Vegetables in Season in July

Asian Greens

Beetroot

Broccoli

Brussels sprouts

Cabbage

Carrots

Cauliflower

Celeriac

Celery

Fennel

Jerusalem artichokes

Kale

Kohlrabi

Leeks

Okra

Onions

Parsnips

Potatoes

Pumpkin

Silverbeet

Spinach

Swede

Sweet Potato

Turnip

Witlof

Aromatics

Garlic

Ginger

Horseradish

Eschallots

Parsnip Soup

Most vegetable soups benefit if you add vegetable stock but let’s face it, we rarely get around to making stocks of any kind. Most cook books include recipes for chicken, beef and vegetable stock because they really can make a difference to the final flavours and they are relatively easy to make. But for most of us it’s that extra step we can’t be bothered with especially now that prepared stocks are available. If you do happen to have some time this weekend, make a vegetable stock on the Saturday and enjoy a wonderful soup on Sunday night. There is a certain pleasure to be gained in the experience.

Anyway, for the recipe below I suggest infusing the water with trimmings and aromatics used in the soup, or you could do the same with bought vegetable stock if you happen to have some in the pantry. Inspiration for this recipe, especially the parsnip ‘croutons’ comes from Deborah Madison who has been at the forefront of good vegetarian cooking in America for some years now.

Ingredients

1kg parsnips - scrubbed well, trimmed and peeled (keep all the trimmings)

6 cups water or stock

1/2 cup chopped coriander stems - not the leaves or the roots

4 thin slices ginger, unpeeled

3 Tablespoons butter

1 large brown onion - roughly chopped

400g carrots - peeled and thinly sliced

1-1/2 teaspoons ground coriander

1T flour

Salt and  ground pepper

1cup of milk or cream

Method

• Prepare the ’stock’ by bringing some water or prepared vegetable stock to the boil with some extra coriander stems, the onion skin, all the parsnip trimmings and one slice of the ginger added. After coming to the boil turn off the heat and allow to infuse for 30 minutes before using
• Save one parsnip for the garnish. Cut the other parsnips into halves and quarters length-wise, trim most of the cores (these can be added to the stock infusion) and then slice the parsnip finely
• Heat 2 Tablespoons of the butter and let it brown a little
• Add the parsnip, onion and carrots, the remaining ginger slices and the 1/2 cup chopped coriander stems
• Cook, stirring often till the onion and carrots start to brown a little
• Add the flour and 1-1/2t  salt and cook for a few minutes more
• Add the strained stock and bring to the boil
• Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered till the vegetables are soft
• Remove the ginger slices
• Puree the soup to the texture you like
• Taste and season

Garnish

• Take the one parsnip you’ve kept aside and dice finely into little cubes
• Put the last 1T butter in a skillet, melt and add the diced parsnip
• Cook till golden and tender
• Season with salt and pepper
• Serve the soup with some parsnip croutons scattered on top
• Coriander leaves look nice scattered on top as well

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