Old Parsnips

[Pink Fingers]

Has anyone made soup with old parsnips? 

I still have some in the allotment that are now shooting and it does seem a shame to waste them - particularly as I have volunteered to make soup for Lent lunch at our church.  If they are pureed that would get over the toughness, but will the flavour be affected?  I'm not too keen on the perennial curried parsnip, but have previously done creamed parsnip or fennel and parsnip.

[Pink Fingers]

[Suzanne]

I do a Parsnip and bacon soup which is tasty. It's not an exact recipe as I tend to throw things in together and if it works out fine, if not I change it next time.

But for this;

1 onion diced
Either pancetta cubes or a couple of rashers of smoked bacon diced.
Celery stick diced

Add pancetta to a pan and fry gently then add onions/celery to soften - not going for any colour. I don't add any extra fat as enough usually from the pancetta.

Parsnips (I use about 1lb to 1.5 lb - but if you have more just up the rest of the ingredients)

Parsnips cut up into chunks and any woody centres removed. Add to pan and fry for a couple of minutes.

Add well flavoured chicken stock to cover all vegetables, bring to the boil and simmer until parsnips tender.

I then blitz with a handblender and add a little bit of milk to make the soup creamy but also thin it a bit if not enough stock and then season to taste.

Serve with crispy bits of bacon (those that you can buy to sprinkle on salad are fine) and crusty bread.
A

[Pink Fingers]

Now that sounds good - hadn't thought of bacon.  I've just been to the allotment and brought back a load more parsnips.  Need the soup on 6th March, so I'll let you know how it goes - might just have a taster at the weekend.  Don't want to poison the congregation!

Thanks ;D

[PurpleHeather]

It is fiddly but you can take out the middles.

The middles will still cook and are fine, they just take much longer.

I noticed that parsnips were available frozen and now part cook mine and freeze, they can be roasted off later.

[Pink Fingers]

Thanks, another good idea - I will try freezing some of the smaller ones. I never did get around to thinning them out so have a wide variety of sizes. 

Only problem with an allotment is that you end up needing a bigger freezer!

p.s.  Going to try the bacon/parsnip soup today.

[jesssands]

HEY, Suzanne, I made the parsnip and bacon soup last night. Its beautiful.  ;D
We will be taking it to work tomo for our lunch. I asked our lad today if he wanted a taste, he started spooning out more and more and it was cold! I had to tell him to sod off in the end!

[Pink Fingers]

You are right Suzanne - trial run made a lovely soup.  I'll let you know what the congregation thinks (thanks goodness for milk cartons). 

I added some onions to bulk it out a bit (if I can just find someone with a spare pig I could 'borrow' some pancetta and make it for nothing).

[Suzanne]

Glad you both liked it.

[mat]

carrot and parsnip makes a good combination for a soup

mat

[Pink Fingers]

Just to let you know the soup was a great success - more popular than the 'compost' soup and the carrot 'n' butter bean.