Roasted Parsnip Soup
1 lb or (~4-5 medium-sized parsnips)
1 large carrot
1 large leek
1 celery stalk
1/2 cup white wine
3 cloves of garlic, peeled
5 sprigs of thyme
3 sprigs of rosemary (optional)
2 bay leaves
4-5 cups chicken stock
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup heavy cream
Salt to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
1 Preheat the oven to 400F.
2 Wash, peel, and chop the parsnips and carrot into 1-inch pieces. Cut the leeks in half lengthwise and wash well between the layers (sediment likes to hide there); but be careful not to peel them apart, you want the halves to be whole when you put them on the baking sheet. Last, chop the celery into 1-inch pieces as well.
3 Place your prepared veggies (parsnips, carrot, leeks, celery, and garlic cloves) onto a baking sheet with sprigs of thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Salt generously and drizzle on 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil before tossing to coat.
4 Place the mixture into the oven and roast for 35-40 minutes or until you see brown edges.
5 At this point, you can add the roasted veggies (minus the herbs), 4 cups of chicken stock, 1/2 cup of white wine, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in the blender and blend until smooth.
6 Next, place a large pot over medium-low heat and add in the pureed veggies. Let this simmer on medium-low for about 10 minutes to cook out the alcohol in the wine. (Add more chicken stock if it's too thick).
7 Then add in the heavy cream and cook for another 15 minutes on medium-low, 30 minutes if you aren't in a rush.
8 Salt to taste and serve with a warm piece of delicious bread. Enjoy!
