency for us.  It took about 3 cups of water, but add it to your taste.  Add fresh tarragon, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste.  I would say we used about  1 1/2 Teaspoon of sea salt, loads of black pepper- and 1/2 teaspoon of Cayenne.  Tarragon was added while cooking, and as a garnish.  The fluffy fennel fur made a perfect garnish as well!  This soup is a welcome addition to my recipe collection, and I can not wait to make it again ... perhaps on Thanksgiving!!