Parsnip Soup
A classic, earthy root vegetable soup made with parsnips, celery, and onions simmered in stock. Due to the natural sugars in parsnips, this soup has a distinct sweetness which can be balanced with a splash of vinegar, a technique noted in the original text as common in Belgium and Germany.
Ingredients
- 6 medium Parsnips, peeled and chopped (Approximately 1kg or 2 lbs)
- 1 large Onion, peeled and chopped
- 4 stalks Celery stalks, chopped (Original calls for 'half a head')
- 1.5 liters Vegetable or Chicken Stock (Adjust quantity to achieve consistency of pea soup)
- 1.5 tsp Salt (Adjust to taste; parsnips require extra salt)
- 0.5 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tbsp White Wine Vinegar or Cider Vinegar (Optional; used to correct sweetness)
Instructions
- 1Wash, peel, and roughly chop the parsnips, onion, and celery into uniform pieces to ensure even cooking.
- 2Place the prepared vegetables in a large pot and cover with the stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the parsnips are quite tender.
- 3Remove from heat. Puree the mixture until smooth. (The original recipe calls for rubbing through a wire sieve, but a modern blender or immersion blender works best). If the soup is too thick, add a little more stock or water; it should have the consistency of pea soup.
- 4Return the soup to the pot and bring it to a boil again. Add salt and pepper. Taste carefully—parsnips are naturally sweet, so you may need more salt than usual. If the soup is too sweet for your taste, stir in the vinegar (a technique used in Belgium and Germany).