Source: adapted from Mustard’s Grill Napa Valley, California      Bob Young Boise, ID
The Captain’s Shack          23 March 2026         PDF: CS-Rear-Rutabaga-Soup.pdf
Serves: 6      Located: Napa Valley, Yountville, CA
Prep; 35 min             Cook: 15 min                        Total: 50 min
Note: Mustards Grill has been a Napa culinary fixture since 1983. Their farm-to-table fare celebrates local ingredients and a love for California cuisine.

Ingredients:
2 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 small Red Onion, finely dice
2 Celery stalks large carrot
1 lbs Rutabaga, diced
½ lbs Pears, peeled, cored and chopped
1 tbs fresh Tyme
1 Bay Leaf
1 whole Clove
1/8 t Cinnamon
1 c white Wine, Pinot Grigio works well
6 c Chicken Stock
Celtic Sea Salt and Tellicherry Fresh Ground Black Pepper
½ c Crème Fraiche
Roasted Almonds

Directions:
Heat the oil over med-high heat.  Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally until soft.  Add the celery, carrot, rutabagas, pears, thyme, bay leaf, clove and cinnamon and cook for about 10 minutes until the vegetables are soft and fragrant.

 Add the wine, bring to a boil and cook until all the liquid has cooked away.  Add the stock and return the soup to a boil.  Season with the Celtic Sea Salt and Tellicherry Fresh Gouund Blacp Pepper as needed.  Lower the heat to a simmer and skim any froth that comes to the surface.  Cook for about 12-15 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf and discard.  You can either puree the soup or leave it chunky.  Add cream after removing from the heat.  Garnish with almonds and chives and serve.

I don’t normally post just recipes, but here is the exception. Robin was in the hospital for quite for some time and then moved to her daughter’s home. A long illness and she died Feb 13, 2026. I miss her! At one of the hospitals they made from scratch – actually it was from scratch, it was a private hospital – this Pear Rutabaga Soup and it was delicious! I would never think of pears and rutabagas together, much less in a soup. But it works! Try it and see for yourselves. A good toasted sourdough bread would go good with this soup.