Sweet Potato and Parsnip Soup

Flocks at the forest edge

R. Ponticu Rhododendron

Every day is so special here with all the new beauty of spring. I love to just sit, listen and look at the wonderland that is right before my eyes! Then it is time to make soup again. I have never made soup with sweet potatoes, so the Sweet Potato and Parsnip Soup from The Soup Bible sounded like an adventure. In checking the ingredients, it called for leeks and I decided to search for wild leeks in the forest with Souper Mom and Sammy. We saw a large patch and were excited with what we found. The wild leeks enhance the sweet taste of the other two main ingredients – sweet potatoes and parsnips. The garnish of the roasted strips of sweet potatoes and parsnips was the crowning glory of this soup!



Sweet Potato and Parsnip Soup

The Soup Bible - Debra Mayhew

Souper Sarah

The sweetness of the two root vegetables comes through strongly in this delicious soup!


INGREDIENTS
Serves 6

1 tablespoon sunflower oil
1 large leek, sliced
2 celery stalks, chopped
4 cups diced sweet potatoes
1 1/2 cups diced parsnips
3 1/4 cups vegetable stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the garnish
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Roasted strips of sweet potatoes and
parsnips

1 – Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the leek, celery, sweet potatoes, and parsnips and cook slowly for about 5 minutes, stirring to prevent them browning or sticking to the pan.

2 – Stir in the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for about 25 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Season to taste. Remove the pan from the heat and let the soup cool slightly.

3 - Puree the soup in a blender or food processor until smooth. Return the soup to the rinsed pan and reheat slowly. Ladle into warm soup bowls to serve and sprinkle with the chopped parsley and roasted strips of sweet potatoes and parsnips..

Leeks in the woods

Digging the leeks

Supervising the dig - Souper Mom

and Souper Sammy

Soup ingredients

Simmering Soup

Pureed soup

Roast strips of sweet potatoes and parsnips

Serve soup hot sprinkled with parsley and
roasted stripes of sweet potatoes and parsnips





I used 8 wild leeks in making the soup instead of the 1 large leek. For the roasted strips of sweet potatoes and parsnips, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, tossed the strips and baked for 10 minutes until brown in a 400 oven. This is the 3rd parsnip soup we have made and I hope you have enjoyed them as much as we have. I really love this vegetable and for sure we will be planting it in our garden this year.

Souper Daughter Heather - Ithaca College

MBA Hooding Ceremony

Heather we are so proud of your accomplishment!!!

The thought for the week - "Fear less, hope more: Eat less, chew more: Whine less, breathe more; Talk less, say more; Love more, and all good things will be yours" Swedish Proverb

Happy souping until we meet again!

Souper Sarah