It’s not freezing but it is still quite cold out there and I have to say only a degree warmer in my office. The problem with this is I feel permanently hungry! Not good. Therefore, I am planning to make some soup for lunch to warm me up. Love the sound of this one….

Spicy Parsnip Soup

parsnip soup

Ingredients

• olive oil
• 1 knob butter
• 1 large onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon garam masala
• 6 parsnips, peeled and chopped into chunks
• 500 ml semi-skimmed milk
• 1 litre organic vegetable stock
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced
• 1 handful fresh coriander leaves, optional
• crusty bread, to serve

Method

Heat a splash of olive oil and the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion, garlic, ginger and garam masala. Gently fry for around 10 minutes, until the onions are soft and sweet.
Drop in the chopped parsnip and stir together so that everything is coated in the oil and flavours. Pour in the milk and stock, season well and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 30 minutes with a lid on.
After half an hour, check that the parsnips are cooked by sticking a knife in. If you’re happy, remove them from the heat and carefully whiz up using a hand blender or liquidizer. Taste the soup to see if it needs a little more salt or pepper.
Serve with a sprinkling of sliced red chilli, a few coriander leaves if you like, and a good chunk of crusty bread.
Tip: Use coconut milk instead of regular milk for a twist.

Delicious.