Winter Vegetable Soup With Turnips, Carrots, Potatoes and Leeks

Name: Winter Vegetable Soup With Turnips, Carrots, Potatoes and Leeks
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 3 large leeks (1 to 1 1/2 pounds), white parts only, cleaned and sliced 1/2 inch thick; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 3 large carrots (10 ounces), diced; 1 celery stalk, diced; 1 large or 2 medium turnips (10 ounces), peeled and diced; 1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and diced; A bouquet garni made with a bay leaf and a few sprigs each thyme and parsley; Salt and black pepper; 1/4 cup crème fraîche, more to taste; Chopped fresh parsley or tarragon, for garnish

By Martha Rose Shulman

Total Time: 1 hour
Rating: 4(2,422)
Comments: Read comments

I use the food mill instead of a blender — immersion or regular — because I love the texture of the soup when it’s put through the mill’s coarse blade, resulting in a flavorful, colorful mixture that you can almost chew on. But you can use a blender to purée the soup. The texture will be coarsest — which is what you want — if you use an immersion blender.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings

3large leeks (1 to 1½ pounds), white parts only, cleaned and sliced ½ inch thick
2garlic cloves, minced
3large carrots (10 ounces), diced
1celery stalk, diced
1large or 2 medium turnips (10 ounces), peeled and diced
1pound russet potatoes, peeled and diced
A bouquet garni made with a bay leaf and a few sprigs each thyme and parsley
Salt and black pepper
¼cup crème fraîche, more to taste
Chopped fresh parsley or tarragon, for garnish

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, combine the leeks, garlic, carrots, celery, turnips, potatoes, bouquet garni, 1½ quarts water, 2 to 3 teaspoons salt, and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 40 to 45 minutes, until the vegetables are very soft.
Step 2
Pass the soup through the coarse blade of a food mill (or purée using a blender or an immersion blender).
Step 3
Return soup to the pot and whisk in ¼ cup crème fraîche (or more, to taste). Heat through, taste and adjust seasonings (be generous with salt and pepper). To serve, garnish each bowl with a spoonful of crème fraîche and a sprinkle of parsley or tarragon.

Ratings

4 out of 5

2,422 user ratings

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Comments

Theresa SF Bay Area7 years ago

Really good and satisfying. If the now-banned Oxford comma appeared after "2 to 3 teaspoons salt" I believe it would be clearer. It would read "2 to 3 tablespoons salt, and pepper to taste."

EJC7 years ago

I've made a similar soup all my life since my Scots grandmother taught it to me. Her trick (besides no garlic, more celery and fewer potatoes) was to use her potato masher when all the vegetables were tender. It gives the soup a great rustic hearty texture. It is also much more fun to bash away with Grandma's masher than use a food mill or blender.

Passion for Peaches7 years ago

Tweaked a bit, was fabulous. Sautéed all veg, sequentially, in olive oil and pat of butter, so leeks got golden. (I think soup needs that taste dimension.) Added parsnips, used more celery and carrot. Bouquet fresh from garden: two bay leaves, sprigs winter savory, French tarragon, Italian parsley. Immersion blended, to rough texture (about the texture of porridge). Soup thick and fibrous, in a good way. Added tsp. Sherry vinegar (before creme fraiche) for brightness. Served w/ plain focaccia.

Kaitlin M.2 months ago

I had a bunch of turnips from my CSA and wasn’t sure what to do so tried this recipe. It wasn’t for me, the texture felt too almost glutinous? I’m sure it’s great for folks who love that texture!

Graham Miselbach3 months ago

Added indian spices, sweated leeks, added nutritional yeast, fermented tofu, topped with roasted sunflower seeds and sesame seeds. Served with tadka focaccia.

SAS6 months ago

This was a perfect use for all of my CSA veggies. I loosely followed the measurements and it ended up so flavorful and delicious (subbed celery with celery salt, only had bay leaves). I sauteed the veggies in butter first then added some light bodied red wine. Cooked off the alcohol and then added the water with some better than bouillon. Then followed the rest of the instructions and pureed in my ninja blender. YUM!

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