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Serves 6 / Prep tips: You can make the soup chunky or purée it. If you’ve got turnip greens, chop off the stems, cook the greens separately in salted water until tender, and then chop and add at the end of cooking the soup. If the potatoes are organic, leave the skins on. If not, peel them.
4-6 medium turnips, about 1 1/2 pounds
2 tablespoons butter
1 russet potato or 3 Yukon golds, scrubbed and cut into chunks
1 white onion or 2 leeks, white parts only, cut in ½-inch dice
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, or 1/4 heaping teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon sea salt
6 cups water or vegetable broth
1/2 cup reduced-fat (2 percent) milk or soy milk
Freshly ground white pepper
½ cup grated aged Gruyère cheese, for garnish
1 cup whole-wheat croutons, for garnish
1. If using new, tender-skinned turnips, you needn’t peel them, although you can if you wish. If using storage turnips, peel them thickly, getting right under the epidermis, a thin line that you can see. Cut turnips into rough 1-inch cubes.
2. Melt butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Add turnips, potatoes, onion or leeks, garlic, parsley, and thyme. Cook for about 5 minutes, add 1 teaspoon salt and water or broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes. Keep the soup chunky if you like, purée a portion of it (such as 1 cup or half) to give it a creamy background, or purée the whole thing.
3. Stir in milk. If you’ve cooked any greens, stir them in as well. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and white pepper. Serve soup, topped with cheese and croutons, if using.
PER SERVING: 134 cal, 29% fat cal, 4g fat, 3g sat fat, 12mg chol, 3g protein, 22g carb, 3g fiber, 501mg sodium