Even though it rarely gets cold here in the winter I still like to pretend it does by turning down the AC, lighting a fire, and cooking soup =) My newest concoction is my family's new favorite soup. My husband's words last night, "You need to add this one to your blog!"
I combined a few recipes that I've saved over the years and added a few of my own ingredients to use up some fresh herbs and vegetables from the garden. This soup is packed full of nutrients...potatoes, leeks (Don't be afraid to use these if you've never tried them! It's a type of onion. Branch out and I promise you won't regret it!), arugula, and cauliflower.
Loving my painted rocks =)
Roasted Potato Soup
Here's what you'll need:
2 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4" chunks
4 leeks, chopped (white and light green parts only, cleaned of all sand)
olive oil
1 small head of cauliflower, cut into florets
2 cups baby arugula
1/2 cup of dry white wine
6-7 cups of chicken stock (I use reduced sodium.)
2 cups of milk (I use milk instead of all of the fattening creams, and I think it tastes great)
4 cloves of garlic sliced
1 1/2 cups shredded aged white cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon of chopped fresh thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Optional: crumbled cooked bacon and extra cheese to top each bowl of soup
Preheat oven 400 degrees.
Combine the potatoes and leeks on a sheet pan in a single layer. Put cauliflower on a separate pan. Drizzle both pans of food with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and cracked pepper. Roast for 30-40 minutes turning with a spatula a few times until tender. Add the arugula, garlic slices, and thyme and toss to combine. Roast for 4-5 more minutes, until the arugula is wilted.
In a large pot over medium heat, add all of the vegetables and herbs. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the pans to get any crispy roasted bits (this is the best part!). Add chicken stock and white wine. Simmer for about 15 minutes.
Puree everything together with an immersion blender. *If you don't have an immersion blender add the vegetables to a food processor or regular blender before adding all of the chicken stock! The immersion blender is my favorite kitchen tool! Put it on your Christmas list ;)*
Add milk and cheese. Stir until the cheese melts. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.
Optional: Serve with a garnish of cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon, garlic bread, and pair it with a sweet white wine.
If you're lucky enough to have an amazing neighbor like me...you can cook and drink it with this! Thanks Emmily for my early Christmas gift ha!
