Parsnip Leek Soup Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. In a medium roasting pan, toss parsnips with oil. Roast, covered with foil, 20 minutes. Add leeks and leaves of 2 thyme sprigs; toss to coat with oil; splash with wine. Roast, covered with same foil, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft, 30 minutes. Discard any burned bits. In a large pot, bring veggies and 2 cups stock to a boil; reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes; let cool slightly. In a food processor, blend soup on low until smooth. Return blended soup to pot; add cream, if desired. Bring soup to a very low simmer; season with salt and black pepper; add remaining 1 cup stock to reach desired thickness (crabmeat should be able to sit on top). In a bowl right before serving, microwave juice, butter and leaves of remaining 2 thyme sprigs until butter melts, about 20 seconds; stir. Toss crabmeat in lemon-butter mixture. Pour soup into 8 demitasse cups; top each with 1 1/2 teaspoons crab. DO AHEAD: You can roast the parsnips and leeks one or two days before your bash; just cover (so the veggies don't dry out) and refrigerate until you're ready to finish the soup.

Steps:

• 1. Place all of the ingredients, except nutmeg, in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover with lid for 35 minutes.
• 2. Turn off heat and leave covered until cool enough to purée.
• 3. To purée, use an immersion blender. I do not remove the bay leaf, I just keep it in the mix.
• 4. Once puréed, add the nutmeg and stir well. If desired, you can add heavy cream or half and half . If so, adjust salt and pepper.

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.