Smooth Rootfruit Soup with Carrots, Parsnips, Rutabagas & Turnips

To utilize root fruits in cooking is becoming less common, and unless you count potatoes and carrots, not too many rutabagas, turnips and parsnips are being used in most households. And that is really too bad, because to cook with these flavorful and robust roots is a great way to try out different things, cook cheaply and to use what's in season. These rootfruits usually look particularly great during the winter time of the year when few other vegetables are in season, so it certainly makes sense to use these flavorful, and largely forgotten roots more in our everyday kitchens.

To make a satisfying soup is perhaps one of the best ways to introduce your family to a variety of root fruits and you can easily vary this recipe depending on what you have on hand. Basically you just want a couple of different roots to make up this soup – however which ones you use is up to you! Here we have utilized parsnips, rutabagas, parsnips and carrots as well as onions. To serve this soup with some sauteed sausage bits definitely enhances it and makes it even more flavorful and appealing.

• Pound Polska Kielbasa sausage, or other flavorful sausage
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 parsnip, peeled and chopped
• 1 turnip , peeled and chopped
• 1 rutabaga, peeled and chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• ½ cup dried Vermouth (or white wine if you have that on hand)
• 2 cups broth
• salt and pepper

Method:

Cut up the sausage up and saute in a pan until crispy.

In a separate pot, take some of the sausage fat from the other pan (or butter/oil if you're impatient) and saute the onion for about 5-10 minutes. Add the dried thyme and the chopped root fruits. Saute for a couple of more minutes, then add the minced garlic and the tomato paste. Saute for about 5 more minutes, then ad the Vermouth, let simmer, then add the broth. Let everything come to a boil and let cook until the roots are soft.

Blend the soup smooth at this point, and taste with salt and pepper. Serve with sauteed sausage on top.