Parsnip And Leek Soup Recipes

Steps:

• Put olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add leeks and parsnips, and stir to coat. Add the 2 teaspoons salt and pepper to taste.
• Let vegetables sizzle and cook, stirring frequently until nearly caramelized, but without browning, until softened, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Add bay leaf, turmeric and garlic, and stir to coat. Increase heat to high, add water or broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes more. Taste broth and adjust seasoning.
• With a blender, purée soup to a creamy consistency. (Small batches work best.) Thin with water or broth, if necessary - it should be like a thin milkshake, not thick and porridge-like.
• Reheat the soup before serving. Serve plain, or give each bowl a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil or a dollop of crème fraîche or yogurt, if desired.

Steps:

• Make the soup: Cut a round of parchment to fit inside a large pot. Melt butter in pot over medium heat. Add leeks and a pinch of salt, and cover with parchment round (this will help keep moisture in). Cook, lifting parchment to stir occasionally, until leeks are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Stir in parsnips, potatoes, chicken stock, 2 1/2 cups water, bay leaves, and 1 teaspoon salt. Raise heat to high, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer gently, partially covered with lid, until parsnips are soft, about 20 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Let cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
• Working in batches, puree vegetable mixture in a blender, being sure to hold lid down.
• Return soup to pot, and stir in milk. Reheat soup over medium heat (do not boil).
• Make the black-pepper cream: Stir 1/4 teaspoon pepper into creme fraiche.
• Ladle soup into 8 small bowls, and top each with a dollop of black-pepper cream and 1/2 teaspoon caviar.

Steps:

• Leeks have a good amount of sand trapped between the layers in both the white and green parts. Be sure to soak, rinse and clean well so as not to spoil the final results.
• Add olive oil, sliced leeks and ginger to a large sauce pan over medium heat. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the leeks begin to soften and the ginger becomes fragrant.
• Peel and slice the parsnips into 1/4 inch thick disks. If the vegetables are large, cut in half lengthwise before slicing. Add the sliced parsnips to the pot and cook an additional 7 to 8 minutes. Should the pan get dry, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of the vegetable broth to keep the pan from scorching.
• Add the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add the white wine. Cook for 20 minutes uncovered. When done the vegetables should be soft and tender.
• Place the soup in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. (I use an immersion blender for this step.) Season with white pepper and salt to taste.
• Ladle into bowls and garnish with a small dollop of yogurt (or for a more elegant presentation you can thin the yogurt and make swirls or a web pattern) and a small sprinkle of smoked paprika.