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?Macomber turnips are a New England specialty, harvested in the fall and “worth hunting down,” Shire said. A few years ago, she tried the turnip soup at the Tuscan Grill in Waltham, and liked it so much she developed her own version.
6 T. butter
2 T. olive oil
1 large or 2 small leeks, cut into fine slivers
1 Spanish onion, finely diced
2 shallots, peeled and finely diced
1 organic carrot, peeled and chopped
21⁄2 -3 lbs. Macomber turnips, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
2 sprigs thyme
1 cup apple cider
2⁄3 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper, to taste
Juice from 1⁄2 lemon
Crème fraiche, truffle oil, or shaved white truffle, for garnish
In a heavy bottomed 3 or 4 quart saucepan, heat 3 tablespoons of the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the leek, onion, shallots and carrot. Cook gently, adjusting the heat if necessary, so the vegetables become tender but don’t brown, approximately 12 minutes. The slower the vegetables cook, the more the natural sugars will be released.
Add the turnip and thyme, tossing with the vegetables. Pour the cider into the pan, stirring to deglaze. Simmer until the liquid is reduced by half. Add just enough water to cover the vegetables. Cover the pot and simmer until the turnips are tender.
Add the cream and remove the pot from the heat. Puree the soup in a blender, in separate batches if necessary. The soup should retain some of the texture from the vegetables. Stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Season with salt and pepper and a spritz of lemon juice. Add a little water if the soup is too thick.
Serve piping hot, garnishing each bowl with a small dollop of crème fraiche and truffle oil, or better yet, shaved white truffle. Serves 4-6. Recipes:
Macomber Turnip Soup
Grilled Salmon with Silky Potato Sauce
Always-Crisp Apple Pie
Falling for Wine
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