I ended up thinking soup would be just in order for this somewhat brisk fall evening. Grabbing a few la sodas and tiny carrots, a bit of celery and an onion I went to work chopping and sauteing. Those thumb style carrots are awfully small...I ended up adding about 10 little ones to the recipe.
In this turnip episode I had envisioned the flavors melding with a particular sausage I have become fond of--some Italian polish from the local meet shop. After removing it from its casing it is perfect in soups or Italian pasta dishes.
In the end the recipe looked something like this:
Turnip, Potato, Sausage Soup
Ingredients:
2 large turnips
4 average potatoes
A handful of chopped carrots
Celery chopped, one stalk or two
Onion, about half sliced
fresh thyme to taste
1/8 cup olive oil for sauteing
4 Italian Polish Sausages, removed from casing and sliced
2 cups milk
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. salt, 1 tsp for sauteing vegetables, 1 tsp. in soup
3 cloves garlic, 2 cloves for sauteing, 1 clove in soup
1 tbs. soy sauce
Boil potatoes and turnips, then puree. Saute carrots, celery , onion, thyme, garlic, and sausage with olive oil and salt. Add the pureed mixture, sauteed vegetables and pork together in a large soup pot. Add butter, milk and remaining spices. Bring to a slow boil, stirring occasionally.
It actually was quite delicious with a sharp cheddar grilled cheese on rye bread. This made enough for about four people and is definitely a make again item. The turnip flavor was mild, but appreciated and something I'm looking forward to incorporating into other recipes. Next time I believe that a few more carrots and onions will be in order...surely this recipe with perfect over time.
