ONLINE EXTRA — GETTING TO THE ROOT OF THINGS: Cream of Carrot with Ginger Soup . . . Parsnip Latkes . . . Celery Root and Aged Gouda Gratin, etc.

Cream of Carrot with Ginger Soup

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 medium onions, coarsely chopped

1½ pounds young carrots, peeled and sliced

3 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger

6 cups hot chicken broth

1 cup whole milk

1½ cups half-and-half

3 teaspoons salt or more to taste

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE GARNISHES:

Croutons fried in butter (see note)

Chopped cilantro leaves

In a pot, melt the butter over low heat, then add the onions and cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 15 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-low then add the carrots and ginger and cook, stirring frequently, until the carrots are softer, about 20 minutes.

Add the chicken broth to the pot, bring to a boil over medium heat, then cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Remove the soup from the heat and add the milk. Transfer to a blender and blend, in batches if necessary, until it forms a puree. Return the soup to the pot, add the half-and-half, season with the salt and pepper, and cook until very hot without letting it come to a boil. Serve hot with one of the garnishes.

Note: Cover the bottom of a large skillet with 1/16 inch of olive oil. Heat the oil over medium heat for a few minutes, then add French bread cut into ¾-inch cubes. Cook, stirring or tossing frequently, until the cubes of bread are golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the skillet and set aside. Optionally, you can add a crushed garlic clove to the heating oil and then remove and discard it before you add the bread.

Yield: Serves 6.

Parsnip Latkes

1 pound parsnips, peeled and grated

2 tablespoons salt

½ cup minced leek (white part only)

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme

Freshly cracked black pepper

½ cup olive oil

Creme fraîche for serving

Season parsnips with salt, cover with a damp towel and set aside in colander for 30 minutes. This will leach out some moisture. Rinse thoroughly under cold water, drain, place on clean dry linen and ring out extra water. In stainless bowl, combine all remaining ingredients except olive oil. Heat a nonstick saute pan to medium high heat, add olive oil. Drop about 2 to 3 tablespoons of latke mixture into hot oil, spread out mix and brown on both sides. Serve with a dollop of creme fraîche for a refreshing alternative to the common latke.

Yield: 15 to 18 (3-inch) latkes.

Celery Root and Aged Gouda Gratin

6 egg yolks

2 cups whipping cream

1 teaspoon fresh chopped rosemary

Salt and freshly cracked pepper

Pinch red pepper flakes

4 medium celery root, peeled

6 ounces aged Gouda

2 medium russet potatoes, peeled

½ bunch green onions, chopped (green tops only)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Prepare custard base in a large stainless steel bowl: Beat egg yolks, add whipping cream, fresh rosemary, salt, pepper and pepper flakes.

Thinly slice celery root and potatoes using and mandoline or sharp knife and place in custard mix. Grate Gouda cheese.

Coat an 8-by-12 inch casserole dish with olive oil spray.

Stir custard mixture to ensure that all root and potato pieces are coated. Begin by laying down one layer of roots and potatoes, chopped green onion and Gouda; continue until all ingredients are used.

Pour any remaining custard over the top just to cover the vegetables.

Bake in preheated oven uncovered 1 hour. Pierce with a knife; there should be no resistance from vegetables or raw custard visible. Let rest briefly and then serve.

Yield: Serves 6.

Root Vegetable Stir-Fry

1 tablespoon diced ginger

1 green onion

¼ bunch cilantro

Juice of ½ orange

1 to 2 tablespoons parsley

½ teaspoon garlic

1½ tablespoons sesame oil

¼ cup mirin wine (available in Asian section of supermarket)

1 tablespoon olive oil

¾ cup julienned carrots

¾ cup julienned parsnips

¾ cup julienned Daikon radish

¾ cup julienned yellow beet

¾ cup julienned celery root

¾ cup julienned turnip

Hot cooked jasmine or basmati rice

To prepare sauce, place ginger, green onion, cilantro, orange juice, parsley, garlic, sesame oil and mirin in blender and puree until smooth.

Heat oil in saute pan over high heat. Add carrots, parsnips, Daikon radish, yellow beet, celery root and turnip and quickly saute a minute or two, keeping vegetables moving so they don’t burn. Add sauce, toss a couple times, and cook another 2 minutes, keeping vegetables moving, until vegetables are crisp-tender. Serve with rice.

Yield: Serves 4.

Lamb Stew with Root Vegetables

4 pounds lamb stew meat with bones (from neck and shoulder)

2/3 cup flour

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves (divided)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup sunflower or canola oil (divided)

1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced

3 cups chicken broth or beef broth

1 cup red wine

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 pound carrots and/or parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

1 pound celery root, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

1 pound rutabagas and/or turnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

Pat lamb dry. Combine flour and 1 tablespoon of the thyme in a shallow bowl. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add lamb and toss to coat.

Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Lift lamb pieces out of flour, shaking off excess, and add in a single layer to pan. Do not overcrowd pan; you may have to cook in batches.

Brown meat on all sides, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove meat as it browns and set aside.

Continue browning remaining meat.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil and the onion to pan and saute until soft, about 3 minutes. Add broth, wine and garlic, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a slow simmer.

Return meat to pan. Partially cover pan and let simmer until meat is tender, about 2 hours.

Add carrots, celery root and rutabagas; simmer until vegetables are tender, about 1 hour. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve hot.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6.

Roasted Root Vegetables

2 or 3 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, cut into large chunks

1 russet potato or several fingerlings, cut into chunks

1 onion, cut into thick wedges with root end intact

1 head garlic, cloves separated

1 turnip, peeled, cut into wedges

1 large parsnip, peeled, cut into 2-inch rounds, halved

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ teaspoon sea salt

Freshly ground pepper

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place vegetables in a large, shallow baking dish or sheet pan in a single layer. Drizzle with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss to coat.

Roast, turning every 15 minutes, until the vegetables are caramelized (golden brown) and tender when pierced with a knife, 45 to 55 minutes.

Yield: Serves 2.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 357 calories, 34 percent of calories from fat, 14 grams fat (2 grams saturated), no cholesterol, 56 grams carbohydrates, 7 grams protein, 641 milligrams sodium, 9 grams fiber.

Winter Vegetable Soup

2 cups sliced leeks, white part only, cleaned and sliced into ¼-inch strips (from about 3 whole)

¼ cup (1/2 stick) butter

2 sprigs thyme

2 bay leaves

4½ cups diced boiling potatoes (from a scant 2 pounds), peeled and diced into ¼-inch cubes

1½ cups diced parsnips (3 to 4 whole), peeled and diced into ¼-inch cubes

1 celery root (about 1 pound), peeled and diced into ¼-inch cubes

1 quart chicken broth, more as desired

Salt and white pepper

1 cup heavy cream

White truffle oil

In a medium heavy-bottom soup pot heated over medium-high heat, saute the leeks in the butter until tender, 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, and being careful not to burn the butter. Stir in the thyme and bay leaves and continue to cook until aromatic, about 1 minute.

Stir in the potatoes, parsnips, celery root and broth and bring the mixture to a good simmer. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper, or to taste. Cook until the parsnips begin to become tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and stir in the cream. Continue to cook until all of the vegetables are tender, an additional 5 to 10 minutes. Remove and discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaves.

Puree the soup until smooth using a blender or immersion blender. Strain the soup through a fine mesh strainer and season as desired with additional salt and pepper. Add the truffle oil, a few drops at a time, to taste.

Ladle the soup into bowls and serve immediately.

Yield: Serves 8.

Approximate nutritional analysis per servings: 299 calories, 4 grams protein, 33 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber, 17 grams fat (11 grams saturated), 58 milligrams cholesterol, 5 grams sugar, 602 milligrams sodium.

Sunday Pot Roast with Vegetables

1 2- to 2½-pound boneless chuck roast or tri-tip roast

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 teaspoons salt or to taste, divided

1½ teaspoons pepper or to taste, divided

6 medium carrots, peeled, trimmed and cut into large chunks, divided

3 medium onions, quartered, divided

2 ribs celery, with leaves, cut into large chunks

1 or 2 bay leaves

2 to 3 cloves garlic, unpeeled

1 cup strong coffee

About 2 cups chicken stock

1 large orange, halved and juiced

12 medium red or white new potatoes

Trim any large deposits of fat from roast. Salt and pepper roast on both sides, using about 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. In a Dutch oven or large, heavy cooking pot with lid, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add roast to hot oil and cook until well-browned on both sides.

Add 2 of the carrots, 1 of the onions and the celery to the pan, tucking vegetables under roast. Add bay leaves and unpeeled garlic cloves to pan.

Add coffee, orange juice and enough chicken stock to come almost halfway up the side of the roast. Add orange halves to pan. Cover tightly, reduce heat to low and simmer about 2 hours, or until meat falls apart when prodded with a fork. Remove spent vegetables and orange halves from pan with tongs.

Add new potatoes, remaining 4 carrots and remaining 2 onions to pan, cover and simmer 20 to 30 minutes, until vegetables are tender.

Remove roast and vegetables to serving platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Strain liquid, discarding solids, and return to pan. Turn heat under pan up to high and allow liquid to boil until reduced to about 2 cups. Taste and correct seasoning if necessary.

Yield: Serves 6.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 627 calories, 29 grams fat, 61 grams carbohydrates, 34 grams protein, 87 milligrams cholesterol, 1,209 milligrams sodium, 8 grams dietary fiber, 41 percent of calories from fat.

Root Vegetable and Lentil Chowder

1 tablespoon vegetables oil or sunflower oil

1 medium Spanish onion, chopped

2 carrots, peeled and sliced ½-inch thick

2 parsnips, peeled and sliced ½-inch thick

1 large turnip, peeled and cut into ½-inch dice

1 large potato, peeled and cut into ½-inch dice

1 tablespoon minced ginger root

3 cloves minced garlic

2 tablespoons curry powder or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

2 quarts vegetable broth

1 cup green or orange lentils

½ cup chopped dried apricots or golden or dark raisins

Salt and fresh-ground black pepper, to taste

¼ cup plain low-fat yogurt, for garnish

1 cup chopped cilantro, for garnish

8 scallions, chopped, for garnish

Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, parsnips, turnips and potatoes. Saute 2 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic and curry powder or thyme leaves and saute another minute.

Add the broth, lentils and apricots or raisins. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 45 to 55 minutes until lentils and vegetables are tender. Season with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with yogurt, cilantro and scallions.

Yield: Serves 8.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving (with garnishes): 201 calories, 11 percent calories from fat, 3 grams fat (0.3 grams saturated), 0.5 milligram cholesterol, 38 grams carbohydrates, 9 grams total fiber, 15 grams total sugars.

Beet and Fennel Salad with Blue Cheese and Walnuts

1 large beet

Water (optional)

Pinch salt (optional)

1 fennel bulb, trimmed, core removed, sliced very thinly

1 apple, unpeeled, cored and chopped

6 cups arugula leaves

1 cup crumbled mild blue cheese or gorgonzola cheese

½ cup chopped walnuts

¼ cup extra-virgin olive or walnut oil

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

Salt and fresh-ground black pepper, to taste

To make beets: If using cooked beets, peel and quarter the beet. Bring a small saucepan of water to boil over high heat. Add a pinch salt and simmer beet 5 minutes until tender but still al dente. Drain, cool and chop.

If using a raw beet, peel and shred with grater or using the shredding disc in a food processor.

To make salad: In a large bowl, add beets, fennel, apples, arugula, blue cheese, walnuts, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Mix well and serve immediately.

Yield: Serves 4.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 399 calories, 75 percent calories from fat, 33 grams fat (9 grams saturated), 25 milligrams cholesterol, 16 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams total fiber, 6 grams total sugars, 13 grams protein, 529 milligrams sodium.

Slow-Cooker Beef and Guinness Stew

3 pounds boneless beef chuck, trimmed, cut into 1½-inch pieces

½ cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

¼ cup vegetable oil

1 large (14 ounces) yellow onion, coarsely chopped

1 14.9-ounce can Guinness Draught beer or 1¾ cups Guinness Extra Stout

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 14½-ounce can beef broth

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

2 bay leaves

2 small sprigs fresh thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried

1 pound small red boiling potatoes, halved

3 carrots, peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks

½ small rutabaga, peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks

1 17-ounce package frozen puff pastry, thawed according to package (optional)

Pat the beef dry with paper towels. Combine the flour, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Add the beef; toss to coat well with the flour. Reserve the remaining seasoned flour for later.

Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet. Add the beef in batches in a single, uncrowded layer. Cook, turning, until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes per batch. Transfer to a slow cooker. Add the onion to the skillet; cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the Guinness and garlic; boil 1 minute, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the mixture to the slow cooker.

Add the broth, parsley, bay and thyme to the slow-cooker. Cover; cook on low until meat is almost tender, 2½ to 3 hours. Sprinkle in the reserved seasoned flour; stir. Add potatoes, carrots and rutabaga. Cover; cook on high until tender, about 1 hour. Taste pan juices; adjust seasonings.

If serving the stew with the pastry crust, heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut pastry sheets into quarters. Place on 2 baking sheets; pierce several times with a fork. Bake until crisp and golden, about 10 minutes. Spoon a portion of the hot stew into individual dishes. Top with a pastry square.

Note: To cook stew in the oven, transfer the browned meat and onion mixture to a large Dutch oven. Proceed with the recipe as directed; cook, tightly covered, in a 325-degree oven until meat is fork-tender, about 2 hours. Add vegetables, cover the pot and return to the oven until the vegetables are tender, about 1 hour.

Yield: Serves 8.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 493 calories, 53 percent of calories from fat, 28 grams fat (9 grams saturated), 105 milligrams cholesterol, 22 grams carbohydrates, 36 grams protein, 539 milligrams sodium, 3 grams fiber.

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