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I suspect that this will be the first on a few parsnip soups from myself, though I have to confess to not having tried this one yet. My favourite, a lovely simple recipe, has already been posted here previously so can't count towards the CookingBites Recipe Challenge sadly.
So spicy carrot and parsnip soup. I'm into spices at the moment in a large easy. I'm on a diet following a year in bed after a back issue and spices are helping me to liven up low calorie soups and add great depth to dishes and that is exactly what we have here with this dish. I have modified the dish because there are elements of the original I know I won't like or are simply too much hassle for a home when you don't have guests you want to impress etc... Plus I wanted to simplify it because whilst the recipe appealed to me I could see the additions were going to put a lot of people off, me included!
If time is limited, cool the veg smaller to get it to cook note quickly, but bear in mind that the spices will not have the same chance to develop their flavours. It can be served as is out with a touch of oil drizzled over it, or a swirl of cream or coconut milk or even the new Alpro coconut cuisine (its a coconut alternative to single cream which is actually very nice and has fewer calories than soya cream has!)
The longer you can allow the pre-liquidised soup stock to stand with the spice bundle in, the better the flavours will be from it.
Ingredients
For the spice bundle
3 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and sliced
5 thick slices of fresh ginger
1 handful fresh thyme sprigs
1 handful fresh marjoram sprigs
4 dried bay leaves
2 teaspoons whole allspice (if not available use 1/2 tsp ground allspice added to the soup)
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
2 teaspoons juniper berries (optional and if available)
For the soup
4-6 carrots, chopped into 1 inch pieces
3-4 smaller parsnips, peeled (optional) and chopped into 1 inch pieces
1 bulb of fennel, chopped into 1 inch pieces
4-6 stalks celery, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
2 onions, chopped
1-2 cooking apple, peeled (not optional), cored and left in quarters
1 large baking potato, chopped into 1 inch pieces
Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp salt
1-1.5L vegetable stock
Method
1. Assemble spice mix by wrapping the herbs and spices in a cheesecloth and tying with string. You are creating a custom bouquet gourmet which will be removed later on. Any cloth that is clean and will hold the smallest seeds in will work.
2. Put all of the ingredients for the soup into a large saucepan along with 1l of the stock and the spice bundle, cover, bring to boil then reduce the heat so the stock simmers gently when covered and cook until the potatoes are falling apart. How quickly this takes really depends on the size you chopped the veg to, but expect 45-90 minutes.
4. When done, remove the spice bundle and allow the soup to cool before puréeing the soup in batches in a blender until silky smooth.
5. Return the soup to a clean saucepan before reheating before serving, using the remaining stock to thin the soup as needed. Serve with a touch of olive oil drizzled over, or a little cream or even coconut milk/cream/cream alternative and if you are feeling fancy some sliced spring onions can be placed on the top!
The soup is adapted from here www.myrecipes.com/recipe/carrot-parsnip-soup
So spicy carrot and parsnip soup. I'm into spices at the moment in a large easy. I'm on a diet following a year in bed after a back issue and spices are helping me to liven up low calorie soups and add great depth to dishes and that is exactly what we have here with this dish. I have modified the dish because there are elements of the original I know I won't like or are simply too much hassle for a home when you don't have guests you want to impress etc... Plus I wanted to simplify it because whilst the recipe appealed to me I could see the additions were going to put a lot of people off, me included!
If time is limited, cool the veg smaller to get it to cook note quickly, but bear in mind that the spices will not have the same chance to develop their flavours. It can be served as is out with a touch of oil drizzled over it, or a swirl of cream or coconut milk or even the new Alpro coconut cuisine (its a coconut alternative to single cream which is actually very nice and has fewer calories than soya cream has!)
The longer you can allow the pre-liquidised soup stock to stand with the spice bundle in, the better the flavours will be from it.
Ingredients
For the spice bundle
3 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and sliced
5 thick slices of fresh ginger
1 handful fresh thyme sprigs
1 handful fresh marjoram sprigs
4 dried bay leaves
2 teaspoons whole allspice (if not available use 1/2 tsp ground allspice added to the soup)
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
2 teaspoons juniper berries (optional and if available)
For the soup
4-6 carrots, chopped into 1 inch pieces
3-4 smaller parsnips, peeled (optional) and chopped into 1 inch pieces
1 bulb of fennel, chopped into 1 inch pieces
4-6 stalks celery, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
2 onions, chopped
1-2 cooking apple, peeled (not optional), cored and left in quarters
1 large baking potato, chopped into 1 inch pieces
Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp salt
1-1.5L vegetable stock
Method
1. Assemble spice mix by wrapping the herbs and spices in a cheesecloth and tying with string. You are creating a custom bouquet gourmet which will be removed later on. Any cloth that is clean and will hold the smallest seeds in will work.
2. Put all of the ingredients for the soup into a large saucepan along with 1l of the stock and the spice bundle, cover, bring to boil then reduce the heat so the stock simmers gently when covered and cook until the potatoes are falling apart. How quickly this takes really depends on the size you chopped the veg to, but expect 45-90 minutes.
4. When done, remove the spice bundle and allow the soup to cool before puréeing the soup in batches in a blender until silky smooth.
5. Return the soup to a clean saucepan before reheating before serving, using the remaining stock to thin the soup as needed. Serve with a touch of olive oil drizzled over, or a little cream or even coconut milk/cream/cream alternative and if you are feeling fancy some sliced spring onions can be placed on the top!
The soup is adapted from here www.myrecipes.com/recipe/carrot-parsnip-soup
