Garlic Roasted Parsnip Soup

Here is a popular recipe I created for my restaurant years ago in the US, yet it is so easy to make and with a few finishing touches to make the soup a stand out. The addition of potato makes it less sweet than some parsnip soups and roasting the parsnips with garlic adds an earthy edge.  This recipe will also show you how easy it is to make homemade croutons from leftover bread to make this thrifty as well as tasty.

Ingredients serves 4

500 g Parsnips peeled

60 g white onion diced

150 g potatoes peeled and chopped

4 Garlic cloves

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

25 g unsalted butter

1 litre Vegetable stock

100 ml whole Milk

1/2 tin Chickpeas drained

1/2 teaspoon Ras-el-nut

Home made croutons

Made from left over bread diced

1. 5 Tbsp Olive oil

1 clove finely chopped garlic

Fresh Coriander

Optional Sour cream

Method

1. Reserve 1 parsnip and cut the rest into 1/4’s lengthwise and blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes, then drain well.
2. Place drained parsnip in a small non stick roasting tray together with the cloves of garlic.  Rub with 1/2 TBsp olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Roast in a 175 C oven until tender.
3. In a large saucepan gently cook the onion with the butter until soft.
4. Add the diced potato and cook for a further 1 minute before adding the hot stock.
5. Simmer the soup on a medium heat until the potatoes are tender.
6. Now add the roasted parsnips, reserving the garlic.
7. Squeeze the garlic from the skins and add to the soup.
8. Heat 1/2Tbsp olive oil and add the chickpeas, fry for 1-2 minutes, then add the Ras-el-nut and transfer the chickpeas to the oven to cook for 5 minutes, then reserve.
9. Use a  food processer or hand blender to puree the soup until smooth. Now add the milk to thin the soup down, season with salt and pepper.
10. Use a sharp peeler and peel the reserve raw parsnip into thin ribbons lay on paper towel and season lightly with salt to draw the moisture out.
11. Next make the croutons by cutting your bread into 1/2 inch pieces and then toss in a non-stick frying pan with the olive oil and finely chopped garlic. Fry the croutons for 2 minutes and keep stirring them before moving the pan to the oven.  Cook the croutons until lightly brown then sprinkle with the chopped coriander.
12. Finally deep fry the parsnip in oil so that is 180 C. Move the ribbons around and cook until very lightly brown then drain on paper towel and sprinkle very lightly with salt to help keep them crisp.

To Serve

Pour your hot soup into your bowls , then top with the crunchie chickpeas, croutons and a crispy ribbon or two of parsnip. Add a small dollop of sour cream if you wish.