Elegant Potato Turnip Soup

Recipe from Martha Stewart

Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen

Serves 8

This is truly an elegant soup in appearance and taste. This is no ordinary potato soup. You’ll be surprised at how nicely the turnips flavor this dish. (People who swear they don’t like turnips won’t be able to guess that it’s turnips, so don’t tell them until they rave about the dish and ask you for the recipe!) For MeatlessMonday, make the vegetarian version (pictured here) by using vegetable broth. If using chicken stock, the soup will turn out lighter in color. You can buy all of the ingredients for this lightly creamy soup at Lost River Market& Deli. Serve it with a crusty bread and a crisp salad. Make this soup in advance for a party. Using cookie cutters, cut out shapes from bread slices and toast them in butter. Place them gently on top of each bowl of soup. Doing this makes an especially nice first course. You can even drizzle a little of Eric'sPesto  for color and extra flavor.


6 Tablespoons unsalted butter

2 leeks, white part only, chopped

1 pound Idaho potatoes, peeled and diced

1 ½ pounds white turnips, peeled and diced

2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 quarts Homemade Chicken Stock, or canned low-sodium chicken broth, skimmed of fat or use 3 quarts vegetable broth for a vegetarian option

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ cup heavy cream

4 large egg yolks

• Melt 6 Tablespoons butter in a large pot over medium heat.

• Add leeks, and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.

• Add potatoes and turnips, stirring to combine.

• Cover, and cook on low for about 10 minutes.

• Sprinkle flour over vegetables, stir to cover evenly, and cook for 1 minute.

• Add stock or broth, season with salt and pepper to taste, and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 to 30 minutes.

• With a slotted spoon, remove vegetables from pot, and place them in a food mill, food processor or blender. (I use an immersion blender.)

• Puree vegetables, and return them to pot. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together heavy cream and yolks.

• Temper egg mixture by adding 2 cups of soup to the bowl, stir to combine. (This is an important step. Without tempering the eggs, you'll end up with scrambled eggs in your soup!)

• Add egg-soup mixture to soup pot, and stir to combine.

• Bring to a simmer.  Serve hot.