Turnip Soup Cooking Demo: How to Make Vegetable Soup; How to Cook Turnips

Turnip Soup with Gruyere Croutons

Serves 4-6

Equipment: knife, soup pot, vegetable peeler, immersion blender

Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

4-6 medium turnips,

1.5-2 pounds, with their greens if available

3 small yellow-fleshed potatoes

2 tablespoons butter

2 leeks, white parts only, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 chopped parsley

4 thyme sprigs or 1/4 teaspoon dried

1.5 teaspoons salt

6 cups water or Basic Vegetable Stock (page 175)

1/2 cup milk or half-and-half Freshly milled white pepper Cheese croutons made with Gruyere cheese, 2 per serving Peel the turnips and potatoes, quarter, and thinly slice them. Discard the stems and any yellowed leaves from the greens. Wash the remaining leaves well. Melt the butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the turnips, potatoes, leeks, garlic, parsley, and thyme. Cook for about 5 minutes, then add the salt and the water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes. Puree all or just part of the soup, depending on whether you like a smooth soup or one with some texture. Stir in the milk. While the soup is cooking, chop the greens into small pieces. There should be about 2 cups, although more is fine. Simmer them in salted water until they're tender, then drain and add them to the finished soup. Taste for salt, season with pepper, and serve with two cheese croutons in each bowl or on the side.