Spiced Parsnip Soup

I like food, I like stripping vegetables of their skins, I like to have a slim young parsnip under my knife – Stevie Smith

 

Time to Spring Forward! 

Daylight Saving Time is finally here, which also means Spring is just around the corner! We’re all getting excited for the melodic sound of birds chirping, the fragrant scent of newly budding flowers, and the warm touch of the sun’s rays beating down onto your skin. But the moment we step out the door, we get slapped with a frosty hand of the winter storm and are forced to be reminded of the bitter cold temperatures that plague the winter months in Canada. Have no worries though, my friends, because Snow How to Eat has you covered with this Spiced Parsnip Soup that will surely keep you warm until the ice and snow melts, and Spring is finally in grasp!

Parsnips! 

High in vitamins and minerals, parsnips are often overlooked in the kitchen, being treated as only a complimentary ingredient or side dish. However, I think that this carrot-relative deserves to be a main ingredient in its own right with its naturally warm and nutty flavour. In addition to being robust in texture and sweet in flavour, parsnips are full of potassium, antioxidants, and dietary fiber! Since parsnips are cultivated in the ground, this root vegetable becomes even sweeter after winter frosts, making it the perfect winter-dish ingredient! 

So if you’re feeling chilly and want to warm up from the inside out, give this spiced parsnip soup a try. Trust me, it’ll definitely do the job!

Let’s get cooking!

Begin by dicing the onion and 5 1/2 cups of parsnip. On medium-high heat, melt the butter in a big soup pot until it begins to bubble or foam. This releases a delicious and aromatic flavour hidden in the butter. Add the onion and parsnips and cook until the onions begin to sweat, about 3 minutes.

Time to get spicy!

After we have the onion and parsnip sweating a bit, we want to add all the spices to the pot and cook for 1 minute: ground coriander, cumin, turmeric, and cayenne pepper. Next, pour in the chicken stock, season with salt & pepper, and then bring the pot to a boil. Once it’s bubbling up again, lower the heat, cover, and simmer until the parsnip is tender, about 45 minutes.

After you have boiled the soup and the parsnip is tender, set the pot aside and allow the soup to cool. Once it has cooled down, blend it with a hand mixer or food processor until it’s smooth. Afterwards, add the cream and heat through slowly over low heat. 

Adding a Little Extra 

Now that your soup is all spiced up and finished, you can simply dig right in or add a little something extra to the dish. Try topping your bowl of soup with this crispy garlic & mustard seed garnish! Although this next part is completely optional, it does add a delicious crunch and zest to the dish. 

Begin by heating some grape seed oil in a small pan over medium-high heat. Once your pan is nice and hot, add the cut strips of garlic and the mustard seeds to the pan and quickly fry until the garlic begins to brown and the seeds POP! Remove from heat and sprinkle it on top of a bowl of the spiced parsnip soup as garnish. Voila!

Spiced Parsnip Soup

2017-02-10 10:17:10

Serves 4

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Prep Time

15 min

Cook Time

1 hr 10 min

Total Time

1 hr 25 min

Prep Time

15 min

Cook Time

1 hr 10 min

Total Time

1 hr 25 min

Ingredients

1. 3 Tbs butter
2. 1 onion, chopped
3. 5 1/2 cups diced parsnips
4. 1 tsp ground coriander
5. 1/2 tsp ground cumin
6. 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
7. 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
8. 5 cups chicken stock
9. 2/3 cup light cream
10. 1 Tbs grapeseed (or sunflower) oil
11. 1 garlic clove, cut into strips
12. 2 tsp yellow mustard seeds
13. Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

1. On medium-high heat, melt the butter in a big soup pot until it begins to bubble or foam a little. This releases a delicious flavour from the butter. Add the onion and parsnips and cook for about 3 minutes.
2. Add the spices and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock, season with salt & pepper and bring to a boil.
3. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer until tender, about 45 minutes.
4. Allow the soup the cool, then blend with hand mixer or food processor until smooth.
5. Add the cream and heat through slowly over low heat.

A Little Extra

1. Over medium-high heat, heat the oil in a small pan.
2. Add the strips of garlic and the mustard to the pan and fry quickly until the garlic begins to brown and the mustard seeds pop.
3. Remove from heat and sprinkle on top of a bowl of spiced parsnip soup as garnish

By Debra Mayhew

Adapted from The Cook's Encyclopedia of Soup

Adapted from The Cook's Encyclopedia of Soup

snow.it.all | Toronto Foodie & Dogmom https://www.snowitall.ca/