I really like parsnips. I like to make “fries” out of them. I’ve ordered them a few times in our veggie box with plans to make “fries” out of them. Then I saw a recipe for Garlic Roasted Parsnip Soup on one of Chef Ashton’s blogs and I ordered even MORE parsnips. But I kept putting off making it because I needed to buy some Ras el hanout. I didn’t know what that was so I looked it up and thought I could handle it, as in it didn’t sound too spicy. Eventually I bought it so I could make the soup. Since I was thinking the only thing I needed was that spice I didn’t really notice I needed actual garlic gloves. Yeah, I kinda skimmed over the whole “ROASTED garlic” part. I rarely buy a bulb because we just have a jar of minced garlic in the fridge all the time and I use that for everything. Anyway . . . what it boils down to is, I made the soup with some adjustments, which made it more like most of the soups I make. So, I encourage you to go to Chef Ashton’s page and try his recipe. Mine was good, but would have been next level with roasted garlic, homemade croutons, and parsnip shavings – basically his actual ingredients. Since I didn’t have roasted garlic I rearranged the name.
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ROASTED PARSNIP, GARLIC AND POTATO SOUP
This is a blended soup, so you need an immersion blender or a blender.
4 cups cubed parsnips
1.5 Tbsp garlic olive oil (or oil of your choice)
1 tsp granulated garlic
Sprinkle of salt
3 Tbsp butter
3/4 cup diced white onion
4 tsp minced garlic
2 cups chopped potatoes
(TOTAL OF 1.5 TEASPOON OF RAS EL HANOUT)
1/2 teaspoon Ras-el-hanout (using the rest later)
1.5 tsp Better Than Bouillon
3 cups of water
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 can Chickpeas/garbanzo beans drained
1 teaspoon Ras el hanout
1 cup milk
1/2 cup dry sherry (optional)
salt and pepper (optional)
Wash parsnips, keeping a portion of one aside for “frying” then cube parsnips so they cook evenly in the oven. About four cups.
Cut the portion kept aside into “fries”.
Place the cubed parsnips on parchment paper lined baking sheet, with the “fries” on a separate portion. Sprinkle with 1.5 Tbsp oil, granulated garlic, and salt. Put in oven at 375° F for 30 minutes. CHECK ON THE “fries”, they may be able to be removed sooner than the cubed parsnips.* You can stir the parsnips around when you check on the “fries”.
In a large pot (large enough to use an immersion blender, if you are going to use one), heat the butter, then add the onion and cook until soft. Add the minced garlic.
Add the chopped potatoes. As the potatoes start to cook add the water and Better Than Bouillon to the pot. Add in 1/2 teaspoon Ras el hanout. Cook until the potatoes are tender.
Put the drained garbanzo beans on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, mix with 1 tbsp of oil and the 1 teaspoon of Ras el hanout. Bake at 375° F for 30 minutes.*
Add the baked parsnips to the pot.
Blend the soup until smooth, using the milk to thin it. You can season with salt and pepper if need be.
Serve with the garbanzo beans and parsnip fries on top, just several of each. (You will end up with left over chickpeas.)
*ALWAYS check on items in the oven as everyone’s oven is different. The parsnips should be soft, cooked through, the chickpeas should be cooked to your liking, but the idea is for them to be crunchy.
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I thought I had made parsnip soup before, but I guess I only used them as a thickener and boy did they thicken up this soup. My immersion blender broke before I got all of the veggies creamed. It made it most of the way through. I ended up having to use a lot more water (stock) and milk than the original recipe called for. I adjusted this one already. I didn’t have veggie bouillon and as you may know I never MAKE the broth before I just add the water and then the Better Than Bouillon to the pot so I didn’t add as much Better Than Bouillon as I would have had I made it into broth first. I didn’t want the Better Than Bouillon to be the primary flavor so I just used more water for thinning. Oh, I also added a splash of dry sherry.
It was very good, but as it didn’t have the deep rich flavor of roasted garlic. I am sure that is a key ingredient. So don’t forget to check out Cheap and Easy Student Recipes, one of Chef Kevin Ashton’s blogs.
I REALLY loved the garbanzo beans roasted with the Ras el hanout! I usually use season salt but I am going to be using the Ras el hanout from now on. It is the PERFECT amount of sweet and savory. When I first made roasted garbanzo beans I used garlic powder and I said I was going to do a sweet version eventually and I never did. And this is the perfect version of both. The Ras el hanout isn’t really sweet, but it makes me think of sweet.
Are you familiar with Ras el hanout? Do you cook with it? What do you flavor with it?
Chicken “Crust”
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