Name: Roasted Root Vegetable Soup
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks; 2 large parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks; 1 medium turnip, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks; ½ celery root (celeriac), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks; 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks; 1 head garlic, top sliced off; 3 tablespoons olive oil; Salt and freshly ground black pepper; 1 tablespoon butter; 1 large onion, diced; 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced; 5 cups chicken or vegetable stock; 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar; Crème fraîche or sour cream, for garnish; Fresh chives, snipped, for garnish

This soup uses the whole root cellar — parsnips, carrots, turnips, celery root — whatever you have. Roasting them first brings out an almost candy-like sweetness. It's rustic and grounding, the kind of soup that makes you feel connected to the earth these vegetables came from.

Ingredients

2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 large parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 medium turnip, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
½ celery root (celeriac), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 head garlic, top sliced off
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon butter
1 large onion, diced
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced
5 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Crème fraîche or sour cream, for garnish
Fresh chives, snipped, for garnish

Method

Preheat your oven to 220°C (425°F).
Spread the carrots, parsnips, turnip, celery root, and sweet potato on a large baking sheet. Nestle the garlic head among the vegetables. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss well.
Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until everything is deeply golden and caramelized.
Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from their skins. They should be soft and paste-like.
In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the rosemary and cook 1 minute more.
Add the roasted vegetables, roasted garlic, and stock. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
Blend until smooth. The soup should be thick and velvety. Stir in the apple cider vinegar — it brightens everything.
Season with salt and pepper. Serve with a dollop of crème fraîche and a scatter of chives.
*Storage:** Refrigerate for up to 5 days. Freezes well for 3 months.
*Seasonal note:** Don't peel the vegetables too aggressively — a lot of flavor and nutrients live just under the skin. And don't be afraid of the ugly root vegetables. Celery root looks like something from another planet, but its flavor — somewhere between celery and parsley — is irreplaceable in a root vegetable soup.