Roasted Parsnip Soup

Here's a lovely comforting soup to brighten up a cold January day!  Parsnips are at their best right now and roasting them in the oven with some warming spices really brings out their sweet, mellow flavour.  Adding a touch of turmeric magically transforms the soup into a gorgeous golden colour too.

The cooking process is very similar to my recipe for Butternut Squash Soup and this is another simple recipe where there's no hanging around watching a pan for ages.  You can even roast the vegetables in the oven whilst you're cooking something else, then finish off the soup later, the next day or whenever you have time. 

And if you don't want to make soup, the ingredients make a delicious vegetable dish.  Just follow the recipe and serve the golden roasted parsnips straight from the oven.

Ingredients                 Serves 4


700g parsnips
1 onion
2 tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp coriander seeds (or ground coriander)
½ tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin seeds (or ground cumin)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 vegetable stock cube  (e.g. Kallo)
15ml (1 tbsp) lemon juice

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/Gas Mark 7.

First, crush the cumin and coriander seeds in a pestle and mortar, just enough to bring out their spicy aroma! 

Peel the parsnips and quarter them lengthways.  With larger parsnips, remove the woody core first.    Chop into approx 1" (2.5cm) sized chunks.

Peel and slice the onion into 8 segments.   Peel the garlic cloves and cut in half. Quarter the tomatoes.

Spread out all the prepared vegetables on a large baking tray and sprinkle over the coriander, cumin and turmeric and some freshly ground salt and pepper.

Drizzle over the olive oil.  Then, using a couple of large spoons or a fish slice, toss the vegetables in the oil and spices until well mixed.

Place the baking tray in the oven for about 25 to 30 minutes until the vegetables are soft and golden.  (Half way through the cooking time, just give the vegetables a good stir and spread them out evenly again)

 Transfer the vegetables to a food processor. 

Process until you have a reasonably smooth consistency.   Then, continue to process as you pour in about 400ml of boiling water.

Dissolve the vegetable stock cube in a large saucepan filled with 800ml boiling water.   Add the parsnip puree and stir with a balloon whisk over a medium heat until gently simmering.  Finally add the lemon juice and check the seasoning.

  
 Serve piping hot! 

Carrot and Ginger Soup

After the Christmas holidays, I always think it's good to get back to basics and eat something simple!   Here's a warming carrot and ginger soup that's ready in minutes, costs next to nothing and made with ingredients you probably have to hand!

The fresh ginger flavour is quite subtle so, if you like strong flavours, you might want to add more.   Adding soya milk and a blob of natural soya yogurt on top is also optional.  It just makes it creamier!

Ingredients

500g carrots

250g potatoes 

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 stick of celery, chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

40g dairyfree margarine

1 piece of fresh ginger (3 - 4 cm long)

1 litre vegetable stock (made with Kallo organic stock cube)

150ml (6fl.oz) unsweetened soya milk (optional)

Method

Heat the oil and margarine in a large pan and gently cook the chopped onion and celery until soft but not brown - about 5 minutes.

Peel and dice the potatoes into pieces about 2cm square.  Scrub the carrots and cut into medium slices. 

Add them to the pan,  stir and cover with a lid. Then, let the vegetables sweat for about 10 minutes over a low heat, stirring occasionally.

Peel and finely grate the fresh ginger.   A tablespoon of grated ginger is about right for a gently spiced soup.

Pour in the stock with the grated ginger,  bring to the boil,  then reduce the heat and simmer the soup for about 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

 

Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool for about 15 minutes.   Using a hand-held blender,  whizz until smooth finally adding the milk (if using) and seasoning.  

Taste to check the flavour, adding more seasoning if necessary, then reheat and serve.   If the soup is too thick, just add a little extra water or milk.

If you like, garnish with a spoonful of Alpro natural soya yogurt and a few chopped herbs such as parsley.

Butternut Squash Soup

I'm a great fan of butternut squash and even started growing my own in the garden last year.  With the intense colour of sunshine,  it brightens up any plate whether served in slices and sauteed in olive oil, stuffed and baked in the oven or diced in a risotto.  For sheer intensity of flavour, dazzling colour and minimal preparation, you can't beat a lovely roasted butternut squash soup.

This recipe is simplicity itself. The squash, onion and garlic are all baked in the oven with olive oil and thyme before being pureed in a food processor and diluted with some vegetable stock. The result is a truly delicious soup with a soft luscious texture and superb natural sweetness!   And did I mention the colour?

Ingredients                   Serves 4

I medium butternut squash (approx 1 kg/2lbs)
1 large onion
5 cloves garlic
8 - 10 sprigs of fresh thyme
3 tbsp olive oil
1 vegetable stock cube dissolved in 300ml boiling water
fresh parsley to garnish
salt and pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/Gas Mark 6.
 
Cut the squash lengthways and remove the seeds and any stringy bits but leave the skin on.  Cut into chunks and arrange in a single layer with the cut side upwards in a large baking dish.
Leaving the skin on the onion and garlic too, cut the onion into quarters and together with the garlic cloves, place in between the squash.

(Five garlic cloves may sound rather a lot but, when it's baked slowly in the oven, garlic becomes soft and gooey and mild in flavour)

Drizzle the olive oil over the vegetables and place the thyme sprigs on top. Season with salt and pepper. 

Cover the dish with foil and bake for an hour or so until the vegetables are tender.  Test for softness with a sharp knife and, if the squash still feels hard, give it another 15 to 30 minutes.

Remove the foil and leave for a few minutes until cool enough to handle or until you are ready to make the soup.

Using a spoon, scrape the squash from the skin and place in a food processor.

Discard the outer layers of the onion and remove the sprigs of thyme.  Squeeze the garlic cloves between your fingers and add the soft garlic puree to the processor with the cooked onion wedges.

Blend until smooth and then transfer the pureed vegetable mixture to a large pan.   Gradually add 300ml hot stock or enough to make a smooth soup.  If it's too thick, just add some water.

Reheat the soup gently, check the seasoning, then ladle into bowls.  Garnish with a little chopped fresh parsley.

Mushroom Soup

I made this soup last week as some friends were coming to dinner and I wanted a warming starter for a cold January evening. Served with some lovely organic bread, crisped up under the grill or in the oven, you can't go wrong!

For years,  I used flour to thicken mushroom soup but this doesn't need any.  It's full of flavour and goodness yet creamy and smooth too!

You can use any variety of mushrooms.  I normally go for the open cap varieties. The dark gills give the soup a rich colour and intense flavour.  

Ingredients

About 500g mushrooms
A knob of dairyfree margarine
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1 small leek, sliced
1 small potato, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 organic vegetable stock cube (Kallo)
750ml boiling water
About 250ml unsweetened soya milk
A few chestnut mushrooms and some
chopped parsley to garnish

Melt the margarine with the olive oil in a large pan, add the sliced leek, diced potato, chopped onion.   Cover and cook for a few minutes then add the chopped garlic.  Stir well and continue to cook for a couple more minutes.

Roughly chop the mushrooms.

Add the mushrooms to the pan and stir.  Cover and sweat until they have started to cook down a little.

Dissolve the stock cube in the hot water. Pour into the pan and simmer for about 20 minutes.

Allow the soup to to cool a little then, using a hand blender, whizz until completely smooth.  Alternatively transfer the soup to a blender and then return to the pan.

Add enough soya milk to make a smooth creamy consistency.   Taste and check for seasoning and flavour.

For special occasions, I sometimes add a tablespoon of sherry. 

As a garnish, quickly fry some sliced chestnut mushrooms in a little olive oil, season with salt and pepper.  Stir in some chopped parsley and then spoon a little of the mixture into the middle of the soup.

Serve with crispy bread for a delicious winter lunch!