Tower and Town, February 2018

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From Karen’s Kitchen

Spicy Parsnip Soup (serves 6)

This recipe should help warm you up on a cold, damp February day.

3 large parsnips
1 large onion
1 clove garlic
2 tart eating apples
1 chicken stock cube (+ boiling water to cover veg)
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon crushed cardamom seeds
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
salt and pepper
single cream or yoghurt and chopped parsley for garnish

Peel and chop parsnips, onion, apples and garlic.

Heat oil in large saucepan and add onion to soften, and then garlic and the parsnips. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring, and then add the apples, followed by the spices, making sure they don’t burn. Cover with the water and stock cube and some salt. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Liquidise in Magimix or pulverise in saucepan with hand liquidiser and add some milk if too thick. Test seasoning adding freshly ground black pepper and maybe more salt. Taste well and, if it needs it, add a tablespoon of chutney or some lemon juice.

Serve with a drizzle of single cream or yoghurt and some chopped parsley.

This is a basic recipe that can be varied to use up different vegetables (carrots/ sweet potato) or spices (turmeric, cumin, saffron). Tasting before serving is part of the pleasure.

Karen Osborne