Five Spice Turnip Soup

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Cut the greens off of the turnips and trim each end. Set the greens aside. In a large bowl toss turnips with 1 tablespoon of oil, the whole sprigs of fresh thyme and half of the salt. Spread them out in a single layer onto a large rimmed baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes, turning them at the 10 minute mark. Remove from oven and allow them to cool.

Meanwhile in a soup pot, heat leeks, garlic, remaining half of the salt, Chinese five spice powder and butter over medium-low heat. Stir every few minutes and make sure the leeks get no brown on them. Cook down until turnips are ready, about 15-20 minutes total.

Discard the thyme sprigs and add the turnips into the leeks. Add the potatoes, stock and half-and-half. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then turn to medium-low and simmer 20 minutes until the potatoes are very soft.

Meanwhile, remove the stems from the turnip greens and discard them. Coarsely chop the greens. In a skillet over medium heat, add remaining 1/2 tablespoon of oil. When the oil is hot, add greens, the chopped thyme and a pinch of Chinese five spice powder. Cook down the greens until tender then remove from the heat. Set aside.

Remove the soup from the heat and puree in batches in a blender or food processing until very smooth. Be careful blending hot liquids. You should leave plenty of space in the blender canister, to allow for heat expansion. Strain soup into the pot through a colander or fine sieve then stir in the vinegar. Adjust any seasonings and serve hot with a portion of greens on top.