Root Vegetable Stew with Miso

Root Vegetable Stew with Mis0

I used a purple sweet potato in this so that is why the stew has a purple hue. Those can be a bit hard to find (but if you do find them I highly recommend trying them!) but nowadays you may see purple carrots popping up at the markets so get a bunch of those instead if you want the lovely color. So pretty.

• 2 TB extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 TB unsalted butter or coconut oil

• 4 large leeks (white part only) or 1 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 TB fresh ginger root, peeled and finely chopped

• 1 fennel bulb, cored and coarsely chopped

• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

• sea salt

• 2 pounds (about 8 cups) assorted root vegetables, (such as winter squash, rutabaga, carrots, sweet potato, celery root, parsnips, turnips) peeled and coarsely chopped

• 2 tsp fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme

• 1 bay leaf

• 6 cups filtered water

• 2-4 heaping TB of mellow miso paste

In a large pot, heat oil and butter over medium heat. Add leeks or onion, garlic, ginger, fennel, 1/2 tsp sea salt, red pepper flakes if using and stir well. Reduce flame a bit and sauté for about 5 minutes or until the leeks or onion soften. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and slowly cook until the mixture is soft and juicy, about 15 to 20 minutes. Check a few times and stir.

Add the root vegetables, thyme and bay leaf and raise heat to high and cook, stirring, for a few minutes. Pour in the filtered water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, about 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. 

In a small bowl mix the miso paste with some of the hot broth to make a slurry. Mix the miso slurry into the soup pot, stirring to combine. Taste, adding a TB more miso or a dash of sea salt to taste. 

Serve hot with a sprinkle of fresh thyme or parsley leaves on top.