Roasted parmesan and parsnip oh-so-yummy soup!

When we were in England for a visit in 1998, Gordon bought me the New Covent Garden Soup Company's Book of Soups. This is one of my favourite recipes from the book.

You blanche parsnips in boiling water, then roast the with Parmesan and olive oil.

Macro cheese! As opposed to macaroni and cheese.

It looks more like cheddar in this lighting.

Then the whole mess goes in the pot with chicken stock, onions and stuff (you could use veg stock instead.)

When it's cooked, it's pureed with salt and pepper.

Mmmm, pepper!

Voilà!

Roasted Parsnip and Parmesan soup

Serves 4 to 6 

You’ll need: 

450g parsnips, cut into lengths50g freshly grated Parmesan cheese2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil15g butterA drop more olive oil1 medium onion, finely chopped1 tablespoon plain flour2 ¼ pints/1.35 litres veggie or light chicken stock4 tablespoons double cream 

1. Preheat the oven to 2ooC/400F/gas mark 6. 

2. Simmer the parsnips in plenty of salted water for 3 minutes. Drain well and toss in half the Parmesan cheese.  

3. While the parsnips are simmering, put the olive oil in a roasting tin and heat in the oven for 3 to 4 minutes. Then arrange the parsnips in the roasting tin, add the butter and bake for around 45 minutes, basting frequently. 

4. In a large soup pot, warm up some more olive oil and cook the onion gently until soft, without colouring.  

5. Stir in the flour and cook for one minute. Add the stock, stirring constantly and bring to the boil. Add the parsnips. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. 

6. Allow the soup to cool a little and then pureé it together with the remaining Parmesan cheese in a liquidiser/or in the pot with a hand-blender. 

7. Stir in the cream, taste for seasoning, reheat and serve.