Parsnip: The Overlooked Winter Delight

(I apologize for the poor photo quality…the camera batteries died so I had to use my phone. *sigh* )

Ever picked up a parsnip at the grocery store and thought to yourself that it looked just like a carrot, except it was much paler and less attractive looking? If you had judged parsnip by its unflattering appearance in the past — just like me — then you probably would have thought of it as being anything but tasty. Ooooh boy, you’ve missed out!

I see parsnips all the time at my local grocery store, but I never felt compelled to try it, especially since I had not found any parsnip recipes that seemed intriguing enough. Then, finally one day I discovered Jamie Oliver’s recipe for a Spicy Parsnip Soup. Considering that you can never go wrong with Jamie’s recipe, I decided it is finally time for me to try parsnips!

And I am so glad I tried it. The soup turned out absolutely delicious. The simplicity of the recipe truly allowed the parsnips’ flavour to shine. The natural sweetness of the parsnips was perfectly complemented by the spiciness of the curry powder, creating a truly sensational combination.

From now on, I see parsnips through different eyes!

Jamie Oliver’s Spicy Parsnip Soup

Adapted from Jamie Oliver’s Spicy Parsnip Soup

What you’ll need:

1/2 small onion, finely chopped
A small knob of ginger, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
1/3 teaspoon of curry powder (I did not have garam masala so I substituted in curry powder)
2 small parsnips (about 1/2lb), chopped into medium-sized chunks
1/2 cup milk (I used 1% milk, Jamie suggests coconut milk in place of regular milk for a twist in flavour)
3/4 – 1 cup chicken stock (or vegetable stock if you prefer to keep this a vegetarian option)
Drizzle of olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Splash of lemon juice, optional
Heavy cream, optional

What you’ll do:

Heat olive oil in pan. Sauté onion and ginger on medium heat until onion is soft and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle in curry powder and add in garlic, heat until fragrant, stirring occasionally.
Stir in parsnip chunks, give a few good stirs to make sure the parsnip gets coated with oil.
Pour in milk and stock, until liquid just barely covers the parsnip chunks. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer with lid on until parsnip becomes tender, about 20 – 30 minutes (depending on how big the chunks are).
When parsnip chunks are tender enough, pour contents into a blender and blend until it reaches a silky, smooth consistency.
You can serve immediately or pour into a container, let it cool and store in refrigerator.
Add in lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Add in a splash of heavy cream if desired. Makes 2 servings.

Enjoy!

Do you have a favourite parsnip recipe? Share it here!