Curry’s spicy bite offsets the sweetness of the parsnips in this rich, but delicate, soup. Adapted from Jane Garmey in The New York Times.
- 1 pound parsnips, peeled, sliced crosswise into rounds
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- _ cup flour*
- 2 teaspoons curry powder or to taste
- 4_ cups chicken or vegetable stock or water
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Milk, half-and-half, or cream as needed
- 2 scallions, finely chopped, for garnish
- Heat butter over medium-low heat in a large saucepan and add parsnips and onion. Sauté gently about 5 minutes, until vegetables are limp, adding garlic during the last few minutes.
- Stir in flour and curry powder and sauté about 1 minute, then slowly pour in stock. Increase heat to medium and slowly bring mixture to a simmer, stirring constantly. Simmer 15 minutes, or until parsnips are tender. Cool.
- Using a blender, hand blender, or food processor, purée soup and return to a clean pan. Add enough milk or cream, if desired, to reach the consistency you prefer. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Just before serving, reheat very gently. Garnish each serving with scallions.
* Variation: Leave out the flour. Add a peeled, medium-to large potato, cut into small dice, along with the parsnips, and cook until both vegetables are tender before proceeding with recipe.
