Parsnip Bisque

OK, so it's October. Maybe it's gotten cooler for good now. At the farmer's market last week, the booths were filled with root veggies and apples, and the corn was looking (and tasting) not so good, sure signs that summer is officially over.

Among my purchases was a large bunch of parsnips. These white carrot-like veggies are fantastic, with the sweetness of a carrot, but with a texture closer to a potato (no, I know potato is not right, but it's closer to that than anything else I can think of). I've only had them roasted before, in little caramelized bites. I was tempted just to roast them and enjoy them hot, but i realized that that wasn't going to let me have parsnips all week.

So I turned to a soup recipe. With all the soups I've been cooking lately, I should change the name of this blog to Cave Soupem. Anyway, with this recipe, I got the best of both worlds - by roasting the veggies before pureeing, I got to eat some of them fresh out of the oven.

This soup is very filling, and it's incredibly sweet and savory. With so little (in fact, no) seasoning, you'd think it would be bland, but it's packed with flavor. Yum!

Parsnip Bisque

1 pound parsnips, chopped
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 medium leek (white and pale green parts only), washed and chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 400°F.

In a bowl, toss parsnips, onion, celery, and leek with oil to coat, then arrange in a single layer in a shallow baking pan. Roast for 30-45 minutes or until the veggies begin to turn golden and caramelized. Toss occasionally. Let cool slightly.

In a large saucepan, simmer broth with vegetables, covered, for 20 minutes. Take off heat and add cream. Blend soup with an immersion blender or in a regular blender until smooth.