November's Garden, and Potato-Turnip Soup

There’s nothing better than a delicious bowl of steaming garden soup as the days become chilly and short. Even though most of the garden has been harvested and stored, undaunted by the frosty nights, there’s still perennial and hardy annual vegetables for the picking, and perfect for making that bowl of soup!

The lovage has suffered some slight wilt, but is still good to use.

Perennial onion has provided for us since spring, and yet endures.

Wild garlic has popped up after a summer's absence and offers its pungency for raw and cooked dishes.

Kale has come into its season; turning sweet with the frosty nights.

Giant red mustard, having reseeded itself to produce a second crop, provides a bright burgundy color for the autumn season along with a crisp, spicy flavor.

Fully grown turnip is left to reside in garden soil until a need for it arises.

These are excellent candidates for brewing a wholesome and flavorful soup stock. Add to them some freshly stored potatoes, carrots, and onions from the root cellar. 

Potato-Turnip Soup

This garden soup is luscious and rich.

1 tbsp of butter

Medium onion, chopped

3 medium potatoes

1 large turnip

3 large carrots

Any combination of ingredients plucked from the garden- I used perennial onion, wild garlic, a couple of leaves each of kale, red mustard and lovage, all chopped fine. 

1 tbsp each of dried marjoram and thyme

Sea salt, freshly ground pepper

1 tbsp of butter

Several slices of turkey bacon

3 or more cloves of finely minced fresh garlic

In a dutch oven, melt and heat 1 tbsp of butter until sizzling. Add the chopped onion and cook until the onion is browned. Dice the potatoes, turnip, and carrots into small pieces and add.

Add the finely chopped garden ingredients.

Add water until it is about two or three inches above the vegetables. As the soup cooks, add water as needed to make the soup to your preferred consistency. This soup can be made thin, or it can be thick and substantial.

Heat to a low simmer, then allow to cook until the vegetables are softened, one to two hours (or cook it in a crock pot on low for most of a day).

Keeping the soup on the heat, use a potato masher to finely mash the vegetables. This will thicken the soup; add water if it is too thick. Add minced garlic, marjoram, thyme, salt and pepper.

Cook the turkey bacon in 1 tbsp of butter and add it to the soup. Cook at a low simmer until flavors are incorporated, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Ladle into serving bowls, and top each bowl with a sprinkling of finely chopped garlic. A dollop of sour cream may be added also. -jmm