We run into a dilemma almost every Thanksgiving. We all get up early to start the preparations and eat breakfast but we don’t want to eat a typical lunch when the turkey is going to be served around 3 or 4pm. With all the wonderful smells of the feast filling the house, we are ravenous before 1pm. That’s when we hit the dilemma and break out the appetizers. My love of appetizers often leads me to eat way more of them than I should with such a big meal coming shortly thereafter. It is quite the dilemma.
In choosing the recipes for this month, I had an inspirational thought. Why not do a light soup instead of a bunch of appetizers a few hours before the main meal? While my family isn’t completely sold on that idea, we’ve got a new, seasonal soup in our repertoire just in case they don’t go for my light lunch idea!
This soup’s stars are parsnips and chestnuts. Parsnips are close cousins of the carrot and resemble them in both size and shape. They are lighter in color than the typical orange carrot with a slightly sweeter taste. Both are harvested in late fall.
Chestnuts are more prevalent in stores in November and December, for the Thanksgiving to New Year’s holiday season. (My grandmother always roasted chestnuts at Christmas.) They have a mild flavor that turns buttery and sweet when they are cooked. Together, these two make an excellent soup!
Parsnip & Chestnut Soup
Parsnip & Chestnut Soup (adapted from goodhousekeeping.com)
Total time required: 40 minutes, Yields: 4 – 6 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 (7-8 ounce) jar peeled roasted chestnuts
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 pound parsnips, peeled & chopped
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 4 ounces all-purpose potatoes
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- salt & pepper, to taste
- sour cream & parsley or snipped chives, for garnish
Directions:
Chop the chestnuts, parsnips, potato, and onion.
Chop all the veggies & the nuts.
In 3- to 4-quart saucepot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the parsnips, onion, potato, and chestnuts. Cook them all for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring. Add the broth and water. Heat the soup to boiling. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer it for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
Add the broth & water.
Using a wand blender, puree the soup until it is smooth. (Alternately, working in batches, ladle the parsnip mixture into a blender and blend until smooth. Blended soup can be covered and refrigerated up to 1 day.) Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
Puree the soup.
Divide the soup among serving bowls. Add a dollop of sour cream into each portion and garnish with the parsley or snipped chives.
A seasonal, warming soup for cold weather!
This is a great seasonal soup! ~Linda
Parsnip & Chestnut Soup (adapted from goodhousekeeping.com)
Total time required: 40 minutes, Yields: 4 – 6 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 (7-8 ounce) jar peeled roasted chestnuts
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 pound parsnips, peeled & chopped
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 4 ounces all-purpose potatoes
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- salt & pepper, to taste
- sour cream & parsley or snipped chives, for garnish
Directions:
Chop the chestnuts, parsnips, potato, and onion.
In 3- to 4-quart saucepot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the parsnips, onion, potato, and chestnuts. Cook them all for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring. Add the broth and water. Heat the soup to boiling. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer it for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
Using a wand blender, puree the soup until it is smooth. (Alternately, working in batches, ladle the parsnip mixture into a blender and blend until smooth. Blended soup can be covered and refrigerated up to 1 day.) Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
Divide the soup among serving bowls. Add a dollop of sour cream into each portion and garnish with the parsley or snipped chives.