Winter Soup

Winter Soup / Potage d’hiver

Remember, you may vary the vegetables. Do note that if you add turnips, or any brassicas (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage) the soup won’t be good the day after it is made.

1 large onion, peeled and diced

3 cloves garlic, peeled, germ removed

5 medium leeks, white part and  1inch of the green, well rinsed and finely chopped

1 small celery root, trimmed, peeled and finely chopped

1 large or 2 small russet-like potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes

1 parsnip, peeled and cut into small cubes

3 carrots, peeled and cut into small cubes

1 apple, cored, peeled and cut into quarters

20 sprigs fresh thyme

1 fresh (or dried) bay leaf

1 bunch flat-leaf parsley

Coarse sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1. Place all ingredients, except one of the garlic cloves and the parsley, into a large pot. Cover by 2 inches with water, and add 1 tsp salt. Set over high heat. When the water boils, reduce heat so the water is simmering merrily, partially cover and cook until vegetables are tender.

2. While soup is cooking, pluck one cup of leaves from the parsley.

3. When soup is cooked, remove herbs and puree it.Taste for seasoning. If it isn’t as thick as you’d like, either add another potato, cook 15 minutes longer and puree, or bring soup to a boil and reduce it until thick. Taste for seasoning.

4. Just before serving, mince parsley and garlic together.

5. To serve, ladle into soup bowls. Drizzle each bowl with olive oil, then sprinkle generously with the garlic and parsley mixture.

Serves 6 to 8

Susan Herrmann Loomis teaches cooking classes in Normandy and Paris. www.onruetatin.com.

Find her cookbooks in the France Today Bookstore

Originally published in the February 2012 issue of France Today