Winter Pot Au Feu With Eggplant and Garlic Puree

From Mostly Vegetables by Susan Costner

• Ready In: 20 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1  small eggplant
•  olive oil
• 1  head garlic
•  salt
•  fresh ground pepper
• 2  quarts  vegetable stock
• 1 1⁄2 cups sweet potatoes, peel julienned
• 2  cups small potatoes, unpeeled
• 1  cup parsnip, peeled thin sliced
• 1  cup leek, thin sliced
• 1  cup  rutabaga, peeled cubed
• 1  cup carrot, thin sliced
• 1 1⁄2 cups green beans, french cut
• 1  cup zucchini, cut 1/2 inch rounds
• 2  cups swiss chard, coarsely chopped
• 1  lemon, zest of
• 1⁄4 cup fresh parsley, minced

Directions

1. Use white and light green parts of leek.Remove tough veins of chard. It is a HEAD of garlic not a clove. you want the whole thing. Rutabaga should be 1 inch chunks. Use tiny baby potatoes or be prepared to chunk.
2. Preheat oven to 375°F.
3. Poke holes in eggplant. Pour oil onto baking sheet. Roll eggplant in it and bake until soft about 1 hour. Set aside until cool to touch.
4. Peel and discard the skin of eggplant. Puree in blender until smooth. Set aside.
5. Bring stock to simmer in large pot. Add sweet potatoes, potatoes, parsnip, leek, rutabag and carrot and cook for 10 minutes. Should be barely tender. Then add green beans. Cook 5 to 7 minutes more. Add the zucchini and chard and cook for 3 more minutes.
6. Just before serving fold in purees. Serve in large heated bowls.
7. Combine the zest and parsley and garnish bowls with about a teaspoons.
8. If you use oils you can drizzle lemon infused oil over soup.