Rooting for Spring Soup

This soup tastes similar to potato leek soup, which is one of my favorites. However, this soup makes use of a greater variety of vegetables than potatoes and leeks. Many of these veggies are plentiful in these days when winter root vegetables are still plentiful, but spring vegetables aren't quite available. Don't let some of these more unusual root veggies put you off. If you have them, use them. If not, just substitute another root vegetable that's more convenient to you.

Ingredients:

2 slices bacon (optional)
1 tsp olive oil
1 cup sliced spring onions (or use leeks)
1 tsp minced spring garlic (or use regular garlic)
1 quart low sodium chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup peeled and cubed potato
1/2 cup peeled and cubed turnip
1/2 cup peeled and cubed rutabaga
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup peeled and sliced carrot
1/2 cup edamame
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil (or 1 Tbs dried basil)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Cook bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels, then slice thinly. Heat the olive oil in a soup or stock pot set over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add some of the stock if the onions begin to stick. Add the remaining soup stock, along with the vegetables and the dried herbs. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for about 15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. If using fresh basil, add it just before serving, so that it retains its bright, green color. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste.

Stealthy Cooking Tip: Sometimes names are everything. I didn't think I could sell a soup called potato, turnip, and rutabaga soup. So, I tried to come up with a name that would make this soup sound as delicious as it is ... without giving away all the root vegetables that my picky eaters would make faces about. Let me know if you come up with a name you like better!