Slow Roasted Vegetable Soup

SugaredAlmond's Note:

The vegetables become really intensely flavoured, sweeter and more mellow. It's lovely served for lunch on a biting cold day with a big chunk of bread and some cheese. Alternatively you can tart it up for a dinner party by topping it with crispy bacon pieces, some crumbled cheshire cheese or herby croutoms.

• Total Time: 2 hrs 20 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 1 large red onion, peeled
• 8 ounces carrots, peeled
• 8 ounces sweet potatoes, peeled
• 8 ounces butternut squash, peeled and seeded
• 8 ounces sweet red peppers, deseeded
• 6 ounces tomatoes
• 1 head garlic
• 1 -2 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1 1/2 liters vegetable stock
• fresh ground black pepper
• 2 -3 tablespoons low-fat Greek yogurt

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 150°C.
2. Chop the peeled and deseeded butternut squash, sweet potato, sweet peppers, onion and carrot into nice big chunky pieces - 2inch diameter will be fine.
3. Cut the tomatoes into similar sized chunks, and remove the seedy-jelly bit.
4. Toss the vegetables with the olive oil until they're nicely coated and add the rosemary.
5. Place in the oven for about 1 1/2 - 2 hours, adding the whole garlic bulb after the first hour. The veg should now be cooked, slightly caramelised and almost chewy, with a much more intense and mellow flavour.
6. Remove the rosemary sprigs and place all veggies in a pan. Squeeze the garlic out of their papery husks into the pan too and add stock.
7. If there is any gooey residue on the bottom of the roasting tin, pour a little of the stock into it and scrape it into the pan, as this is where the serious flavour is!
8. Liquidize the soup in batches and reheat. Check seasoning and serve in big bowls with a swirl of greek yogurt on top.

Reviews

[Chef #346128]

Just in case other cooks aren't paying attention - 150 degrees Celsius is about 300 degrees Fahrenheit. I roasted my vegetables for an hour at the wrong temperature before realizing and starting over at the right temperature. Very good if you pay attention!

[Galley Wench]

Louise: It's started to feel like fall here so I tried your soup and it was so flavorful...roasting the veggies does wonders! I added zucchini and corn to the recipe. The consistency of the soup was a bit thick, more like baby food (see picture). Next time I think I'll cut in smaller pieces, puree only about a 1/4 of it and add the rest of the veggies. Thanks for sharing.

[Cookgirl]

This recipe is the reason I like fall/winter cooking. Sorry, used yams for sweet potaoes (it's an ongoing battle with some folks here at Zaar. ;)) Next time I'll try your suggestion of crumbled bacon bits and cheese on top. Roasting really brings out the best flavor of root veggies! Thanks for posting! cg