Belle's 20 Bites

            Kitchen sink pasta, an impromptu yet typical Sunday meal in our house is an informal medley and mixing of the week’s leftovers.  Vegetable odds and ends get haphazardly tucked amidst fusilli, campanelle, gigli and the like, then dotted with chèvre and blanketed in Parm.  This is an off-the-cuff, cleaning-fridge kind of meal that often bodes the biggest smiles and satisfied stomachs of the week. 

            I decided to extend the kitchen sink notion to soup this autumn.  Any fall root veggie seems to have a magical yet inherent ability to flawlessly pair with the others.  Carrots and parsnips, mmmm.  Parsnips and sweet potato, mmmmm mm.  Sweet potato and carrot…Ok, you get the idea.   The recipe below calls for these three, but any root veggie or squash variety you have hanging around will do; the idea is to use up any of those hiding vegetables tiptoeing on the edge of rotting. Add a blend of Middle Eastern spices to bring out the rich colors and flavors, and you’ve got a bold and nourishing soup to last the week.

Spiced Parsnip and Carrot Soup

1 Medium onion, diced

2 Carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

4 Parsnips, peeled and roughly chopped

4 Tomatoes, roughly chopped

2 Cloves garlic, minced

2 Tablespoons olive oil

½ Teaspoon of each of the following spices: cumin, coriander, turmeric

Salt & pepper

2 Cups vegetable stock

1. Heat olive oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat.  Brown carrots and parsnips.  Add onion, sauté until translucent.  Add garlic, tomato, and spices and stir to combine.  Add vegetable stock (if vegetables aren’t fully submerged, add water).  Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer, cover to cook for 25-30 minutes. 
2. Using an immersion blender, food processor, or blender, blend the entire soup mixture until smooth.  Check for seasoning.  Stir in a couple shakes of cayenne for heat J  Serve with crusty bread