Winter Vegetable Bisque

Winter vegetables or those that store well deep into winter are normally not thought of as elegant. Carrots, pumpkin, apples, the humble turnip, star in this easy to make and elegant soup which may be the epitome of making a silk purse from a sow’s ear.

Combine staples of the cold cellar – where fall and winter harvests would be put up – with a bit of added cream, and you can create a rich, flavorful and super easy soup. If strained, it is elegant enough to serve to the most discerning guest.

Winter Vegetable Bisque

Four 1 cup servings

½ cup (125 ml) butter (1 stick)
1 cup (250 ml) peeled and chopped apple
1 cup (250 ml) peeled and chopped onion
1 cup (250 ml) peeled and chopped carrot
1 cup (250 ml) peeled and chopped sweet potato
1 cup (250 ml) peeled and chopped parsnip
1 cup (250 ml) peeled and chopped pumpkin
1 cup (250 ml) peeled and chopped turnip
3 cups (750 ml) stock – vegetable or chicken – I used vegetable
1 – 1 ½ cup (250-375 ml) heavy cream
Salt and white pepper to taste
Nutmeg (optional)

1. In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter
2. When butter is melted, add apple, onion, carrot, sweet potato, parsnip, pumpkin and turnip
3. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until vegetables start to soften
4. Add 3 cups of stock, use vegetable for a vegetarian dish, or chicken stock works fine too
5. Simmer over medium heat for about 25 minutes or until vegetables are very soft, reduce heat if needed, you don’t want to boil the soup
6. Taste soup and add salt and white pepper as to taste
7. Blend soup until completely pureed, if using an immersion blender blend right in the pot, if using a blender work in batches and be careful blending hot liquids

At this point, for a more elegant soup, you may pass it through a fine sieve or chinois to remove solids and give soup a fine texture, else you may return soup to cook pot (if blending) over low heat. If you do strain it, obviously you will have reduce volume.


8. Add 1 cup of heavy cream, stir to incorporate
9. Check seasoning one last time, adding salt and white pepper as desired

Serve small servings as it is very rich. Grate a little nutmeg over the soup if you want. This soup makes a great first course for a winter dinner.