Curried Parsnip and Wild Rice Soup

Now and then I purchase a vegetable that I enjoy eating but for some reason rarely ever cook with. The vegetable may sit around for a while, but the challenge of using it gives me occasion to find inspiration. In this case, the vegetable was a bag of parsnips and the inspiration was a soup submitted to our own No Croutons Required roundup from two years ago by mangocheeks of Allotment2Kitchen.

I'm delighted that I came across it again! Parsnips are surprisingly sweet when cooked and puréed, but retain their characteristic and unique flavor that's enhanced with a judicious seasoning of mild curry spices. And adding wild rice lends a wonderful nutty flavor and chewy texture that makes this creamy, warming and nourishing soup a real winner. It's beautifully simple too and likely to win over even the staunchest parsnip critics.

Thick, sweet and creamy, and warm and nourishing blended parsnip soup with wild rice and mild curry spices

ngredients:

• 1/2 cup uncooked wild rice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 lb (450 g) parsnips (about 4 large), diced
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 4 1/2 cup vegetable stock
• 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
• fresh ground black pepper to taste
• large handful fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions:

• Bring 1 1/3 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in the wild rice, reduce the heat to low, and cover. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until the grains are just tender but not falling apart. Remove from heat and drain off any excess liquid. Set aside.
• Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add the onion and stir for 3 to 5 minutes or until the onion starts to turn translucent. Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute. Add the parsnips and stir to coat the vegetables with oil. Toss in the curry powder, ground cumin and turmeric, and stir to coat the parsnips with spices.
• Pour in the vegetable stock and raise the heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 30 to 40 minutes or until the parsnips are tender.
• Remove from heat and purée the soup with an immersion blender or in batches in a countertop blender until smooth, adding water or more vegetable stock if you want a thinner soup. Return to the stove and add the wild rice and half the chopped parsley. Simmer gently for 5 to 10 minutes to warm the soup, then season with salt and pepper.
• Serve hot or warm garnished with the remaining chopped parsley.

Makes 4 servings

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