Saffron Parsnip Soup (Vegetarian)
Beautifully smooth and velvety, this hearty Saffron Parsnip Soup takes it suave fragrance and gorgeous hue from the warming spice, and is thus deliciously comforting on a cold and rainy night. Happy Tuesday!
Ingredients (serves 3 to 4):
1 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
2 shallots
2 good pinches saffron threads
1 litre/4 cups boiling water
3 large (or 4 medium) Garden Parsnips
1 heaped teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
In a large pot over a medium flame, melt butter with olive oil.
Peel and finely chop shallots.
Once the butter is just foaming, add chopped shallots, and cook, a couple of minutes until softened.
Stir in a jolly good pinch saffron threads, and cook, another couple of minutes.
Place remaining saffron threads in a medium bowl, and cover with boiling water. Set aside.
Thoroughly scrub and rinse Garden Parsnips, and peel them if necessary (their skin is particularly thin when they've just been dug up, so they needn't be peeled).
Cube Parsnips, and stir into the pot, coating well in butter and saffron.
Season with coarse sea salt and black pepper. Cover with a lid, and cook, about 5 minutes.
Remove the lid, and stir in saffron water. Bring to the boil.
Once boiling, cover with the lid, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, 25 to 30 minutes, until Parsnips are very tender.
Spoon the whole lot into a blender, and process until very smooth, adding more water, if necessary.
Pour soup back in the pot and heat over a medium flame.
Serve Saffron Parsnip Soup hot.
