Though it’s still officially fall, right now as I watch the snow cover the lake outside my window, it feels like winter. White is the quintessential winter color and by a happy coincidence, most of my favorite winter vegetables are white: parsnips, turnips, cauliflower, celery root and salsify.
Stewed with a little onion and some tart apple, these white root vegetables make a perfect — and perfectly white — winter soup, finished with a little sour cream to add both richness and acidity.
A proper pureed soup, smooth as it is, demands a little texture contrast, which is why I like to add some coarse bread crumbs and scallions, for both crunch and bite. The brown butter adds a caramelized note to the soup that gives it a depth of flavor.
Note: when you’re pureeing a hot liquid in a blender, be sure not to fill it more than two-thirds full, and to keep the blender from exploding all over the kitchen, quickly flick the blender on and off a few times before you let it go.
White Root Vegetable Soup with Brown Butter and Ham
Makes about 2 quarts
Ingredients
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
5 cups diced white root vegetables such as parsnip, turnip, cauliflower, celery root or salsify
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced
¼ cup dry white wine
3 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoon sour cream
1 thin slice smoked ham
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped bread crumbs
1 tablespoon thinly sliced scallions
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Pinch fresh nutmeg
Few shots hot sauce
Directions
In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat 2 tablespoons of butter over low-medium heat. Add the onion and stir well to coat with the fat. Sweat the onions for 10 minutes until tender. Add the apple and the root vegetables and a pinch of salt and sweat for about 10 minutes until tender.
Add the white wine and reduce by half. Add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer the soup for about 20 minutes until the vegetables are very tender. Season with salt, pepper, nutmeg and hot sauce.
Transfer the soup to a blender along with the sour cream and blend til very smooth.
Keep the soup warm while you prepare the garnish.
In a small saucepan, cook the remaining tablespoon of butter until hazelnut-brown and fragrant. Immediately transfer to a small bowl to keep from cooking.
Divide the soup among 4-6 bowls and drizzle with the brown butter and sprinkle on the scallions and bread crumbs. Serve immediately.
