January 27, 2015 - Radio Kitchen - Winter Soups and Stews With Root Vegetables
In the depths of winter we look to the kitchen as a source of warmth and comfort. And few things warm us up better than a hearty stew. And since we have so many good root vegetables available to us, it's easy to concoct a delicious winter stew.
First of all, let's take a look at our pantry. The list of winter vegetables isn't long, but it offers very sound nutritious choices. We have carrots, parsnips, turnips, rutabaga, beets, celery root, pumpkin, potatoes and yams of all kinds as well as the entire family of winter squashes, including butternut and acorn.
When you add in the family of dried beans, the permutations become mind-boggling. In our experience, although all of these veggies are great by themselves, they do their best work in partnership with one another.
Our soups tend to fall into two classes: a creamy soup based on a simple purée, and a much more complex broth-based soup elaborated with a long list of ingredients.
A nice idea for a celery root soup combines that ingredient with leeks, Yukon Gold potatoes and apples. Cook until tender, add seasonings, purée and add in broth and cream and you're good to go.
Try assembling one of each of your favorite winter vegetables, then cutting them up into cubes. Sauté them in a skillet until they start to brown. Add onions and seasoning and your favorite broth, fire up your slow cooker and voila: a delicious root vegetable soup or stew (depending on how much broth you like).
Can you say "crusty bread?"
Winter Vegetable and Lentil Soup
1/2 cup red or green lentils
1 chopped onion
1 stalk celery
2 cups shredded cabbage
1/2 cup chopped parsnips
1/2 cup chopped turnips
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1 28 oz. can of chopped tomatoes
3 cups chicken broth
1 crushed garlic clove
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp each of dried basil, thyme and curry powder
1. Cook the lentils in a soup pot with water that is twice the depth of the lentils. Boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Drain and rinse the lentils and return them to the pot.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and cook over low heat for about 2 hours.
A little re-thinking goes a long way. Any scalloped potato recipe can be doctored by adding in paper thin slices of any of your favorite root vegetables. Another idea is to expand the definition of mirepoix or a soffrito from simple celery, onions, carrots and garlic, to include any number of finely chopped root vegetables that can be gently sautéed in olive oil and butter to produce an amazing flavor base.
I made a gorgeous broth with just sweet carrots and parsnips and some delicious chicken stock. These flavorful broths really add a lot to any slow cooked stew you want to make. Beef and lamb show very well in this context.
As a side note: in order to get the most flavor out of your root vegetables, be sure to roast them. The browning and caramelization emphasizes their natural sweetness and earthiness.
Here's a good recipe that makes that point: Prosciutto wrapped chicken leg quarters served on a bed of roasted root vegetables. The fat and juices of the chicken infuse the veggies while the prosciutto morphs into a bacon influence.
Roast Chicken with Winter Vegetables
1 small celery root, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
1 rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
2 large sweet potatoes, cut into 1" cubes, skin on
2 medium parsnips, trimmed and quartered lengthwise
2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tbs olive oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
a few sprigs of thyme
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
8 slices of prosciutto
1. Pre-heat oven to 376°. Toss the vegetables in a plastic bag with the olive oil. Spread out the cut up vegetables on a roasting pan that has been greased with more olive oil. Lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for about 25-30 minutes, until they just start to brown.
2. Place the thyme sprigs on the chickens breasts, then wrap with two slices of prosciutto for each breast.
3. Remove the vegetables from the oven, and turn them over with a spatula. Bunch them up, and place the chicken breasts on top. Return the pan to the oven and roast for an additional 35 minutes.
One last note: although it's not a root vegetable, a lot of cabbages are still available during the winter, and they are sweeter than ever. Work them into your dinners as well.
