I came across an excellent yet simple recipe for parsnip soup from Full Circle Farm.
Parsnip Soup
3 Tbsp unsalted organic grass fed butter, divided
1 onion, diced
1 leek, washed and diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 pounds of parsnips, peeled and sliced into ¼ to ½ inch rounds
1 quart of vegetable broth (preferably homemade)
½ cup heavy cream from organic grass fed cows
Salt and pepper
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a soup pot over low heat.
Saute the onion, leek, and garlic until soft and caramelized.
Add the parsnips.
Add broth and simmer ~ 35 minutes until the parsnip is very tender.
Transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor and puree.
Pour the mixture back into the pot and add the cream.
Bring the soup to a simmer and then whisk in the remaining tablespoon of butter.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
About Parsnip
The Parsnip is a root vegetable, native to the Mediterranean, with a similar texture to the turnip and a slight hazelnut flavor. They are sweeter when they have been exposed to a light frost while still in the ground, as the cold converts their starch into sugar.
Buying Parsnip
Parsnips are available year round with a peak from fall into spring. Choose roots with a uniform creamy beige skin that are firm, smooth, and without bruises.
Preparing Parsnips
Scrub and peel them the same way as a carrot. If steaming, then the parsnip skin will slip off easily after cooking. Because the flesh darkens on contact with the air, cut parsnips should either be cooked immediately or be placed in lemon or vinegar water in the meantime. The core of old or large parsnips may have to be removed, as it is often hard, fibrous, and tasteless.
The parsnip is prepared in much the same way as carrots or turnip and can be used as a substitute for carrot or turnips in many recipes. They are very good raw and make a pleasant addition to soups and stews. The flavor is best when parsnips are cooked whole and for a short time. They require approximately the same cooking time as carrots.
Storage
Wrap parsnip in a paper towel and place it in a plastic bag to prevent loss of moisture. It will keep for approximately 2 weeks in the crisper of the refrigerator.
Parsnip can be frozen whole or in chunks. Blanch whole parsnips for 5 minutes and cut parsnips for 3 minutes before freezing.
Nutritional Information
An excellent source of potassium, fiber, vitamin C, and folic acid (a type of B vitamin). Also contains magnesium, pantothenic acid (vitamin B 5), copper, and phosphorus. Like potatoes, they are high in carbohydrates. However, they have less calories and more fiber than potatoes.
Parsnips
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Serving size ½ cup, cooked (78g)
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
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Glycemic load for one serving of parsnip = 12
Parsnip are said to aid menstruation and to be purifying, antirheumatic, and diuretic.
Sources:
Parsnip Soup. Full Circle Weekly Farm Notes, Carnation, WA, December 18, 2011.
The Visual Food Encyclopedia. New York: MacMillan, 1996.
National Agricultural Library-USDA. USDA.gov. January 1, 2012.
Center for Disease Control. Fruit and Vegetable of the Month. www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov. January 1, 2012.
Harvard Health Publications. Harvard Medical School. http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/Glycemic_index_and_glycemic_load_for_100_foods.htm. January 1, 2012
Harvard Health Publications. Harvard Medical School. http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/Glycemic_index_and_glycemic_load_for_100_foods.htm. January 1, 2012
