A Soup or A Side: Curried Parsnips

Curried parsnips star as a side or the foundation of a soup.

Before spring is sprung, I had to get in one last fix of my favorite parsnips.

An often overlooked root veggie, they have a lovely nutty, vanilla taste, making them ideal for using in so many ways.

Take these “Curried Parsnips.”

As is, they make for an easy side dish. But mixed with two cups of stock, then pureed, they also make for the base of a comforting, velvety soup.

The recipe is from “Clean Food: A Seasonal Guide to Eating Close to the Source” (Sterling Epicure) by Terry Walters, a holistic health counselor and food educator. This is an updated version of the book, which was originally published in 2007. The new edition, of which I received a review copy, includes more than 20 new recipes. All espouse the use of fresh, seasonal produce to make nutritious and delicious dishes.

This dish couldn’t be simpler. Just steam slices of parsnips until tender, them saute them with leeks, ginger, garlic, mirin and curry powder. Because parsnips come in varying thicknesses, just be sure to make sure all your slices are cooked through equally.

The result is a side dish suffused with subtle warmth from curry and ginger.

Leave it as a side. Or make it into a soup.

The choice is yours. Either way, it’s delicious.

Curried Parsnips

(Serves 4)

2 pounds parsnips, peeled and thinly sliced

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 large leek, quartered and thinly sliced

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tablespoon mirin

1 teaspoon curry powder

Water as needed

Sea salt

Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Steam sliced parsnips until not quite tender (time will vary depending on how thick you’ve sliced your parsnips). Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large pan over medium heat, saute leek, ginger, garlic and mirin in oil until leeks are tender. Add curry powder and parsnips, and saute until parsnips start to brown. Deglaze pan with a little water, releasing any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Season to taste with salt, top with chopped parsley and serve.

To make into a soup: Add 2 cups of vegetable stock after browning the parsnips, bring to a boil, and puree.

From “Clean Food: A Seasonal Guide to Eating Close to the Source” by Terry Walters


More Parsnip Recipes to try: Orange-Braised Parsnips with Cumin and Mint

And: Parsnip Buttermilk Pie

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