Tuesday, June 28, 2022
admin@localnewsllc.com
JENNY McQUEEN
With the hustle and bustle of the holidays behind us, it’s time to settle in for the quieter part of the year. It’s cold outside, some of us are hoping for more snow (it’s me, I LOVE snow) and the days are short and often gray. But the slowed pace is welcome and perfect for a book and some homemade soup.
This soup is a bisque of the stick-to-your-ribs variety. It’s robust, packed with veggies and is filling without being so heavy that the only next option is a nap. The best way to enjoy it is with hearty bread for dipping. If your pandemic survival has included teaching yourself to make sourdough, this would be a perfect accompaniment.
There are no special tips and tricks to this soup. The only thing you really need is a blender or food processor to ensure a creamy texture. All of the veggies should have a good coating of olive oil and should roast until they are soft and sweet. Roasting in a pan tightly covered with foil means the veggie skins will remain soft and non-leathery, giving them a smooth texture once blended. If some of your pepper or tomato skins get too dark, don’t feel pressured to include them in the final mix.
Creamy Roasted Veggie Soup
Yield: 6-8 servings
4 large tomatoes
1 large zucchini
1 large yellow squash
2 large bell peppers, not green
1-2 carrots
1 whole bulb garlic
2-3 stalks celery
3 shallots
¼ cup olive oil
1 cup chicken stock
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
8 ounces goat cheese
6-8 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ cup heavy cream
1 baguette sliced and toasted (or some other crusty bread)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare your veggies: Slice your tomatoes in quarters. Remove the stems from your zucchini and yellow squash and slice in quarters.
Remove the seeds from the bell peppers and slice in quarters.
Peel and chop your carrots into large chunks.
Cut the pointy top part off your garlic bulb.
Peel the papery layer off the shallots and slice in half.
Place all veggies in a large roasting pan. Take care to place your garlic cut side up.
Coat everything in a healthy dose of olive oil. If the ¼ cup doesn’t provide enough to coat all of the veggies, feel free to add a couple more tablespoons. Pour the chicken stock into the bottom of the pan.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Cover tightly with aluminum foil and cook for 45 minutes until everything is soft.
Remove from the oven and increase temperature to 400 degrees.
Place the goat cheese in the middle of the pan and drizzle with a bit of olive oil.
Place back in the oven for 10-15 minutes, uncovered.
All of the veggies and the goat cheese are going straight into the blender, taking care to include all of the juices from the bottom of the pan. The only one that requires special attention is the garlic: squeeze out the soft cloves from the papery husk and discard the paper.
Add all of the remaining ingredients, except the bread, to the blender and blend until smooth.
Allow to sit for 10 minutes or so and then serve warm. This soup also reheats fabulously, so you can make it several days ahead and enjoy for the week. ¦
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No-risk bisque: On cold days, this creamy vegetable soup hits the spot every time – Chesterfield Observer
