Soup!

Just as I am likely to hum Christmas carols at Easter or watch White Christmas in August, in general I can advocate for "out of season" offerings of roasted vegetable soup or Guinness pot pie.  But now when nights lengthen, and the air becomes crisp, and it's finally time to put on sweaters and jeans, I welcome that big pot of soup bubbling on the stove that embodies the fulness of fall in a way that it couldn't before.

Here's a snippet I found in one of my food diaries: 

SOUPS! 11.11.09

In my fridge/kitchen today: leeks, yams, 2 little squash (gold nugget & a yellow/green one), onion, garlic, blue cheese, walnuts, walnut oil, eggs, butter, cheddar, olive oil, salmon (use for something else!), Malbec, cotes du rhone, rosemary, apples

Ideas: roasted vegetable soup w/blue cheese, walnut & sweet potato fries as garnish

Needs: broth, fresh herbs (bay leaf & thyme), potatoes, another leek, fennel root, cream, citrus, scallions, cabbage?, bacon/pancetta

Also: BEER BREAD! (just need beer)

So... Roasting most of veggies on the list @425/450 for 45min to 1hr: squash, fennel root, potato, yams, whole garlic cloves (smoshed), and leeks - all cut into chunky size (about the size of a couple of knuckles)

Then... Squeeze juice from one big satsuma, drizzle walnut oil & olive oil, salt & pepper (generously), fresh thyme & bay leaves

While veggies roasting... Fine chop onion & brown with 6 slices of bacon cut rough, add spices (ginger, nutmeg, red chile flake) then deglaze with 1/2 satsuma's worth of juice.  Reduce, then add chicken broth and bring to a simmer, add fresh thyme & bay leaf.

Periodically... Check on the roasting veggies, turn with tongs, baste with broth if needed.  Put roasted veggies into broth, simmer until all items are soft, then put through food processor and strainer.

Garnish... with crushed walnuts, crumbled blue cheese or shredded cheddar, and sweet potato fries on the side.