I don’t think I’ve ever eaten a parsnip. I thought they looked like a turnip or a rutabaga. I was surprised to find that they look like tan carrots.
Dear Husband was browsing through a soup cookbook that called to him, and found a recipe for roasted vegetable soup. I tried the recipe today, and it’s very simple. I halved red tomatoes and seeded them. I halved a large onion, two carrots, and two parsnips. I seeded an orange bell pepper and cut it into strips, and peeled five cloves of garlic. (The recipe called for three, but we like garlic.) I roasted the veggies cut side down on a baking sheet that had been sprayed with Pam, until they began to brown, about 40 minutes
The recipe didn’t give me any guidance, but I lifted off the charred skin of the peppers and tomatoes. Everything went into the blender in two batches, with some chicken broth to make it easier to puree. I added seasonings, and heated the soup on the stove to a boil. I used a little more chicken broth to de-glaze the pan, and I think that added a LOT of flavor. At that point, you cover the pan, and simmer the soup for fifteen minutes to let the flavors blend. This soup smells wonderful while it’s cooking. Even my step-son was lured in to try it!
You could make this a bisque by adding sour cream or cream or half and half, but we wanted to try the recipe unaltered the first time around. It’s good. I’ll make it again, and add it to my list of soups. DH suggested that we could add small pasta shells next time. I get the feeling that HE wants to cook, but he wants ME to do the work! lol
Now I have to look for more parsnip recipes. We have a bag of them in the refrigerator. Too bad they don’t sell them one at a time! *G*
Arrrgh!!!
It's just my state of mind!
I love parsnips, with their wonderful sweet flavour. We had them frequently as a child, they are lovely as part of a roast dinner.
I quite frequently make a Parsnip soup which the Husband loves. It cuts the sweet flavour of the parsnips with the sharp taste of a cooking apple.
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
750g parsnips, peeled and diced
1 large cooking apple
2oz butter
1.2 litres chicken or vegetable stock
6 sage leaves
salt, pepper, parsley leaves
Score the apple around its circumference, core it and bake it in a dish with about 1/2 inch water and NO sugar. Bake in either in a microwave or a hot oven until tender right through.
2. Sweat the onion and parsnips in the melted butter for 10-15 minutes with some seasoning. Then pour on the stock and sage and simmer until tender. Fish out the sage leaves. Peel the baked apple and add it to the mixture. Liquidise until smooth. Check the seasoning and add some chopped parsley and a little cream if you wish. Serve.
Ooooooohhh, yum! Thanks for sharing your recipe with me. I think we’d both like that! What kinds of seasoning do you use other than sage?