Roasted Vegetable Soup

I have been wanting to post this recipe for a while as it has become a favorite this winter. I have spoken of my love of the Barefoot Contessa (a.k.a. Ina Gartin) and she has thrilled me again with another easy, but delicious recipe.

I received a butternut squash in my farmers market basket last fall and was unsure what to do with it. So... I pulled out one of Ina's cookbooks and found this recipe. I was a little hesitant, wondering if Doug (or myself for that matter) would enjoy it. We were both thoroughly surprised. The great thing is you can cut up these veggies when you have them, put them in the freezer, and put this whole thing together when you are ready. The veggies also make a great side to a dish and then you can use them next day in a soup.

My favorite thing about this soup is that you get a nice sweetness from the carmelization of roasting the veggies together. It comes through just enough to make the dish both savory and a little sweet. Give this one a try before the weather gets warm. You won't regret it!

Roasted Winter Vegetables:
Copyright 2002, Barefoot Contessa Family Style, All Rights Reserved
1 pound carrots, peeled
1 pound parsnips, peeled
1 large sweet potato, peeled
1 small butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled and seeded
3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut the carrots, parsnips, sweet potato, and butternut squash in 1 to 1 1/4-inch cubes. All the vegetables will shrink while baking, so don't cut them too small.

Place all the cut vegetables in a single layer on 2 sheet pans. Drizzle them with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss well. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender, turning once with a metal spatula.

Sprinkle with parsley, season to taste, and serve hot.

Yield: 8 servings

Soup Recipe:
3 to 4 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 quart Roasted Winter Vegetables, recipe follows
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For serving:
Good olive oil
Directions
In a large saucepan, heat 3 cups of chicken stock. Coarsely puree the Roasted Winter Vegetables and the chicken stock in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade (or use a handheld blender). Pour the soup back into the pot and season, to taste. Thin with more chicken stock and reheat. The soup should be thick but not like a vegetable puree, so add more chicken stock and/or water until it's the consistency you like.

Serve with Brioche Croutons and a drizzle of good olive oil.

Oh, and just in case you have a little left over, it freezes GREAT! Hope you enjoy!