The Prep: Root Soup

It should be noted for all the people I'm imagining following along on my blog (I have to imagine them because I don't think any actual people are following) that this recipe does not draw from the list I posted yesterday (Monday, Dec. 5th, 2012). That's because that list will not be picked up until tomorrow (Wednesday, Dec. 7th, 2012). However, I'm posting it because most of the ingredients were purchased at the PPC. See how this blog helps clarify the use of PPC? Well keep following along and it will become clearer.

ROOT SOUP (a potato soup varient)

Ingredients 4 cloves garlic (FFC)

8 cups water 1 lb rutabaga (Rise Up Farms)

4 cups turkey stock 1 T. salt

14 rainbow carrots (Family Farm Cooperative) Pepper

14 medium sized potatoes (FFC)

1 large onion

I called this Root Soup[ because I realized that like the potatoes, everything I was putting in the pot was something that grew in the ground. Well, all the vegetables at least.

Bring 8 cups of water to a boil in the electric kettle (because I believe it's the most efficient way to boil that much water). Pour into 6 quart crock pot.

Put slow cooker on high. (note: slow cooker and crock pot are used interchangeably for this recipe)

Take turkey stock that lovely wife made from Thanksgiving turkey and then froze in a cool water bath to defrost.

Peel and dice into bite sized cubes, potatoes.

Peel and chop carrots into chips.

Throw all of them into the pot.

Drain cool water bath and make it a warm water bath (for the stock not for you although a warm bath might be a pleasant thing to do on these late fall days).

Dump the rutabaga that you peeled, diced and cooked a boat load of last week and didn't use all of into the pot. (note: if you didn't peel, dice and cook the rutabaga last week do it this week although you won't need to cook it besides throwing it in the pot) Stir.

Chop the onion into chunks.

Saute onions in frying pan with coconut oil.

Drain the warm water bath and make it a hot water bath.

When sauteing the onions, press them with the back of a heavy spoon or turner (the thing many people erroneously call a spatula) so they break apart into their individual layers.

Open the quart jar the turkey stock was in and dump it in with the onions. Bring the whole thing to a boil for 5 minutes to make sure you kill all the bacteria formed in the making and defrosting of the stock.

Stir stock continuously so it doesn't stick.

Add salt to frying pan.

Pour contents of trying pan into crock pot.

Peel and slice garlic and throw it in the pot.

Pepper to taste.

Normally I would brown a rue to help thicken the soup but I'm out of non-wheat flour at the moment so we will collectively suffer.

Prep time: 30 minutes (and I'm no Speedy Gonzalez in the kitchen).

Serves: A small army. Or, 6 for dinner (I was counting 7 but forgot my sister-in-law will not be joining us for dinner which is why there were 14 carrots and 14 potatoes) Will probably feed all 5 of us for lunch tomorrow as well.

Dishes Dirtied: Crock pot (easy to clean)., Frying pan (pain in the rump to clean), Turner (or spatula if you will), knife, cutting board, vegetable peeler, large bowl for putting potatoes and carrots in. Measuring spoon.