Roasted Root Vegetable Soup

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This is one of my favorite vegetarian recipes. It's found in Nicola Graimes' "Complete Vegetarian" which I strongly recommend if one likes veggies. (we are only mostly vegetarian.) It's not a celiac cookbook, however, a lot of the recipes are GF.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
2 carrots, cut into thick rounds
1 large parsnip, cubed
1 small swede (turnip or rutabaga), cubed
2 leeks, thickly sliced
1 onion, quartered
3 bay leaves
4 fresh thyme sprigs
3 rosemary sprigs
5 cups vegetable stock
salt and fresh ground black pepper
sour cream, to serve.

1. Preheat oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Put the olive oil into a large bowl. Add the prepared vegetables and toss until coated in the oil.

2.Spread out the vegetables in a single layer on one large or two small baking sheets. Tuck the bay leaves and thyme and rosemary sprigs amongst the vegetables.
(Dried herbs can be substituted for fresh. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp of each type over veg. in step 2)

3. Roast for 50 minutes until tender, turning the vegetables occasionally to make sure they brown evenly all over. Remove from the oven, discard the fresh herbs and transfer the vegetables to a large sauce pan.

4. Pour the stock into the pan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, season to taste, then simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer the soup to a food processor or blender (or use a hand blender) and process for a few minutes until thick and smooth.

5. Return the soup to the pan to heat through. Season and serve with a swirl of soured cream. Garnish each serving with a sprig of thyme.
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When the soup is done it is a beautiful smooth, thick, orange soup, very filling and comforting, and if you can survive the roasting process without dying of hunger, I salute you.

I skip the garnishing, because it freaks my kids out. The first time I made it, they reached into their soup with these looks of utter disgust and pulled the thyme out. "Mom, there's a weed in my soup!"
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GF since May '07, positive blood-test results.

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Whoops, I should have posted this in Soups. I was in that VEGETABLE mindset here. Sorry!
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GF since May '07, positive blood-test results.

[krisiw]

I may have to try that. I love roasted veggies so it sounds good.