Apple-Rutabaga Soup (Grub Hoe Day, 20th or Frost, Year 228)

[neotoma]

Made apple-rutabaga soup again finally. It's a nice cold-weather soup, chock full of root vegetables, and can easily be made vegetarian by using vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.

Here's the recipe again.

Ingredients

4 ounces butter
1 onion
1 cup peeled, cored and roughly chopped Granny Smith (or other tart baking) apple
1 cup peeled and roughly chopped rutabaga
1 cup peeled, seeded and roughly chopped butternut squash
1 cup peeled and roughly chopped carrots
1 cup peeled and roughly chopped sweet potato
1 quart chicken stock or low-sodium broth
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup maple syrup
pinch of cayenne pepper
salt to taste
lemon slices and chives for garnish.

Directions
1. Melt butter in large pot set over medium-high heat.
2. Add the chopped vegetables and cook until the onion is translucent, stirring occasionally.
3. Add stock and bring to boil.
4. Reduce heat to low and cook 20 to 25 minutes or until vegetables tender.
5. Puree in blender (or food processor), or use an immersion blender.
6. Strain through sieve into the pot used to cook the vegetables (if you want a very smooth soup); otherwise it's a little chunky.
7. Add cream, maple syrup, cayenne, and salt.
8. Bring to simmer and serve.

Add a little black pepper for more flavor.