Roasted Root Vegetable Bisque

I figured I would make more of an effort to blog. I've SERIOUSLY dropped the ball of late! What better way to re-take my blogging than with a recipe post? I've received some seriously positive feedback regarding my recipes that people have tried. I like to make connections with people through my food, I love hosting and my husband and I have been blessed with warm, loving friends and family who love to eat good food.

For Christmas this year, I got an immersion blender from my Grandma (Merci!). I've always LOVED bisques, they're hearty and wholesome and incredibly easy to make. Chef Michael Smith (google him) once did a show on soups. He made a hearty vegetable soup with a basic broth and chunks of vegetables and when finished, he said it was a five dollar bowl of soup. He took his immersion blender and blended it a little bit so that the chunks were smaller and said that it was now a nine dollar bowl of soup. Finally he puréed the soup completely and put a dollop of sour cream on top and said that it was now a seventeen dollar bowl of soup. The flavours were the same but the texture was silkier, richer.

This is soup is both of those things plus incredibly healthy! In the winter, vegetables can get expensive. Thankfully, root vegetables are relatively cheap still through the winter months. This recipe is based on mine and my husband's taste in root vegetables, feel free to change it up or make it your own!

Ingredients

1 large rutabaga, peeled and chopped into 1" cubes
1 large yam, peeled and chopped into 1" cubes
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 1" cubes
2 large parsnips, peeled and chopped into 1" cubes
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped into 1" cubes
1 large yellow onion, stem end chopped off and cut into quarters (leave the root end on and the tight skin, this keeps it together as it bakes.
2 heads of garlic, tops chopped off
2 poblano peppers, whole
1 can low-fat coconut milk
4 cups vegetable broth (I used Campbells organic - this helps loosen the soup)
1 cup half and half (more if the soup is too tight, it should be thick, but not mashed potatoes thick)
1/4 cup finely diced chives (green onions work too!)
3 tbs finely chopped sweet basil
1 tbs curry powder
1 tsp red chili flakes (optional)
1/4 tsp allspice
Extra-virgin cold-pressed olive oil
Sea Salt and Cracked Pepper, to taste


1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. On parchment-lined cookie sheets place your vegetables.
3. Coat vegetables with olive oil, salt and pepper and place in oven.
4. Cook for 40 mins or until vegetables are soft. Be sure to watch the vegetables and turn them often so they don't burn. If they burn, cut the burnt parts off - this will seriously affect the flavour of your end product if those burnt bits make it into the soup.
5. Remove vegetables from oven and transfer to a soup pot. (Remove seeds from the poblanos, garlic cloves from the head and skin from the onion).
6. Add vegetable stock, herbs and spices and blend until smooth with an immersion blender. Add cream as you blend. Add more cream if the soup is too thick. You can also use a lower fat cream if you wish.
7. Simmer on low-med heat until heated. Sprinkle with chives and a dollop of sour cream in the middle to garnish and serve!

Root vegetables are abundant and feel free to add or remove any you don't like. The process will be exactly the same. These vegetables include (turnips, rutabaga, celery root, fennel bulb, beets, carrots, onions, garlic, yams (purple too), sweet potato, ANY squash (butternut, acorn, spaghetti, etc, ANY hot pepper (serano, jalepeno, etc - just be careful with your heat), potatoes, etc) I am sure there are TONS more root-type vegetables that I am completely unaware of too! Be creative! If you like a spicy soup try adding a couple Jalepeno peppers or one habenero, if you don't like heat don't put any spicy peppers in. If you like garlic (like us) add more, if you don't like garlic don't add any!

Serve with Crustini Bread

Enjoy!