Another Soup for a Blustery Day

After enjoying some parsnips at a lovely post-holiday pre-Doctor Who special gathering at the Fosters on Saturday (hooray for their homemade Christmas Pudding!), I decided it was time to play with parsnips. As it's absolutely freezing outside and I had some stock in the fridge, I decided to concoct a soup. It wasn't totally perfect (it ended up being a little on the sweet side), but perhaps the recipe will inspire you to experiment with these underrated roots.

Parsnip Bacon Soup
• 5 strips of bacon, chopped
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 4 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 4 cups stock
• 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/4 cup milk
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced

In a large pot, sauté the bacon until the fat begins to render, then add the onion and cook until golden. Add the parsnips, potato, stock, and spices and simmer until the parsnips are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Purée with an immersion or regular blender, then stir in milk. Taste and adjust spices if necessary. Stir in green onions and serve.