Vegetables go in and out of fashion just like clothing styles and parsnip seems to be one of those. Related to parsley rather than carrots they have become a regular ingredient at our house. They work well with any other root vegetables like potatoes, carrots, turnips and are equally delicious roasted, mashed or pureed in a soup like this one. They are also packed with folate and potassium, two important nutrients for your cardiovascular health and boast significant levels of vitamins C, E and K.
Parsnip, apple and celery soup (serves 4 to 6)
2 tbsp olive oil
4 apples, peeled, quartered and thickly sliced
3 parsnips, peeled and thickly sliced
5 sticks celery, thickly sliced
1/4 cup calvados or apple cider
1/4 tsp fresh ginger, grated
sea salt and cracked black pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg, grated
1 tsp coriander, ground
4 cups (1l) vegetable stock
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute the apples, parsnip and celery until slightly browned. Pour in the calvados and continue to cook until the liquid has evaporated. Add the ginger and season with salt, pepper, nutmeg and coriander. Add the stock and allow to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Puree the mixture with an immersion blender and stir through the sour cream. If the soup is to thick add more stock. Adjust the seasoning if necessary and serve with a dollop of sour cream and a generous sprinkle of parsley.
