roots & blues bisque
Written by Irene McGuinness
Photograph by Scott Yavis
Serves 8
- 2 pounds assorted white root vegetables (turnips, celeriac, parsnips, potatoes, Jerusalem artichokes)
- 1 large sweet onion, peeled and quartered
- 4 large garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
- ½ teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper, plus more to taste
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme, plus extra for garnish
- ¼ pound small purple potatoes
- 6 cups low-sodium vegetable stock, divided
- 1 (14-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
- Freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
Space oven racks evenly apart. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Peel white root vegetables. Coarsely chop into large pieces. Place in large bowl along with onion and whole garlic cloves. Drizzle with oil and toss together to evenly coat. Spread out in single layer on large baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Tuck thyme into vegetables.
Bake on lower rack in oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until tender. Stir occasionally, watching that vegetables don’t burn or turn dark, as you want the resulting soup to be a creamy golden color.
Meanwhile, wash purple potatoes and thinly slice using mandoline or knife (for potato wafers). Spread out on kitchen towel and blot as dry as possible. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and spread slices out evenly. Bake on upper rack in 400-degree F oven for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on potato slice thickness, until crisp and golden. Remove from oven when done as you like and season with salt. Set aside to cool.
roots & blues bisque
When white root vegetables are tender, remove baking sheet from oven and set aside to slightly cool. Discard thyme sprigs.
In high-speed blender, combine roasted vegetables and half the stock. Whirl until velvety smooth, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of blender with spatula. Transfer puree to a large saucepan. Add remaining stock, cannellini beans, and vinegar, plus salt and pepper to taste. Gently heat until warmed through. Do not boil.
To serve, ladle into bowls. Top each serving with grated nutmeg, if using, and garnish with crisp potato wafers and a sprig of fresh thyme.
Bisque-y Business: Root bisque is a great creamy base for a chunky vegetable soup. Add a little more stock and some broccoli and cauliflower florets. Simmer until tender.
roasted red pepper & sweet potato soup
Written by Brendan Brazier
Photograph by Kevin Clark
Serves 6 to 8
- 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1 cup chopped onions
- ¼ cup grapeseed oil, divided
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 large roasted red peppers, coarsely chopped
- 4 to 5 cups vegetable stock
- 1 cup coconut milk
- Large handful of fresh sweet basil, thinly sliced
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Place sweet potatoes and onions on baking sheet. Drizzle with a little of the grapeseed oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss to coat. Roast for 20 minutes or until golden. Set aside.
Heat remaining grapeseed oil in stockpot over medium-high heat. Add celery, carrots, garlic, and salt to taste. Stir in roasted peppers and sweet potato mixture and cook on medium for 10 minutes.
roasted red pepper & sweet potato soup
Add vegetable stock and coconut milk. Season with salt and pepper. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. As soon as it starts boiling, reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer soup, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat.
Using immersion blender or stand blender, puree soup to desired consistency. Adjust seasoning. Stir in most of the basil, reserving a few leaves for garnish. Adjust seasoning. Serve garnished with remaining basil leaves.
rustic oatmeal soda bread
Written by Irene McGuinness
Photograph by Scott Yavis
Makes 1 loaf
- 2¼ cups unbleached, all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 cup large flake oatmeal, plus more for garnish
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon raw sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1 large organic egg, whisked
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Cut round of parchment paper to loosely line bottom of Dutch oven or deep, 10-inch cast iron pan with a domed lid.
In large bowl, combine all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, oatmeal, baking powder, sugar, salt, baking soda, and thyme. Whisk to fully blend. Stir in buttermilk and egg with wooden spoon until almost blended. Do not overmix or dough will be rather dense. Dough should be quite loose and shaggy.
Transfer to lightly floured surface and lightly knead, adding a little more flour, if required, to form smooth but slightly sticky dough. Shape dough into large round boule and place in Dutch oven or cast iron pan. Slash top in a couple of places and sprinkle with a few extra oatmeal flakes and a light dusting of flour.
rustic oatmeal soda bread
Cover and bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes until well risen and lightly browned. Remove lid and bake for 15 minutes longer, or until loaf sounds hollow when tapped and internal temperature reads about 200 degrees F. Remove to rack to cool.
This wonderful, hearty bread packs a wallop of flavor and sustenance to a one-dish dinner such as stew or soup.
Storage Tip: Bread is best served the same day it is made, but it can be frozen. Tightly wrap in foil and overwrap in plastic, then freeze for a couple of weeks. Thaw and reheat before serving.
Deborah Farmer
