Soup For You

Monday, November 12, 2007

If you have ever been to an Italian-American Thanksgiving, then you know that tortellini in chicken broth is a must before anything as American as a turkey.  While I love tortellini soup, I don’t think it has a place on a Thanksgiving-day table.  In true American spirit, I think food of all nationalities can have a place, but tortellini in chicken broth?  There is a bit too much poultry in having a chicken broth and then a turkey.  Also, does anyone need more starch on Thanksgiving? 

The root-vegetable soup below is adapted from Sally Schneider’s The Imrovisational Cook.  I’ve altered the specific vegetables, the amount of water, added beer, etc.  I also happened to add some left-over roasted cauliflower to the mix.  My favorite (and most needed) addition, though, is the cheddar “croutons.” For our Christmas party, I always make frico with Montasio cheese; what follows is just a variation.  My wife and I found them a necessary addition, as this is a soup with a muted flavor.

Root-Vegetable Soup with Cheddar Croutons

2 lbs. mixed root vegetables (celeraic, waxy potatoes, parsnips), diced into equal-size chunks
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 leek, washed, trimmed and cut into thick rings
2 bay leaves
2 tblsp. butter, olive oil or bacon fat
1 c. beer (preferably stout)
2 c. grated cheddar cheese (we used Oak Shade Horseradish Cheddar)
1 c. flat-leat parsley, roughly chopped
water
salt
pepper

Set the broiler on high and scatter the cheese over a piece of parchment paper or a silpat on a baking sheet.  Be sure to make a single, thin layer.  Place under the broil until the cheese has melted into itself and turned golden brown.  Remove and let cool while you make the soup. 

In a heavy-bottomed stock pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat.  Add the leeks and garlic and saute until softened.  Add the root vegetables and cover with just enough water to cover.  Bring to a gentle boil until the root vegetables are cooked through (approximately thirty minutes, depending on the size of your cubes).  (Note:  You could also lightly brown the vegetables before adding the water; I think I might try that next time myself.) Once the vegetables are cooked, either puree in a blender (in batches) and return to the pot.  Or, you could just use an immersion blender.  Add the beer and salt and pepper to taste; let it simmer, with an occasional stir, for an additional twenty minutes. 

Break the cooled, melted cheese into bite-size chunks.  Ladle the soup into warmed bowls or mugs, float a couple of the cheese “croutons,” and top with the chopped parsley. 

Hopefully, you’ll find it more Thanksgiving-like, too.