GMA Recipe: Cream of Parsnip Soup with Crab Meat and Wild Mushroom Relish

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Cream of Parsnip Soup with Crab Meat and Wild Mushroom Relish
From chef and author Emeril Lagasse
1998

This recipe can also be made with many other root vegetables! See the variations at the end of the recipes.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups minced onions

salt

freshly ground white pepper

3 pounds of fresh parsnips, peeled and medium diced

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

8 cups chicken stock

1/2 to 1 cup heavy cream (optional)

fried parsnip strips

1 recipe of Crab Relish

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh parsley

Directions

In a gallon stock pot, heat the oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions. Season the onions with salt and pepper. Sauté the onions for 2 to 3 minutes or until wilted. Add the vegetables and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the stock and bring the liquid to a boil.

Reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to cook for 1 hour, or until the vegetables are very tender, stirring occasionally. Using a blender, puree the soup until smooth. Slowly stir in the cream. Reseason with salt and pepper if needed.

To serve, ladle the soup into the individual bowls. Peel strips of parsnip with a vegetable peeler. Fry peeled parsnips in vegetable oil and drain with a paper towel. Mound the parsnip strips in the center of each bowl. Place a spoonful of the relish in the center of each parsnip mound. Garnish with parsley. Serve warm.

Yields: 8-10 servings

Crab Meat and Wild Mushroom Relish

1 tablespoon butter

1 ear of sweet corn

2 cups Exotic mushrooms, such as chanterelles, shiitakes, lobster, hedge hogs, etc.

salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1/2 pound lump crab meat, shelled and picked over for cartilage

1/4 cup chopped green onions, green part only

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions

In a sauté pan, over medium heat, melt the butter. Using a sharp knife, remove the kernels from the corn cob (about 1/2 cup). Add the corn and mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté the vegetables for 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly wilted. Add the garlic, crab meat and green onions. Season with salt and pepper. Continue to sauté for 1 minute.

Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley. Serve warm.

Yields: About 1 1/2 to 2 cups.

Vegetables That Can Be Substituted For Parsnips

General - Idaho potatoes, new potatoes, fingerling potatoes, purple potatoes, carrots and sweet potatoes.

Beets - Commonly known as the garden beet, this firm, round root vegetable has leafy green tops, which are also edible and highly nutritious. The most common color for beets (called beatroots in the British Isles) is a garnet red. However, they can range in color from deep red to white, the most intriguing being the Chioggia (also called candy cane) with its concentric rings of red and white. Beets are found year round and should be chosen by their firmness and smooth skins. In addition to the garden beet, the spinach or leaf beet (swiss chard), the sugar beet and the mangold.

Parsnip - A sweet root vegetable similar to the carrot in shape, with a creamy-white root. Native to Europe but now found in the U.S. They are available all year, but are at their peak during the fall and winter. Almost any cooking method can be used, including caking, boiling, sautéing and steaming. Boiling is the most common method.

Turnip - This root is very popular in Great Britain and northern Europe. The white fleshed turnip has a white skin with a purple-tinged top. The yellow turnip is actually a turnip relative of the Rutabaga. They are available all year with peak season from October to February. The turnip can be boiled or steamed, then mashed or pureed.

Scorzonera (Black Salsify) - This black flesh root vegetable is also known as "oyster plant" because its taste resembles a delicately flavored oyster. Salsify is shaped like a parsnip and can reach 12 inches in length and 2 1/2 inches in diameter. This root is very common in Europe but can be found in the U.S. from June to February. Found commonly in Italian and Greek markets. Salsify is generally eaten plain as a vegetable or used in savory pies and soups.

Daikon Radish - From the Japanese word dai for large and kon for root. This vegetable is a large Asian radish with a sweet, flesh flavor. The flesh is crisp, juicy and white, while the skin can be either creamy white or black and ranges from 6 to 15 inches in length and 2 to 3 inches in diameter. They are usually raw in salads, shredded as a garnish or stir-fry.

Celery Root (Cekeruac) - This ugly, knobby brown vegetable is actually the root of a special celery cultivated specifically for its root. Celery root tastes like a cross between a strong celery and parsley. It's available from September through May. This root can range in size from the size of an apple to that of a small cantaloupe. (Before using, peel and soak briefly in acidulated water to prevent discoloration.