This soup is the most AMAZING tasting soup in the world. It seriously tastes and looks like liquid autumn. Our cousin made this soup for a soup night a while ago, and then recently for a potluck, and I couldn’t have enough. Luckily, it is a recipe easily accessible at ‘The Inn at Little Washington’ web site, where chef Patrick O’Connell has so kindly kept this recipe online. I have modified a teeny bit from what he has, but not much, as I wanted to totally have it be as I’ve tasted before.
Now, you’re either like what the heck is a rutabaga and/or you’re like EW! (before or after knowing what one even is). It’s a root vegetable originated as a cross between the cabbage and the turnip…but don’t let that scare you off! Combining chunks of this, with butternut squash, an onion, carrots, sweet potatoes and granny smith apples, simply is heavenly. As it stews together, it smells SO good..it’s incredible.
It calls for 2 cups of heavy cream, but after pureeing it, and tasting it…it really didn’t need that much. Looking at the fat content of heavy cream, it totally grosses me out LOL, but luckily, it didn’t need that much, if any. But we still kept 1/2 cup in it, just in case it needed it for some secretive reason. After pureeing, you add maple syrup, salt and cayenne pepper. All of those ingredients together at the end…you need to make it to know the goodness!
Anyway, here’s the recipe. Double it up to have a lot leftover for a few meals later, or freeze for days later 
Please enjoy and be sure to use Organic!!!!
Makes 2 quarts, 6-8 servings
Ingredients:
1 stick (1/4 pound) butter
1 cup onion, roughly chopped
1 cup Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
1 cup rutabaga, peeled and roughly chopped
1 cup butternut squash, peeled, seeded and roughly chopped
1 cup carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
1 cup sweet potato, peeled and roughly chopped
1 quart good chicken stock (or vegetable broth)
1/2 cup heavy cream
¼ cup maple syrup
Salt and cayenne pepper to taste
1. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, apple, rutabaga, squash, carrots and sweet potato and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent.
2. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until all of the vegetables are cooked through and tender.
3. Purée the vegetables in a blender or food processor. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into the same pot you used to cook the vegetables. Add the cream, maple syrup, salt and cayenne pepper.
4. Return the pot to the stove and bring the soup to a simmer. Serve… drizzling some maple syrup and a shake or 2 of cayenne pepper to make it pretty. Make sure you have some yummy gourmet bread for dipping too 
PS – You might have leftover chunks of rutabaga, butternut squash and/or sweet potatoes. Totally roast those babies up!!!! Add some salt, pepper and other herbs such as rosemary, parsley, thyme, etc. Put them in a 400 degree oven for about an hour and you have a snack for later. Yum!
