Savour root vegetable season

By definition, root vegetables are the "fleshy roots of edible plants." Doesn't sound all that appetizing, does it? But Anna Thomas, author of Love Soup (Norton, 2009), assures that there’s something special about these veggies.

"Root vegetables are the 'plain Janes' of the produce world, but they have so many wonderful qualities," Thomas says. "They're nutritious, not expensive, they keep well, and they cook up into such satisfying and tasty dishes. How could we not love them?"

Common and strange root vegetables
If there was a popularity contest for root veggies, potatoes and carrots would take the top spots, says Thomas. And for good reason. "There must be thousands of ways to cook with them, and they partner up with so many other ingredients so well," she says. Rounding out Thomas’ all-star list are sweet potatoes, yams, turnips and beets.

But your root vegetable options don’t end there. Take a look around and you’ll probably come across a few others that are much less familiar. "Many people have never cooked with celery root -- maybe they think it’s scary looking," ponders Thomas, who sings the praises of the vegetable’s distinct and earthy, yet fresh flavour. "I use it as a counter-balance to the sweetness of butternut squash in an easy and delicious fall soup."

Cooking with parsnips
Another overlooked root vegetable that Thomas sneaks into soups -- vegetable broth in particular -- is parsnips. But that’s not the only thing she uses them for. "They are superb when roasted. I like to cut up some parsnips, carrots and onions, toss them in olive oil and sea salt, spread them on a baking sheet and roast them in a medium hot oven until they are soft and dotted with charred-brown spots," she explains. "So good!"

And don’t forget the rutabaga. "They are so homely, but turn into such a great dish when slow-roasted until they soften and caramelize," Says Thomas.

Click to learn how to cook and use root vegetables...

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Roasting root vegetables
For a simple, no-nonsense way to prepare root vegetables, Thomas declares roasting is her favourite option. Just mix your favourite root vegetables together and leave them to cook for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring once or twice. "They can be eaten hot out of the oven, or cold in a salad, or used to make soup or risotto or any number of other dishes," says Thomas. "I always have to make twice as much as I need for the recipe, because I eat them straight from the pan the moment they are out of the oven."

Root vegetables as mains
While we often think of vegetables playing supporting roles in our meals, root vegetables are more than capable of taking centre stage. Since they are heartier than greens, they're a lot more filling. "I make a great risotto with mixed roasted root vegetables, as well as Stewed Root Vegetables with Moroccan Spices," says Thomas. "And the possibilities for casseroles are endless."

As the temperature dips and big green salads start to sound less appealing, you can still get those seven to eight servings of fruits and veggies that Canada's Food Guide recommends for adult women. Thomas asks: "What could be nicer when you come in on a windy, rainy day than to have a steaming, fragrant bowl of roasted root vegetable soup?"

Storing root vegetables
While many root vegetables will keep for a while, Thomas recommends finding just the right spots for them in order to maintain freshness. "I store potatoes and yams in baskets, in a cool, dry area of my kitchen," she says. "All the rest -- celery root, carrots, parsnips, turnips, rutabagas -- I keep in the crisper drawer in my refrigerator."

And since root vegetables come directly from the earth, Thomas suggests taking extra care when cleaning them. Rinse them well and use a small plastic brush to scrub away anything with a hard surface. Be particularly thorough if you plan to eat the skin.

Click to continue for the best roasted root vegetable soup recipe ever...

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Recipes from Love Soup:

Roasted Root Vegetable Soup

To make roasted root vegetables:
1 lb. rutabagas, 3 cups diced (450 g.)
1 lb. turnips, 3 cups diced (450 g.)
1 lb. sweet yams, 3 cups diced (450 g.)
1 lb. fennel (450 gr., 3 cups diced)
12 oz. carrots, 1 2/3 cups diced (350 g.)
2 lbs. onions, 6 cups large pieces (900 g.)
4 Tbs. olive oil
2 tsp. sea salt
pepper to taste
1 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1 tsp. crumbled dried sage leaves
3 Tbs. dry sherry

For the soup:
1/3 cup pearl barley (70 g.)
1 tsp. salt
5-7 cups home-made vegetable broth, light or dark
4 cups roasted root vegetables (570 g. cooked)
½ cup flat leaf parsley, whole leaves (25 g.)
2-3 tsp. sherry vinegar
optional garnish: additional green olive oil, or fresh, creamy goat cheese 
 

First, roast your vegetables:
Peel and dice all the vegetables to a fairly uniform size, about 1 inch. The onions and fennel can be left in slightly larger pieces, as they are less dense. Mix the vegetables together in a large bowl with the olive oil, salt, pepper, thyme, sage and sherry. You can vary the amounts of herbs to your taste; the amounts given here will add a subtle flavor to the vegetables but won’t dominate.

Spread the vegetables over two shallow baking pans and roast them at 375˚ for an hour or a little longer, until they are tender and flecked with dark brown spots. Mix and turn the vegetables a few times during the roasting, and reverse the position of the pans in the oven midway. The vegetables will reduce in volume as they roast, and you should have about 8 cups when they are done. 


To make the soup:
Combine the barley in a soup pot with 1½ cups water, a dash of salt and 5 cups of vegetable broth. Simmer the barley, covered, for 35 minutes. Add 4 cups of the mixed roasted vegetables – you can coarsely chop them first if the pieces look large to you - and simmer the soup for about 15 minutes to marry the flavors. Add the chopped parsley and sherry vinegar during the last few minutes. If the soup seems too thick, add another cup or so of vegetable broth.

I like to finish this soup with my favorite garnish, a swirl of fruity olive oil, but if you’re in the mood for a richer soup drop a spoonful of soft, fresh goat cheese in each steaming bowl as you serve it - delicious.

Serves 6.

Some other ways…
This a soup that can be easily varied. Add sautéed mushrooms, use orzo or fideo noodles instead of the barley, add cilantro or dill instead of the parsley, add a dash of cream if you like. As long as your broth is delicate and savory, you can’t go wrong.

Want another recipe? Click here for Stewed Root Vegetables with Moroccan Spices...

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Stewed Root Vegetables with Moroccan Spices
To make this into an even more substantial one-dish meal, you could add cooked or sprouted garbanzo beans to the stew, and serve it in generous bowls over couscous. 


1 lb. turnips (450 g.)
8 oz. parsnips (225 g.)
8 oz. carrots (225 g.)
8 oz. yellow potatoes (225 g.)
1 medium butternut or kabocha squash, 1½ lbs. whole, 1 lb. pieces (450 g.)
1 lb. green tomatoes (450 g.) or 12 oz. tomatillos (350 g.)
1 large fennel bulb (280 g.)
1 Tbs. cumin seed
2 large yellow onions (450 g.)
3 large cloves garlic
3 Tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. turmeric
1½ tsp. cinnamon
1½ tsp. salt, more to taste
¼ tsp. cayenne
2/3 cup raisins (100 g.)
3 cups vegetable broth, more if needed (homemade or a good canned broth) (750 ml.)
1 or 2 fresh green chiles, seeded and chopped
2-3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice, more to taste
1 small bunch cilantro, coarsely chopped
garnish: Harrissa

Peel the turnips, parsnips and carrots, and scrub the potatoes. Cut the squash in half, scrape out the seeds and strings, and cut away the skin.

Cut all the vegetables into pieces of a similar size - cubes of about an inch for the squash and turnips, thick slices or short chunks for the carrots and parsnips. If you have fingerling potatoes, cut each one into two or three pieces, or leave tiny ones whole. Wash and trim the fennel bulb, quarter it lengthwise and slice it thickly. Cut the green tomatoes into wedges, and cut large wedges in half crosswise. If using tomatillos, peel off their husks and cut them in half or in quarters if they are large.

Toast the cumin seed lightly in a pan, until it releases its fragrance, and grind it roughly in a mortar or a spice grinder.

Coarsely chop the onions and the garlic. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep sauté pan or Dutch oven and add the chopped onion, stirring over medium heat for about ten minutes or until it softens and begins to color. Add the garlic and sauté for a few minutes more. Add the cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, salt and cayenne, and stir over heat for another minute, just long enough to warm the spices.

Add all the prepared vegetables and stir them around in the pan until they are evenly coated with the spice mixture. Stir in the raisins, vegetable broth and chopped green chiles.

From this point, the stew can be finished on the stovetop or in the oven. To stay on the stovetop, lower the heat to a simmer and cover the pan. Leave the vegetables simmering for about forty-five minutes to an hour, stirring and checking the liquid a few times.

The oven method is even easier: if you’re working with a sauté pan, transfer the stew to a large, covered baking dish, such as a Dutch oven or a big casserole, and put it into a 350˚ oven for an hour to an hour and a half, until the vegetables are tender and the liquid thickened. If your baking dish is tightly covered, you don’t even need to check and stir – the stew will simmer gently, flavors will marry, and it will be delicious.

When everything is tender, stir in a little lemon juice, taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt if needed. Add a little more broth or some water if the mixture seems at all dry. There should be a rich broth around the vegetables, lightly thickened with the squash, which begins to soften and come apart at this stage.

Add the cilantro leaves just before serving, and ladle the stew over couscous or rice. Pass the Harrissa at the table – and warn novices that a small dab might do.

Serves 6-7.

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