Creamy Parsnip Soup

Makes 6 or so servings

Recipe from Everyday Food Great Food Fast

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

This is just the simplest soup to make, but the flavor is fantastic.  If you’ve never tasted parsnips, you are in for a treat.  Parsnips look like large white carrots.  Just peel ‘em and cut them into slices or chunks.  Serve this as a first course for a dinner party or enjoy it for a light lunch with a thick slice of toast and a crisp salad.  The cream is totally optional.  Use veggie broth to make this a vegetarian soup.  Use a stick blender or blender to make this creamy, but you could also just cut the veggies into bite-sized pieces and eat the soup chunky.  Try another Husband-Tested Recipe for Spice Roasted Parsnip Soup. 

2 Tablespoons butter

1 pound prepared** sliced leeks, about 2 or 3 leeks

1 pound parsnips, about 2 parsnips, trimmed, peeled, and cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces

2 apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 medium baking potato (about ½ pound), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth

½ cup heavy cream (optional)

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Heat butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add leeks.  Cook, stirring, 5 minutes.

Add parsnips, apples, potato, broth, and 4 cups water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until vegetables are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

Working in batches, puree soup in a blender until smooth. Return it to pot; stir in cream, if using. Season with salt and pepper.




** To prepare leeks: Trim and discard root ends and dark-green parts. Halve lengthwise; thinly slice crosswise. Wash in several changes of cold water until all grit is removed.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:  349 calories; 17.6 grams fat (This would be less if you omit the cream.); 6 grams protein; 44.8 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams fiber

Spiced Roasted Parsnip Soup

Serves 6

Recipe from Good Food Vegetarian Christmas

Adapted and Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

If you’ve not had parsnips, this would be a great recipe to acquaint yourself with this root vegetable. Parsnips look like big white carrots.  Peel and trim them as you would carrots. They are available in the fall. In this recipe, roasting the veggies with the spices deepens the flavors before turning it all into a delicious soup.  And, with most soups, it will taste even better the next day.  Serve this with Ruby Salad with Crumbled Feta and Spicy Pepitas (Pumpkin Seeds)  for a fabulous autumn dinner with friends.  Everything can be made in advance.  Now, that's being party savvy!

                       

2 Tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon coriander seeds or ground coriander

1 teaspoon cumin seed or ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

½ teaspoon mustard seeds or ground mustard

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 large onion, cut into chunks

2 garlic cloves, unpeeled

1 ½ lbs. parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 medium carrot, thickly sliced

2 plum tomatoes, quartered or 1 (16 oz.) can of tomatoes, drained

4 cups vegetable broth plus 1 cup of water

1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preheat oven to 400°F

 Place the onions, garlic cloves, parsnips, carrot and plum tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet.  (If using canned tomatoes, wait to put them in the soup pot with the broth.) Drizzle with the olive oil. Sprinkle the vegetables with the spices and then toss the vegetables with the spices until the vegetables are coated with the oil and spices. Roast for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.  Remove the garlic cloves from the pan. 

Squeeze the roasted garlic from the clove skin onto the vegetables.  Discard the garlic clove skin. Place the vegetable mixture into a soup pot. ***  (If using canned tomatoes, add them to the soup pot now.)  Add the broth and the water.  Using a stick blender, blend until smooth.  Heat until barely simmering.  Remove from the heat.  Stir in the lemon juice.  Serve.

***If you don’t have a stick blender, spoon the vegetable mixture into a food processor or blender with half the broth and process until smooth. Pour into a pan with the remaining broth and water and then heat until barely simmering. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice.

Nutritional Information Per Serving:  233 calories; 6 g protein; 30 g carbohydrates; 10 g fat (1 g saturated fat); 10 fiber; 0 sugar; 1.1 g sodium

Creamy Braised Parsnips with Sage

Serves 4-6

Recipe from Everyday Food

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Why not change it up a bit and serve parsnips as a side dish? Parsnips are loaded with fiber and vitamin C. A single parsnip provides 6 grams!  This is an easy dish to make and quite tasty too.  Also, try Baked Rosemary Parsnip Fries. Parsnips are a great addition to soups and stews too.  Parsnips are now available at Lost River Market & Deli.  Don't know how to recognize or prep a parsnip?  Don't worry.  Just check out the photos below the recipe.

2 teaspoons olive oil

1½ pounds parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/2-by-2-inch pieces

1½ cups chicken broth or vegetable broth

2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage or 1 teaspoon dried sage or thyme.

2 Tablespoons heavy cream

Kosher salt & freshly ground pepper

In a large straight-sided skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add parsnips and sauté until lightly browned, 4 minutes. Add broth and sage and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until tender, 8 minutes. Uncover, increase heat to high, and cook until the liquid is reduced by half. Stir in cream and season with salt and pepper.

A parsnip looks like plump cream colored carrot.  It is a root vegetable and available in the fall.  Store parsnips in a plastic bag (like you would carrots) in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.

To prepare parsnips, just use a peeler and peel off the outer skin.  Trim off the bottom and top, as you would a carrot.

Baked Rosemary Parsnip Fries

Recipe from Epicurious

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Serves 4

                                

If you have a hankerin’ for fries, but you want to eat more healthfully, then this recipe is for you.  Parsnips are very, very good for you and these “fries” will satisfy your craving for the fast food treat.  (Nutritional information is below.)

1-1/2 pounds parsnips, peeled cut into 1/4-inch x 1/4-inch x 3-inch pieces

2 tablespoons olive oil


2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced paper thin


Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste


2 Tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese


1 Tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or dried rosemary, crushed

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a large bowl, toss the parsnips with the oil, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper until thoroughly coated. Lay out on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Place the baking sheet in the middle of the preheated oven and bake 15-20 minutes.  Turn the parsnips over with a spatula. Then cook an additional 10-15 minutes or to desired crispiness.

Toss the fries with the cheese. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Notes:  Parsnips are loaded with fiber and vitamin C. A single parsnip provides 6 grams or around 25 percent of your daily fiber intake. Each parsnip has 20 milligrams of vitamin C to help you reach the recommended daily allowance of 60 to 75 milligrams you need.