Surprise turnip soup

A couple of weeks ago I instagrammed a piccie of a surprise turnip I had found growing in the garden, amongst our pak choi plants and I asked for suggestions for utilising our surprise addition to the larder. With ideas ranging from turnip cake (!), turnip gratin (much better) I decided to take up the suggestion of Irwin Kraus from Massachusetts of a turnip soup.

Based on a recipe from About.com this soup provided a quick and easy supper dish which used up our surprise turnip. The recipe is easy and quick to come together just watch the amount of pepper you add as the turnip has a little heat already.

What you need

• 1 surprise turnip (or 4 small white turnips) - peeled and chopped into cubes
• 1 large white potato - peeled and chopped into cubes
• Butter or vegetable oil - about a tbsp
• 1 large onion - peeled and chopped
• 1 clove of garlic - peeled and crushed
• About 1/2 cup of white wine
• Vegetable stock - about 500ml may be more
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Chopped chives for decoration

What you do

• Heat the oil / butter in a large sauce pan and add the onion, garlic and turnips, cook gently for 2 -3 minutes until the onion starts to soften a little and go see through.
• Add the wine to the pan and simmer for a few minutes until a little reduced
• Next add the potato and vegetable stock to the pan
• Bring to the boil and simmer until the vegetables are softened
• Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly, add more stock or water if required.
• Puree with a stick blender to the desired consistency.
• Taste and  season with salt and pepper
• Bring back to a simmer and serve sprinkled with chopped chives

The bread pictured is gluten free and is from a fantastic bakery in Scotland - Wheat Free Bakery Direct, there bakes are amazing.

I'm linking up this to this months Credit Crunch Munch hosted this month by Maison cupcake, created by Fuss Free Flavours and Fab Food 4All.

                                           

Also to No Waste Food Challenge hosted this month by Anne's Kitchen and created by Tangoraindrop.

                                                         
And also to Simple and In Season this month hosted by My custard Pie and created by Ren Behan.

                                                          

Green Garden Soup

Well the weather is still not playing ball, its wet, its cool then its sunny, very confusing for the plants in the vegetable garden and very confusing for the cook too, what do you make when its supposed to be summer but some evenings you almost feel like putting the heating back on !

Soup is the answer in this household but not the rib sticking type of winter, something all together lighter using seasonal ingredients of course ideally from the garden and so this soup was born.

A quick rummage in the vegetable garden yielded rocket, peas, broad beans, baby courgettes and lovage, this was supplemented by store cupboard additions of potato, garlic and onion, the resulting soup was delicious, sweet and very moreish.

Ingredients

• Peas (you could use frozen)
• Broad beans
• Baby courgettes - chopped finely
• Rocket - handful no more
• Lovage leaves - couple
• White onion, finely chopped
• Potato- peeled and diced in to small pieces
• Vegetable stock
• Butter 

Method

• Melt butter in a large saucepan
• Add all your vegetable and sweat for a few minutes without browning
• Add vegetable stock until all your vegetables are covered
• Simmer until the vegetables are tender
• Allow to cool slighty, then blend to desired consistency, thinner with more stock or water if needed
• Taste to see if needs seasoning, bring back to gentle simmer, do not boil as it spoils the sweet flavour
• Serve accompanied by great bread

I am entering this post in simple and in season blog challenge on Fabulicious Food, this month guest hosted by homemadebyfleur 

This is also an entry for No croutons Required, July challenge for summer soups and salads, a vegetarian challange co hosted by Tinned Tomatoes and Lisa's Kitchen