Directions

1. In a large stock pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions , rutabaga, beets and potatoes, stir well to coat with olive oil and sauté about 10 minutes. Add garlic, bay leaf, carrots and parsnips and sauté an additional five minutes.
2. Add enough water to cover the veggies by an inch. Cover and simmer until the veggies can be pierced with a fork, about 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and remove bay leaf, add the milk. Using a stick blender, blend the soup until it thickens but remains chunky. Or pulse in a blender, about two cups at a time, leaving some of the veggies untouched in the soup pot. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. If cheese is desired, add at this point, stirring gently until the cheese is melted and totally combined. Garnish with caraway seeds if you like.