Tag Archives: Parsnip Soup

Yellow Split Pea and Parsnip Soup

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If I’m being completely honest, I need to tell you that this soup was inspired by a bag of parsnip chips from Trader Joe’s!

As I crunched my way through the entire bag, it occurred to me that these salty and slightly sweet chips would be a welcome bit of crunch crumbled on top of a creamy parsnip soup. Luckily I had the foresight to buy two bags. I found a forgotten jar of yellow split peas in the cupboard and decided to use them as the soup base.

After shooting all day, the last thing I want to do it eat is whatever I have been photographing. I have usually plated it 3-4 different ways, transferred it from bowl to plate to mug to see what looks better and by the time I am finished, I never want to see that food again. Depending on what it is, I will either deliver it to a friend, send it off to my husband’s office or wrap it up and stick it in the freezer.

The recipe for this soup makes a big pot so it’s perfect for freezing, and pulling out on those nights when you just can’t face cooking.
Parsnips are an under-utilized vegetable. I love them roasted but they make a stellar soup ingredient. They have an mild spice flavour, reminiscent of nutmeg and cinnamon.

Start by sautéing the all-powerful culinary trio of onions, carrots and celery and add a heaping pile of diced parsnips.
Ground cumin and smoked paprika really complement the slightly earthy flavour of parsnips.

Packed with fibre and protein, yellow split peas will make a healthy counterbalance to the parsnip chip garnish!

Vegetable stock was my liquid of choice.

Click here to print recipe for Yellow Split Pea and Parsnip Soup.

 

 

Pear Parsnip Pistachio Soup

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Pear Parsnip pistachio soup 2 625 sqPear Parsnip Pistachio Soup. Say that 3 times fast! If you or your progeny are of a certain vintage, the title of this soup may bring back memories of a certain Sesame Street Fairy Tale called The King Banishes the Letter P, featuring King Peter The Persnickety.

I just adore the shape and all the gorgeous colour variations of fall pears. However, for eating out of hand, pears just don’t set my pulse racing like a crisp Sweetango apple. But when cooked, the flesh of pears becomes silky and velvety. That’s what I wanted to capture in this soup.pears 2I decided to combine the pears with parsnips. The earthy tangy quality of the parsnips would provide the perfect balance for the sweetness of the pears. Looking for inspiration, I stumbled across a recipe for a Pear Parsnip soup with a very odd list of disparate ingredients that included wine, milk, pistachios and a chile pepper. But then I saw that the recipe was from Stephanie Izard’s (Top Chef winner Season 4) cookbook, Girl in the Kitchen. Long a fan of Stephanie’s big bold flavours, I knew I had to try this soup. parsnips

cooking soupI baked some pear chips to accompany the soup, because I like a little crunch with a pureed soup. They couldn’t be simpler to make. Slice firm pears very thinly on a mandolin. Or, if your knife skills are excellent and you can slice very thinly and evenly with a sharp knife, go for it! No need to peel or core the pears.  Lay them flat, in a single layer (do not overlap) on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 200°F for 45 minutes. Turn the pears over and bake for another 30-45 minutes until they are curled up at the edges and golden brown. They will still be a bit pliable at this point but will harden upon cooling. making pear chipsThe pear chips will keep for a week, in an airtight container. You could sprinkle a bit of salt or cinnamon on them before baking, but I just left mine plain. They make such a pretty garnish for the soup. Pear Parsnip pistachio soup 3Sometimes pureed root vegetable soups can taste a little bit flat, and you aren’t really sure what vegetables you’re tasting. I wanted both the pears and the parsnip flavours to shine through. This soup delivered in spades. The chile flakes quietly announce themselves with a gentle heat that does not smack you over the head. The wine provides much needed acidity and the milk contributes a mellow gentle background note. Salty pistachios add texture and a wonderful counterpoint to the sweet pears. 

Click here to print recipe for Pear Parsnip and Pistachio Soup.