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    Home » Nuts and Starches

    Spring Dug Parsnip Soup with Acorn Oil

    Published: Mar 26, 2013 Modified: Oct 29, 2024 Author: Alan Bergo

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    One of my favorite Spring treats is parsnips that have been left to winter in the ground. During the Winter, the cold converts starches in the parsnip into sugars, and sugars don't like to freeze. The sugary parsnips stay alive throughout the cold season, get harvested in the spring and sold for a premium.

    Spring dug parsnip
    Spring-dug parsnips

    You can always roast them, gratinee, or whatever you like, but the last time I got a batch I was on a strict budget, and in order to make it possible to get some spring-dug parsnips, I had to get a small amount and make soup, since I can get a higher return off the parnsips if they're pureed with broth and a bit of cream.

    After I had the soup made, I just needed to figure out a garnish. Something crunchy would be nice since the soup is pureed, and with a white soup I like to float some sort of aromatic oil on top to give a little contrast in color and flavor.

    acorn oil
    Sam Thayer's acorn oil

    Pumpkinseed, hazelnut, or walnut oil would be fine, but I'd been trying to find a way to use the Acorn oil I got from Sam Thayer, which is really amazing. the Acorn oil is in the same family of flavors as other nut oils, but it's very delicate, and needs the right sort of partner. Putting it on a dish that's aggressive (like something spicy with tomatoes onions and peppers for example) would mean you lose it and won't even know it's there.

    I tasted a spoonful of the soup with the acorn oil and knew they were born to be together. You can taste each of the flavors by themselves and together at the same time, in fact the flavors are even stronger, exactly what I was looking for.

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    Spring dug parsnip soup with acorn oil
    Spring dug parsnip soup with acorn oil
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    Spring Dug Parsnip Soup, with Rye Croutons and Acorn Oil

    Yield: 1.5 gallons
    Prep Time30 minutes mins
    Cook Time45 minutes mins
    Course: Appetizer, Soup
    Keyword: Acorn, Parsnip soup, Spring-Dug Parsnip
    Author: Alan Bergo

    Ingredients

    • 5 lbs spring dug parsnips peeled and trimmed to yield 7 lbs
    • 2 cups diced leek
    • 2 cups diced yellow onion
    • ¼ cup chopped ginger
    • 1 cups brandy
    • 1 gallons chicken stock
    • ¼ nutmeg grated
    • ½ cup maple syrup
    • Sea salt and fresh ground white pepper to taste
    • 4 cups heavy cream
    • 5 scrapings of cinnamon
    • ½ lb unsalted butter
    • Acorn oil to garnish, optional
    • Croutons preferably made from rye, lightly toasted to garnish, optional

    Instructions

    • Sweat the onion and leek with the butter, then add the brandy and cook off the alcohol. Add the parsnips and stock and bring to a simmer.
    • Cook the mixture for 20 minutes or until the parsnips are very tender, then puree the mixture in a high-speed blender and pass through a chinois strainer.
    • Add the maple syrup, cream, cinnamon and nutmeg, then season to taste with salt and white pepper. Transfer to a labeled container and refrigerate until needed.
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    Chef Alan Bergo

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