Roasted Roots and Apple Soup

Its parents' weekend at UMT and I am frankly feeling just a tintsy bit homesick. :(

After burying myself beneath a double lab report and a philosophy essay, I decided to crawl out from beneath my wo-pile and at least make some comfort food.  At home, my dad is the master soup chef.*  Well, if you could call them soups.  Everything ends up in a fairly homogeneous goop and most of the broth evaporates off. I suppose they fall more nicely into the casserole or stew category. He has about three "starting recipes."  I say this because every single soup he has ever made tasted different.  There is no hope for recreation.  Anywho, the three variations are 1) split pea soup--lots of chunks and mucho ham, 2) bean barley soup--more like creamed bean soup after it endures the 5hrs of simmering and, my favorite, 3) root veggie soup--resembles cassoulet with a boat load of carrots and such. 

*(My mum would be the best spaghetti saucer.  I always get carried away with adding goodies to the sauce and turn it into a Kaite syle mush concoction).

Since I had a vat of roasted root veg in my mini fridge, I opted for soup number 3. Other than, since I am Kaite and I can't stick to a recipe without throwing in half of the rest of the fridge with it too, I tossed in a few chopped up apples and cilantro on the inspiration of my apple Field Roast sausages.  It was freaking tasty.  Served it up with a cranberry roll from Le Petit Outre and a steaming mug of peppermint-green tea (don't judge, we all know I am strange.  Things are only going to get stranger the more you read this blog).

Ingredients:

3 cups chopped roasted veggies

(i.e. 1 parsnip, 2 carrots, 1/2 onion, maybe some burdock + 1tbsp olive oil, 1tbsp wine vinegar, 1tsbp shoyu)

1 stick celery, chopped

1 small apple, chopped (I used a gala)

2 Apple Field Roast sausages, broken up

1tbsp caramelized onion jam (optional)

1tbsp chopped cilantro (optional)

**I would like to take the opportunity to qualify that Field Roast is not "fake meat" per say.  It is seitan jazzed up with western spices then stuck inside of a vegetarian casing so that it can be easily used like a traditional meat. Also, it is tremendously high in protein.  One serving of seitan boasts 26grams of protein.  Who said vegans don't get enough protein?**

Directions:

As I am working against the clock and lack an immersion blender, blender for the matter, put 2 cups of the roasted veg inside of a food processor and pulse to tiny bits.  Put these tiny bits, the not-food-processed veg, celery chunks and apple pieces inside the crockpot.  Pour about 1-2 cups of water over the veggies (and fruit).  Place lid on and turn on to HIGH. The crockpot will be bursting to max, but give the soup and hour and it will have reduced to about 2/3 or ¾ its original size.

After about an hour return to the soup. Add the Field Roast sausage pieces and a little more water if you prefer you soups soupy (which, I remind you, is not the point of this soup).  Cover part way, reduce to LOW and let it do its thing for another 30-40 minutes.

Serve it up with a dollop of caramelized onion jam (featured in my Nope, I'm Still Alive post) a generous serving of cilantro and a tooth cracking crusty bread.

What reminds you of home?  Do you have any comfort foods?

Cheers, kaite ;]

Post Script:

On a side note, I am on the hunt for the newest Halloween candy, called Halo, launched by ProBar.  A) because they are vegan and, B) they have a smores flavor. Drool.