Carrot and Parsnip Soup

I just made this minutes ago and it was so good I wanted to make it for all of you. So I’m writing it down, hoping you will try it!

I woke up the other day and had a vision of a bowl of smooth, creamy orange-yellow soup. I immediately thought of the bags of parsnips my friend Marilyn gave me, along with some carrots, onion, and fresh sage. Mike was skeptical, but after trying it he urged me to write it down for you all. This is dedicated to my parsnip-loving friend, Marilyn.

Ingredients:

1 T unsalted butter

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 lb. of parsnips, peeled and chopped

3 large carrots, chopped

8-10 small sage leaves

paprika

white pepper

black pepper

freshly grated ginger (perhaps a scant tsp. or to taste)

4 cups of vegetable stock

8 sprigs of fresh thyme

milk or cream (I used Eden Food’s soy-rice milk blend)

Sautee the onions in butter for a few minutes. Add the parsnips, carrots, and sage. Stir frequently, cooking for just a few more minutes. Add just a bit of paprika, a touch of white pepper, and a generous helping of black pepper (I liked the soup peppery). Stir until the spices have coated the vegetables, then add the vegetable stock and ginger. Pull the thyme leaves off the stems and put the leaves into the pot. Bring the stock to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer until the parsnips and carrots are soft, approximately 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool a bit.

Puree the soup in a blender (in batches if necessary). Return the soup to the pot and bring it back to a gentle simmer. Taste it first, then add milk to taste (I probably used 1/2- - ¾ cup – sorry I didn’t measure!); the soup should be very creamy, and you want just enough milk to bring all the flavors together.

This soup is best just warm, not too hot. Enjoy!