I got this recipe from a woman that I used to work with. The color is divine; and the flavor is a celebration of autumn: both sweet and earthy at once.
I arrived home one day to find my daughter frying onions. “What’s for dinner?,” I asked. “I don’t know,” she replied. “This is as far as I’ve gotten.” It reminded me of something my dad used to say. “First I fry the garlic and onions. Then I decide what to make for dinner.”
So here’s what we made with those onions.
1: Fry 2 medium-sized diced onions in 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium-low heat in a soup pot until soft and turning clear.
2: Peel 3 beets, 3 carrots, 2 sweet potatoes, and 1 turnip.
3: Cut all the vegetables into large chunks, and add to the soup pot.
4: Add water to just barely cover the vegetables, and boil 15 minutes until a fork or knife slides in smoothly.
5: Use a slotted spoon to scoop the vegetables into a food processor or Vitamix, and swirl until smooth.
6: Return the pureed vegetables to the soup pot, and add one teaspoon each of thyme, salt, and pepper.
The soup was heavenly. I put a variety of spices–turmeric, cumin, rosemary from this year’s herb garden, and hot paprika–on the table for my guests to choose from, and the additions were wonderful in all kinds of combinations.
Hearty appetite!