Sunday roasts aren’t the mainstay of British dinner table as they once were, but we all like to push the boat out sometimes, don’t we? Roasts, with stacks of veg, some meat, boats of gravy and, of course, leftover roasties. And, at this time of year, roast parsnips.
Yes, parsnips are available all year from supermarkets, but they’re one of the few veggies that benefit from a frost; the cold brings out the natural sugars. I wait for them to come in my veg box, and, honestly, they’re not my total favourite veg.
Root veg are cheap and that’s part of the reason why we get in the habit of cooking too much – we don’t worry about chucking some cheap veg in the bin. Isn’t it better that someone isn’t, momentarily, disappointed about a lack of a sweet, golden, roasted parsnip, than thinking about, over the year, how many parsnips and carrots and potatoes we all just scrape into the bin?
No more..
Peas, like parsnips, are sweet and starchy. Half an onion, some oil and some stock – you’ve got a simple, light, waste-busting lunch in minutes.
(Roasted too many) Parnsip & Pea soup
Serves 3-4
Ingredients
25 grams butter
1 onion/leek (about 85g)
50 grams leftover roast parsnips
150 grams frozen peas
500mp veg or chicken stock
Salt & pepper
Tools
Knife
Chopping Board
Saucepan with lid
Immersion blender
Time
About half an hour
Prep
Dice the onion
Chop up the parsnips a little
Heat/make the stock
Method
Melt the butter in the saucepan and add the diced onion/leek
Sweat verrrrry slowly so that they go see-through, not brown.This will take around 15 minutes, at least
When the onion/leek is soft, add the parsnips, peas and stock
Bring to the boil and let boil for a couple of minutes
Take off the heat and blend
Reheat for serving
Storage/further meals
How long you can keep the soup depends on how long your parsnips have been sitting around
A day or two = you can keep this for a few days, in the fridge, covered
Three days? I’d eat it sooner or freeze as soon as it’s room temperature
Got a question? Ingredient you need help with? Get in touch:
ann@storrcupboard.com