Bellisima Goddess

Bellisima Cucina–Roasted Vegetable Soup & Roasted Winter Vegetables

Here in Colorado, we’ve had quite a cold spell for a number of days. Along with snow, we’ve experienced temperatures below zero and in the single digits. Today, we’ve reached the double digits but it still seems appropriate to have some nice hot soup for dinner. Cooking seasonal foods is a great way to live green and ensure that your family is getting the most nutrients from the foods you’re eating. If you can find your organic produce from local growers, that’s even better! Enjoy these hearty recipes and stay warm! Bon apetito!

ROASTED VEGETABLE SOUP
From Barefoot Contessa Family Style Cookbook

Serves 6-8

I love a recipe that uses leftovers. When I’m making roasted vegetables for dinner, I’ll make a double batch and have extras for soup the next day.

Ingredients:
6-8 cups chicken stock
1 recipe Roasted Winter Vegetables (below)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Good olive oil

Preparation:
In a large saucepan, heat 6 cups chicken stock. In two batches, coarsely puree the roasted vegetables and the chicken stock in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pour the soup back into the pot and season to taste. Thin with more chicken stock and reheat. The soup should be thick but not like a vegetable puree, so add more chicken stock and/or water until it’s the consistency you like. Serve with bread and a drizzle of good olive oil.

ROASTED WINTER VEGETABLES
Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
1 pound carrots, peeled
1 pound parsnips, peeled
1 large sweet potato, peeled
1 small butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled and seeded
3 tablespoons good olive oil
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Cut the carrots, parsnips, sweet potato, and butternut squash in 1- to 1-1/4-inch cubes. All the vegetables will shrink while baking, so don’t cut them too small.

Place all the cut vegetables in a single layer on two sheet pans. Drizzle them with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss well. Bake for 25-35 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender, turning once with a metal spatula.

Sprinkle with parsley, season to taste, and serve hot.