Roasted Winter Vegetable Soup

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Toss sweet potato, butternut squash and parsnip with sea salt and oil, then spread in a single layer on a parchment lined pan. Give them space so they’re not all pressed up together (I used two pans) so they can really brown at the edges – this is what creates the maillard reaction, caramelizing the sugars and making the vegetables taste amazing. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until edges are lightly browned. Put the vegetables in a large pot, and cover with vegetable stock, then place rosemary into the liquid, submerging it completely. Bring the pot to a boil, then remove from heat and cover. Let sit for 15 minutes, then remove rosemary twig and discard. Blend stock and vegetable mixture until smooth. To serve, top with crispy shallots and rosemary to garnish, if desired. Serves 4.

Crispy Shallots

1. Over medium heat in a medium frying pan, saute the shallots with the salt for 3 – 4 minutes, then use a spatula or slotted spoon to transfer shallots to a paper-towel lined plate. Add remaining oil to pan (no need to remove other oil, but do make sure all bits of shallot are removed so they don’t burn) and heat over medium-high for 1 – 2 minutes, or until a test shallot sizzles when placed in the oil. Place shallots in hot oil and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes, before using same method to return to fresh paper towel.