Roasted Turnip Soup with Caramelized Turnips

1 1/2 pounds turnips
1 large onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, peeled
2 thyme sprigs or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons olive or sunflower seed oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups milk

1 to 2 tablespoons butter
1 or 2 pinches of sugar
2 teaspoons minced tarragon

Heat the oven to 425°F. Peel the turnips, then dice two-thirds of them into roughly 1-inch pieces.  Set the remainder aside.  Simmer stored turnips in boiling salted water for 3 minutes, then drain.  Fresh turnips (those with greens) needn't be parboiled.

Toss the turnip chunks with the onion, garlic, thyme, oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, then put them in a large baking dish in a single layer.  Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, shuffling the vegetables every 15 minutes so that they brown on all sides.  Transfer to a soup pot.  Add 1/2 cup water to the roasting pan, scrape up the caramelized juices, and pour them into the pot.

Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt, add the milk and 2 cups water to the vegetables, and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat and simmer, covered, until the turnips are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.  Puree until smooth and return to the pot.  Season with salt to taste.

To finish, dice the remaining turnips into 1/2-inch cubes.  Melt the butter in a small skillet, add the turnips, sprinkle with sugar, and cook over medium heat until golden, about 15 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and stir in most of the tarragon.  Ladle the soup into bowls, spoon the caramelized onions into each one, garnish with remaining tarragon, and serve.

Makes 6 cups - serves about 4.


From Vegetable Soups by Deborah Madison