Roasted Radish Soup

It's about halfway through spring here at our little homestead, which means things are popping up in the garden.  Tonight, we were able to make our first meal using ingredients from the garden.

Back story:
Last year, I taught fifth grade.  I started a garden with my students. I needed crops that would mature quickly, so we would be able to harvest before the end of the year.  Besides green leafy crops, radishes are one of the fastest crops to grow.  We planted radishes, even though I don't particularly care for them.

Back to the Present:
I planted just about all the seeds that I had on hand, including radishes.  They've been flourishing in the garden, and I needed to find a way to eat them. Plus, I heard that you could eat the greens. I'm a sucker for plants that are completely edible, so off I went to google "eating radish greens."  I found this recipe for Rustic Radish Soup.  I looked over the recipe, and adapted it to our needs.  My two year-old daughter asked for seconds and my ten month-old son gobbled it down on his crackers.

Roasted Radish Soup
Ingredients
One bunch radishes with greens attached
Olive oil
2 tbsp butter
One leek, sliced
One onion, chopped
2 potatoes, chopped (with or without skin)
4 cups chicken stock*
1/4 cup parsley, minced
Salt
Pepper
3/4 cup heavy cream
Sour cream for garnish

Method
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Wash the radish bunch thoroughly and cut away the greens, chopping them roughly then setting them aside.  Trim the radish ends, if necessary, and cut the radishes into halves or quarters so that they are all roughly the same size. Toss in olive oil and spread out on a baking sheet.  Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the radishes are tender.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium stock pot.  Saute the leek and onion until soft and translucent.
Add the potatoes and chicken stock. If necessary, add more stock or water to cover the vegetables by about an inch. Simmer for 30-35 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
Stir in the roasted radishes, radish greens, and parsley, simmering for about five more minutes until the greens are wilted.
Using a stick blender, or (carefully) transferring the soup to a blender, puree until smooth.  Return to the pot, if necessary, and add salt and pepper to taste.
Pour in the heavy cream and cook until warmed through.
Ladle into bowls and top with a dollop of sour cream.  Serve with crusty bread and a seasonal salad.

Notes
I supplemented the parsley with the tops of carrots I thinned from the garden, as the taste is very similar.  This would be an excellent salad to make in the fall, when potatoes, leeks, and onions from the garden would all be ready for harvest.

*Can substitute vegetable broth for a vegetarian option.