Parsnip Soup

Parsnips are (except for the herbs) the absolute last man standing in the garden. The cool thing about them is that you can keep them in the ground all winter long, and just harvest them as you need them. In fact, the cold of the winter converts the starches in the roots to sugars and makes them especially delicious as the winter progresses. For those not familiar with the parsnip, its a white root vegetable that resembles the carrot. It tastes and functions more like a potato though. I LOVE them mashed or roasted. Parsnips are chock full of potassium and fiber. I'm making a little soup for lunch.

I felt like "Miss Parsnip America" with a bouquet of lovely parsnips instead of roses as I was bringing these in from the garden. The tops on my parsnips are HUGE.

I cleaned, peeled (when applicable) and diced 4 of my parsnips, half of an apple, half of an onion, and a stalk of celery. I diced a couple huge cloves of garlic too. I didn't end up using all of the garlic.

Saute in a large pan with a little butter and olive oil. I threw in some thyme from the garden.
I threw in a little habenero too. And salt & pepper of course too.

When the onions get translucent, I add 3 cups of chicken stock, and one cup of water and let it simmer for a while.

While that's simmering, I chop a little parsley for garnish. Parsley is a close relative to the parsnip. I thought I was clever for creating a little family reunion in a bowl.

After about 15 minutes, I puree with an immersion blender, taste and adjust seasonings. We loved this soup.