This has become one of our classic cold-weather soups. I usually make the first batch of the season in October, but I start getting phone calls for it in late September, followed by e-mails to our website asking when we will have it. It’s a sweet, rich soup that tastes best after the first frost. In terms of comfort food, this soup is right up there with mashed potatoes. It includes wonderful, old-fashioned ingredients like turnips and celeriac. People who think that they do not like these vegetables are surprised to fall in love with them when they taste this soup. It must be the smooth, creamy texture of all the ingredients blended together.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter
3 whole cloves garlic, peeled
1 large Spanish onion, peeled and diced
2 ribs celery, diced
4 carrots, peeled and sliced
4 parsnips, peeled and sliced
1 large turnip or rutabaga, peeled and cut into chunks
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 bulb celeriac, peeled and cut into chunks
12 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups light cream
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

In a stockpot melt the butter over medium high heat. Add the garlic, onion, celery, carrots, and parsnips. Sauté for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the turnip, sweet potatoes, celeriac, and stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the vegetables are soft and tender, about 40 minutes.

Remove from heat and add the nutmeg. Puree the soup in the pot with a hand blender or working in batches in a regular blender until smooth. Add the cream. Season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine. If the soup seems too thick, adjust the texture with additional stock or water.

Makes 8 to 10 servings. Turnips and rutabagas are close root vegetable cousins and can be used interchangeably in this recipe. At one time, turnips were disdained as food for the poor because they were also commonly used as cattle fodder. Now, their firm texture and slightly sharp flavor (they are part of the mustard family) make a great addition to a soup. Look for peeled turnips or rutabagas at the supermarket to shorten prep time.