Parsnip, apple and ginger soup
Soups & stews
Parsnip, apple and ginger soup
Luxuriant, full-bodied soup, warmly spiced with ginger and sweetened with apple – a vital tool for chasing away the winter blues. Make it thick and filling and serve with fresh bread for a complete vegetarian meal, or thin it out with a bit of extra stock, water or milk for a lighter starter. Be generous with the black pepper – its sharpness brings out the lovely, honeyed taste of the parsnips.
Ingredients
- 2 onions, sliced
- 2 small leeks, trimmed and sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 tsp fresh ginger, chopped
- 500g parsnips, peeled and chopped into rough chunks
- 2 apples, peeled and chopped into rough chunks
- 200g potatoes, peeled and chopped into rough chunks
- veg stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp light brown sugar
- 1 lemon
- cream or crème fraîche, to serve
- salt and pepper
Method
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Step 1
Gently fry the onion and leeks in a little oil. When the onion has started to soften, add the garlic and ginger, and carry on cooking gently for another 5 minutes.
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Step 2
Add the parsnips, apples and potatoes and cover with veg stock. Pop in the bay leaf. Simmer for 40 minutes or until everything in the pan is soft and falling apart.
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Step 3
Blend well until smooth, adding more water or stock if it looks too lumpy or thick. Season well with salt and pepper and add a bit of sugar to bring out the natural sweetness of the parsnips and apples if needed.
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Step 4
Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice to taste and a good swirl of cream or crème fraîche if you fancy.
