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Roasted Parsnip and Cauliflower Soup

Name: Roasted Parsnip and Cauliflower Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h 5 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Ingredients: 1lb parsnips (about 5 large, peeled and chopped); 1 head of cauliflower (cored and chopped into small florets); 10oz fingerling gold potatoes (chopped); 1/4 cup Extra virgin olive oil; 1.5 tsp salt; 1 tsp Garam Masala; 1/2 tsp cumin; 1/2 tsp chili powder; 1/2 tsp smoked paprika; 1/4 tsp Ajika (I buy mine from Trader Joes); 1/4 tsp coriander (toasted whole then ground is best); 1/4 tsp turmeric; 2 tbsp butter (I use Kerry Gold); 2 sweet onions (roughly chopped); 1 tbsp honey; 2 large garlic cloves (minced); 3 cups beef bone broth (sub: chicken broth); 1 can full fat coconut milk (full fat); 1 head cauliflower (cored and chopped into small florets); 3 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil (About a 5 second drizzle); 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp smoked paprika; 1/2 tsp coriander; Couple cranks of pepper

Bymyroots4 February 19, 2023April 2, 2023

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“When I’m in a blue mood, I head for the kitchen I turn the pages of my favorite cookbooks, summoning the prospective joyful noise of a shared meal. I stand over a bubbling pot of soup, close my eyes, and inhale. From the ground up, everything about nourishment steadies my soul.”
-Barbara Kingslover, “Vegetable, Animal, Miracle: A Year of Good Food”

Roasted Parsnip & Cauliflower Soup is a big bowl of wonderful if you ask me. Parsnips are the underrated winter veggie that seem to only get any attention in British pot roast. Well, I’m here to tell you roasted parsnips combined with cauliflower, potatoes, warming spices and coconut milk make for an absolutely outstanding soup.

Let’s talk about parsnips

If you grow your own parsnips, (which I suggest you do!) wait until at least the first frost before harvesting. The roots will concentrate their sugars and take on a sweetness rather than a bitterness. When stored in a root cellar or cold room set to around 32-40 degrees Fahrenheit, parsnips can last for 3-4 months. When purchasing parsnips at the store, opt for parsnips that have firm skin, no cuts or chunks missing, and are a bright white with a hint of yellow.

Parsnips sowed in April, harvested in fall

Key Ingredients

Besides the obvious parsnips we have a few other stand out players.

Cauliflower- roasted cauliflower in the puree plus more on top is not overkill. I could eat a whole sheet pan of roasted cauliflower.
Gold fingerling potatoes- these are the cute, mini potatoes. No need to peel. This will give the soup an added buttery taste and texture
Beef broth (sub chicken broth)- homemade is always preferred. If you buy store bought, go for bone broth rather than broth or stock. It has more nutritional value and flavor.
Spice mix- Indian notes go especially well with root veggies. Earthy is a happy camper alongside warming. Toasting the coriander before grinding brings out the flavor that much more. The citrus smell of free coriander seed should he made into a candle, stat. To my spice mix I just about always add salt. I love Redmonds Real Salt pure and unprocessed from a mine in Utah.
Coconut milk- Coconut milk creates magic in a soup. It acts like heavy cream, making the taste and feel super decadent and wonderfully rich.

I almost didn’t grow parsnips because they are a long season crop (sown in April, harvest in October) and I didn’t want to take up valuable real-estate… Safe to say I will always have parsnips in my garden just to make this soup. Full recipe with measurements below.