The Legendary Turnip Cheese Soup

Name: The Legendary Turnip Cheese Soup
Yield: 4-6 servings
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 1/4 cup unsalted butter; 2 tbsp unsalted butter; 1/4 cup all-purpose flour; 3 cups half & half, warmed up and set aside; 1 tsp nutmeg; 12 oz smoked cheddar, grated; 1 celery rib, finely chopped; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 1 Spanish onion, finely chopped; 1 tbsp thyme, chopped; 1 shallot, minced; 6 oz gouda, grated; 3 cups chicken stock (recipe coming soon). You can use veggie stock to make this vegetarian; 3 turnips, cubed, seasoned and oven roasted; Sea or Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper; 4 pieces bacon, cooked and crumbled - OPTIONAL; 1 large stockpot; 1 medium pot; 1 immersion blender

Laura Rose @cook_19538689

Düsseldorf, Germany

Picture it. Winter. Lakewood, Ohio. 2011. I was busy preparing my very first Robbie Burns' Night feast for 25 people to enjoy in my tiny apartment (the photo above is from that very night). As tradition goes, the mighty haggis is served with "neeps and tatties" - turnips and potatoes. I already mashed the potatoes (recipe coming soon), so with only an hour left before guests were to arrive I had to figure out what to do with these turnips.

I hadn't worked with them before, so I concluded that I should roast them. As I got to work on what was originally going to be a cheddar bacon soup, I looked at the clock and realized time was running out, my guests would arrive any minute! Then I glanced down at my oven tray filled with the perfectly browned turnips, and had an idea which would make that soup my #1 requested item for many years.

The process of making the soup has not changed since that first night, and I foresee my loved ones enjoying it for many years to come. Since its creation, it has been described by one of my friends as, "The kind of soup that prepares a man for war!".

Laura Rose @cook_19538689

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Ingredients

4-6 servings

1/4 cupunsalted butter
2 tbspunsalted butter
1/4 cupall-purpose flour
3 cupshalf & half, warmed up and set aside
1 tspnutmeg
12 ozsmoked cheddar, grated
1celery rib, finely chopped
4 clovesgarlic, minced
1Spanish onion, finely chopped
1 tbspthyme, chopped
1shallot, minced
6 ozgouda, grated
3 cupschicken stock (recipe coming soon). You can use veggie stock to make this vegetarian
3turnips, cubed, seasoned and oven roasted
Sea or Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 piecesbacon, cooked and crumbled - OPTIONAL
1large stockpot
1medium pot
1immersion blender

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Steps

1

Add the 1/4 cup butter to the pan on medium heat, and as the butter melts whisk in the flour. Let it cook for 3-4 minutes until the flour turns a light brown and smells a little nutty.
2

In a slow, constant stream to avoid clumping, add the warm half & half into the flour mixture, whisking constantly. Let the mixture heat as you whisk, and it will gradually thicken. Add the nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper.
3

Once the sauce is the consistency of a light gravy, add the grated cheese and whisk it into the sauce so it melts evenly. Set aside.
4

In the medium pot, add the 2 tbsp butter over medium heat. Then add the celery, onion, shallot, garlic and thyme and cook, stirring, until softened, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the stock and bring to a simmer.
5

CAREFULLY whisk the stock mixture into the cheese sauce until it is fully incorporated. Then add the turnips.
6

Now here's the fun part! Plug in your immersion blender, and start demolishing the turnips in the soup. They don't have to be completely pureed, just enough to have small chunks of turnips in the mix. Keep the soup on a low burner until your guests arrive.
7

Top with crumbled bacon if you wish.