Crock-Pot Golden Vegetable Soup and Creme Fraiche

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This lovely soup is a crock-pot home run. While there is a good deal of chopping involved in its preparation, once that's done, this is an effortless meal. The soup comes from the Normandy region of France and it is made with root vegetables that are simmered to submission and then puréed. The soup has a silken texture that is further enhanced by a final enrichment of crème fraiche which adds tang, as well as creaminess, to the finished product. If you like potato soup, I suspect you'll love this creamy Norman version. While the soup was selected for it delicious flavor, its color is also a lure at this time of year. Our skies here can be gray for days on end, so I like to bring sunshine to our table using vibrantly colored food. This soup is the color of molten gold and it's perfect for warming bodies and warding off winter's chill. The ingredients needed to make it are plentiful and can be found in any store at this time of year. If you make your own crème fraiche, the soup is also a bargain. I'm including a recipe for crème fraiche for those of you who want to make your own. It is simple to do, but once made, it needs to sit for at least 8 hours in order to thicken, so plan your time accordingly. The recipes were developed by Beth Hensperger and Julie Kaufmann and I found both recipes in their book, Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Recipes for Entertaining. I hope you give them a try. Here are the recipes.

Crock-Pot Golden Vegetable Soup..from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Beth Hensperger and Julie Kaufmann

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 large yellow onions, chopped
3 leek, white and tender green, sliced 1/2-inch thick
6 medium-sized carrots, sliced 1/2-inch thick
6 medium size russet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 large turnips, peeled and sliced 1/2-inch thick
2 quarts boiling water or chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste
1-1/2 cups crème fraiche

Directions:
1) Rub bottom half of slow cooker insert with butter. Add onions, leeks, carrots, potatoes and turnips. Add boiling water or broth, and cook on LOW until vegetables are tender, about 6 to 8 hours.
2) Using an immersion blender, puree soup. Alternatively, transfer soup to a food processor or blender and working in batches, puree soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in crème fraiche, cover, and cook on LOW until heated through, about 20 minutes. Do not allow soup to boil. Serve immediately. Yield: 8 servings.



Photo courtesy of Mozzco.Com

Crème Fraiche..from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Beth Hensperger and Julie Kaufmann

Ingredients:
1 cup heavy or heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup full-fat sour cream or buttermilk
2 tablespoons full-fat plain yogurt containing acidophilus cultures

Directions:
1) Combine heavy cream, sour cream and yogurt in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until thickened, 6 to 8 hours or overnight. Allow it to sit for a longer period of time will produce a thicker cream.
2) Transfer thickened cream to refrigerator and store, covered, until ready to use.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Chicken Enchilada Chowder - Katy's Kitchen
Corn Chowder in the Slow Cooker - Real Mom Kitchen
Posole - Around My Family's Table
Minestrone - Coconut and Lime
Slow Cooker Black Eyed Pea Soup - Around My Family Table
Potato Soup - The Teacher Cooks