Root vegetable soup

I made this golden soup on the Winter Solstice to remind the sun to come back after the longest night of the year. (As you can see, it worked.) I floated a slice of golden beet on each bowl as extra encouragement.

This simple root vegetable soup was inspired by the baby rutabagas and turnips and the golden beets at the Flora Bella and Finley Farms stands at the Hollywood Farmers Market. 

Because I had run out of vegetable stock, I used a base of onions and garlic cooked in olive oil and butter - similar to the way I start risotto. I usually depend on good stock for well-flavored soup, but the flavors of the roots shone through in this dish.

I added protein in the form of pinquito beans, tiny little beans native to southern California that I buy at the Hollywood Farmers Market. You could use adzuki beans instead, or any other small bean.

Don't wait until next Winter Solstice to try this yummy dish.

Solstice Root Vegetable Soup

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp unsalted butter

3/4 cup diced onion

1 clove garlic, chopped

1/2 cup dried pinquito beans

3 golden beets

5 small turnips (5 oz total)

7 very small rutabagas (8 oz total)

2 carrots

5 cups water

1 tbsp salt

Cook the beans in a large amount of boiling water until cooked, 2-3 hours. Drain and set aside.

Scrub the roots, take off the tops and ends, and chop them in 1/4 to 1/2 inch dice.

Sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil and butter until tender and fragrant. Stir in the remaining ingredients and simmer, covered, until all the roots are meltingly tender.

Serve hot with fresh pepper to add as desired.

Serves 3-5.