There are lots of recipes available for spiced parsnip and apple soup, but I wanted to celebrate the flavours of the ingredients, rather than mask them.
The key however is in getting the right balance between parsnip and apple. I have used Cox's Orange Pippins (or Cox's) which have a fabulous, strong appley flavour.
The ratio of parsnip to apple is therefore 3 to 1, as I didn't want the apple to dominate the soup.
A touch of ground nutmeg and a few sprigs of thyme enhance the soup, but do remember to remove the thyme sprigs before blending.
If you want to keep it vegan or vegetarian, then simply use vegetable oil rather than butter and vegetable stock rather than chicken.
For the soup
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil OR a
Knob of butter
600g peeled, topped and tailed parsnips
200g peeled and cored Cox's Orange Pippin apples (about 2)
100g peeled potato (floury e.g. Maris Piper)
175g white onion (about 1 large)
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
Nutmeg
1 teaspoon of honey
1 litre of chicken OR vegetable stock
Seasoning
For the caramelized apples (optional)
1 Cox's Orange Pippin apple
Knob of butter
To make the soup
- Top and tail the parsnips, then cut into chunks (see image).
- Peel the potato and onion and cut into chunks.
- Peel and core the apples and cut into chunks.
- Top and tail the spring onions and then cut into slices.
- Heat the oil butter (or oil) in the bottom of a large pan, over a medium low heat.
- When the butter has melted, add the onions, celery and potato and cook until the onion becomes translucent and the other vegetables starts to soften.
- Pour in the stock.
- Finely grate a pinch of nutmeg into the mix, and then throw in the sprigs of thyme.
- Season well and bring to the boil.
- Turn down the heat, cover and cook for 20 minutes.
- Remove the thyme and add the honey.
- Blend the soup and serve.
To make the caramelized apples.
- Peel and core the apple and cut into slices (see image).
- Melt a knob of butter over a low to medium heat in a small frying pan. (Note that if the pan is too hot, the butter will burn).
- When the butter has melted, is bubbling and hot, then add the apples slices.
- Cook on each side until they are lightly golden.
- Garnish the soup with the apples.
