Ancho Parsnip Soup
The story of this soup is not romantic. I wasn't wandering through the farmer's market with my hand-woven basket. I wasn't talking with vendors about their wares or adjusting my straw hat against the spring sun.
I was cleaning the fridge. But you probably already knew that.
This silly pound of parsnips had been knocking around the produce drawer for at least two months. Annoyingly, they would not go bad, which would have given me an excuse to compost them. They were firm as ever, and never seemed to fit into my meal plan. And darn those 4 sweet potatoes next to them. Sick of looking at them.
I didn't engage in many noble pursuits this week. I watched too much TV. The clean laundry is still piled up in the basement. I didn't participate in the Immigrants' Rights March downtown or offer to watch anybody's children. But here's what I did--I rescued these parsnips and sweet potatoes. I made something delicious out of them. Surely that counts for something.
Ancho Parsnip Soup
You can sub yams for the sweet potatoes or use a combo. Some carrots thrown in here would be delicious, too. I happen to have some wonderfully smoky ancho chile powder around here. If all you have is regular chile powder, it will work, but might not taste quite as magical. You average supermarket chile powder is a mixture of chile,cumin, and other stuff.
6 large parsnips, peeled and cut into 2" sticks
4 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
6 garlic cloves
olive oil
coarse salt
2 Tb. ancho chile powder
1/2 c. cream
juice from one large lime
1/4 c. orange juice
Heat oven to 450.
On a large baking sheet, toss parsnips, garlic, and sweet potatoes with lots of olive oil, salt and ancho chile powder. Roast until edges are caramelized and everything is soft, 35-40 minutes. Stir once, halfway through. Take out and let cool down a bit.
In two batches, puree vegetables in a food processor, adding about 1/2 water each time to loosen. Puree until mixture is very smooth, about 2 minutes.
In a large pot, mix puree with cream, lime juice, orange juice, and more water according to your preference. I don't like my pureed soups to be too thick, but it's easier to add more water than to make it thicker, so do it slowly. Add more salt to taste and more chile powder if you want. Serve with a swirl of cream or sour cream on top.
April 11, 2010
Reader Comments (13)
love this... so creative. I have been thinking of you lately, and how we haven't talked/commented lately... and then there you were, how perfect :) Hope you are well my dear!
I do have some ugly carrots at the bottom of the fridge and some leeks.....hmmmm.
Looks lovely!
i think this sounds fantastic!
Sounds and looks yummy-licious. Haven't ever bought a parsnip. Maybe I should change that.
I bet your family was appreciative and if they weren't those parsnips and sweet potatoes sure were. They died a beautiful romantic death.
Sarah--is it too forward to say I love you? This post screams it if ever there were a time to say it. What's the deal with parsnips, because I think mine were screaming the same story to me. Glad you made use of them:)
Just wanted to let you know that I had relatives visiting this weekend, and I made Chicken Adobo for dinner. Had never made it before, and it was a hit. I didn't even consult my cookbooks for recipe ideas, and instead went to your food blog. Thanks, Sarah. We love your pizza dough recipe, as well.
I have a soup recipe for you...potato parsnip soup. yum.
What a pretty picture -- especially like the chive buds.
I love two things about this post: 1) I waited just about as long to use up a parsnip, so you made me feel better that I wasn't cooking my family nasty rotten vegetables, and 2) you give yourself the freedom not to be down-in-the-dumps about what you did not do this week. That lifts my spirits and reminds me that, frankly, some weeks it is about rescuing the darn vegetables from your fridge.
Hooray for parsnips! People fear them for some reason. They do seem sturdier than carrots, but have much of the same sweet, earthy flavor. I'm going to try this. Tomorrow. I kid you not.
Just comng to your site, and reading your comments about not going to the farmer's market is so refreshing! I planed parsnips LAST year; I thought they were just okay; they reseeded themselves and now I have even more of them, so I understand your feelings!