Pioneer
Turnip and Potato Soup
From the root cellar
New Brunswick historical recordRoot cellars were survival during the New Brunswick winters of the Depression. Turnips and potatoes stored well from the fall harvest and fed families through to spring. This humble soup, made from just those two vegetables and an onion, is sweet, nourishing, and deeply warming.
Source: New Brunswick historical record
Ingredients
- 1 medium yellow turnip (rutabaga), peeled and diced
- 3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 tbsp lard or salt pork fat
- 6 cups water or light broth
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- Pinch of nutmeg
Instructions
- Melt lard in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté onion until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add turnip and potatoes. Stir to coat in fat.
- Add water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 25–30 minutes until vegetables are very soft.
- Mash some vegetables with the back of a spoon to thicken, or use a ladle to crush against the side of the pot. Leave it chunky.
- Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
- Serve with bread.
✦ Kitchen Notes
- Yellow turnip (rutabaga) was the most common — sweeter and more nutritious than white turnip.
- A spoonful of cream stirred in at the end, when it was available, turned this from peasant food into something elegant.