Covid induced soup night

Once upon a time Saturday night meant going out to a nice restaurant with friends and pleasant conversation---but not in this not so brave new world:whyme:

So--it was just us last night--and it felt like a soup night (for me every night could be a soup night) :bowdown:

I tried a new recipe from the NYT---with some of my own modifications----I can't help saying it myself---it was excellent and has made it's way into the normal rotation :clap:

Creamy Leek and Parsnip Soup
By David Tanis
• YIELD4 to 6 servings
• TIME25 minutes


This soup has a kind of quiet charm. Whizzed until creamy in a blender, it is a happy marriage of silky leeks and earthy parsnips — think leek and potato soup, but with more depth of character. It’s very good made with water instead of broth; sautéing the leeks and parsnips very slowly, to concentrate flavor before adding liquid, is the key to success.

INGREDIENTS
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 large leeks, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 4 cups) (use the dark green also)
• 6 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• Black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 cups water, chicken broth or vegetable broth (Chicken broth)
• Extra-virgin olive oil, crème fraîche or yogurt, for garnish (optional)
what follows were my additions
• Two med turnips
• Two large shallots
• One carrot
• Three serranoes
• Lots of fresh thyme
• 1 cup chopped parsley
• Fish sauce, soy sauce and Worchester sauce to taste

PREPARATION
1. Put olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add leeks and parsnips, and stir to coat. Add the 2 teaspoons salt and pepper to taste.
2. Let vegetables sizzle and cook, stirring frequently until nearly caramelized, but without browning, until softened, 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Add bay leaf, turmeric and garlic, and stir to coat. Increase heat to high, add water or broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes more. Taste broth and adjust seasoning.
4. With a blender, purée soup to a creamy consistency. (Small batches work best.) Thin with water or broth, if necessary — it should be like a thin milkshake, not thick and porridge-like. The emersion blender is perfect for this.
5. Reheat the soup before serving. Serve plain, or give each bowl a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil or a dollop of crème fraîche or yogurt, if desired. Sour cream is also good here.


COOKING NOTES
Tasty and easy. Caution on quantity of leeks and parsnips. New York leeks and parsnips may work but West Coast veggies in these numbers would feed 12.

Second James’s comment, it made a big batch, added another ~3 cups water to get the consistency right. Subbed shallot for garlic. Sweated the veggies for 2x time to fully caramelize. Liberal use of Omnivore Salt and pepper. Family’s happy, adding to the rotation!

Elegant enough for guests and easy enough for a weeknight dinner. I used 50-50 chicken stock & water and 50-50 potatoes & parsnips.


This was super easy (and rewarding). I found the parsnips and leeks caramelized a little too well and the soup became too sweet. However, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice fixed that quickly! Also, I used an immersion blender and of course forgot to take out the bay leaves. Rest assured, the soup was still absolutely fine.

This has an amazingly enjoyable flavor.