Winter Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 pound Idaho® potatoes, peeled + 1 small russet, peeled and diced
• 2 medium carrots, peeled + 1 carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 medium parsnip, peeled + 1 parsnip, peeled and diced
• 1 rib celery, chopped
• 1 medium onion, diced
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 3 bay leaves
• 3 sprigs thyme
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 2 tablespoons diced chives
• ¼ cup cream, optional

Instructions:

1. Set aside the diced potato, carrot and parsnip for garnish. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a large pot, heat half of the oil. Add carrots, celery, parsnips, onion, garlic, turmeric, salt and pepper. Sauté on medium heat until light golden brown, about 8 minutes.
3. Add bay leaves, thyme, vegetable stock and potatoes. Simmer on medium/medium-low heat for about 30 - 40 minutes until vegetables are very soft.
4. While soup is simmering, toss diced vegetables in remaining canola oil with a pinch of salt and pepper. Lay out a baking sheet in a single layer and roast until slightly crispy on the outside and cooked through. About 20 -25 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. Cover with foil to keep warm.
5. Remove bay leaves and thyme sprigs from soup. Using a stick blender, puree the soup. You can also use a regular blender: ladle it in carefully and place a towel over the top to avoid getting burned.
6. Pour soup into bowl and top with diced, roasted veggies.
7. Sprinkle with diced chives, if desired

Notes:

*Plating: You may also portion 1/4 of the roasted, diced veggies into 4 bowls and then pour soup into bowls around the vegetables.

**If you are using cream, add it in as you are pureeing the soup.