Roasted Parsnip Soup

Here we are, one month after good old Punxsutawney Phil poked his head out of his burrow and saw his shadow. And as superstition/tradition would have it, we have ‘enjoyed’ four more weeks of winter with two more to go. So I decided why not ‘enjoy’ a soup made with a forgotten and ignored root vegetable – the parsnip. I recently cooked with parsnips in the Bableves Kolbasszal recipe and I thought, why not make some other dishes with this reliable and flavorful vegetable. First up, a roasted parsnip soup. To be exact, it is a roasted parsnip and carrot soup. When roasted, both of these vegetables become sweeter – which is good – and that sweetness allows us to pair it with some earthier spices for balance and interest in the final dish. Also, if you have read or tried my Roasted Cauliflower Soup or Acorn Squash Soup, the preparation for this one is similar and if you liked those soups, I bet you will enjoy this one too. So, preheat the oven and let’s peel some roots, we have a soup to make!

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Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 60 mins

Total time: 1 hour 15 mins

Serves: 1

Ingredients

1 large parsnip, approximately 8 - 9 oz
1 large carrot, approximately 4 oz
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ onion, diced
1 stalk celery, sliced
¼ tsp ground ginger
⅛ tsp ground cardamon
⅛ tsp allspice
⅛ tsp nutmeg
dash of cayenne pepper (optional)
1 tbsp butter
1 cup chicken stock
½ cup cream
salt and pepper to taste
paprika and parsley as a garnish (optional)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Peel and slice the parsnip and carrot into ¼ to ½ inch thick slices, placing in a large glass bowl.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper, add the first half of the olive oil and toss to coat.
Place the coated vegetables on a baking sheet in a single layer and roast for 30 minutes.
About 10 minutes before the roasted vegetables are done, heat a small saucepan over medium heat.
Add the remaining olive oil, celery, and onion, cooking until the onions are very translucent, approximately 6 - 8 minutes.
Add a heavy pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper to the onions and celery.
Add the roasted vegetables to the onions and celery, cooking them together for 2 minutes.
Add the garlic and spices, stirring to combine.
When the garlic is fragrant, add the butter.
Stir the melted butter throughout the vegetables before adding the cream and chicken stock.
Stir the cream and chicken stock unto the vegetables, bringing it up to a strong simmer.
Once at a heavy simmer, either blend in a blender or blend with an immersion blender until smooth.
Be careful when blending as the liquid is near boiling and will burn. Also, using a blender could build enough pressure to pop the top and splash the hot soup out of the blender.
Once the soup is blended smooth, pour into a bowl and garnish as desired.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Peel and slice the parsnip and carrot into 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick slices, placing in a large glass bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, add the first half of the olive oil and toss to coat. Place the coated vegetables on a baking sheet in a single layer and roast for 30 minutes.

About 10 minutes before the roasted vegetables are done, heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the remaining olive oil, celery, and onion, cooking until the onions are very translucent, approximately 6 – 8 minutes.

Add a heavy pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper to the onions and celery. Add the roasted vegetables to the onions and celery, cooking them together for 2 minutes.

Add the garlic and spices, stirring to combine. When the garlic is fragrant, add the butter.

Stir the melted butter throughout the vegetables before adding the cream and chicken stock. Stir the cream and chicken stock unto the vegetables, bringing it up to a strong simmer. Once at a heavy simmer, either blend in a blender or blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Be careful when blending as the liquid is near boiling and will burn. Also, using a blender could build enough pressure to pop the top and splash the hot soup out of the blender. Once the soup is blended smooth, pour into a bowl and garnish as desired.