Winter Parsnip Puree Soup with Roasted Garlic Oil
Description
The secret to soups like these lies in slowly cooking the onions and vegetables down in some olive oil before simmering slowly in the added liquid.
Once the vegetables are completely soft and nearly falling apart, blend them with some of the liquid using a high-speed blender or immersion blender, and pass the blended soup through a fine wire mesh strainer before serving. You can skip the step with the blender and strainer, if you prefer a chunkier soup.
Ingredients
For the Garlic Oil:
For the Parsnip Puree Soup:
Instructions
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For the roasted garlic oil, simply combine the peeled garlic cloves and olive oil in a small sauce pot on the stove, and increase the heat to medium.
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When the oil is hot and the garlic cloves start to gently sizzle in the oil, reduce the heat to low, and continue to cook until the cloves are lightly golden in color, or about twenty minutes.
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After twenty minutes, strain out the garlic cloves, and reserve the garlic oil. You will only need a small amount for this dish as a garnish.
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When you are ready to begin cooking your soup, add a few Tablespoons of olive oil to a soup pot, along with the diced onion and sliced parsnips.
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Increase the heat to medium, and cook for about fifteen minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Add the coconut milk, and bring the contents back up to a gentle simmer.
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Reduce the heat to low, and cook for an additional fifteen minutes, or until the parsnips are completely tender.
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Blend the vegetables and half of the cooking liquid in a food processor or using an immersion blender, and then pass the contents through a fine mesh strainer.
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Add a splash of sherry vinegar, along with a pinch of Kosher salt. Taste, and add more salt or sherry vinegar if desired.
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Preheat your (oven- and microwave-safe) soup bowls by briefly warming them slightly in the oven or microwave.
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Divide the strained parsnip soup into warmed bowls, and serve with a pinch of freshly-cracked black pepper and oregano, along with a drizzle of the roasted garlic oil that you prepared earlier.
Note
Whenever a recipe says, “pass the blended soup through a strainer”, it generally means to use a spoon or ladle to press the puree contents through a fine wire mesh strainer or chinois. This typically pertains to thicker soups or purees that need a bit more help to make their way through the fine mesh, where you are looking for an even smoother final texture.
