Carrot & Parsnip Bisque Vg & V Options
A creamy soup that is both elegant and hearty. It's easy to prepare and can be customized to suit any dietary lifestyle. In this recipe I used smoke salmon and caramelized mushrooms, but this soup can be served on its own. The difference between a soup and a bisque is the bisque is thick, smooth, silky and very creamy. Instead of adding cream at the end of the cooking time, heavy whipping cream is added earlier on in the cooking process, and acts as a thickening agent. Parsnips, not to be confused with white carrots or icicles, which are radishes, are a sweet winter crop that can be used to create side dishes, soups and stews. This carrot and parsnip bisque is a bit of a hybrid. I use the pureed vegetables to act as the major thickener and the heavy cream to enhance the smooth silky texture. While I do love lobster bisque, the traditional method of using the heavy cream, almost in place of the stock, makes it extremely rich.
Equipment
- Immersion blender
- Large stock pot with tight fitting lid
Ingredients
- 4 cups carrots peeled washed and cut into large cubes
- 2-3 cups parsnips peeled washed and cut into large cubes
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- 4 large garlic cloves chopped
- 1/2 cup tomatoes chopped reserve a few pieces for garnish
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 tsp mushroom seasoning powder
- 1 tsp mix Italian herbs
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp cognac or dry sherry
- 4 cups stock vegetable seafood or chicken
- 1 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Black pepper
- 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
- 2-4 tbsp cooking oil or clarified butter
Instructions
- Heat the stock and keep warm.
Making soup base
- In a large dutch oven or soup pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add chopped onions, along with a pinch of salt and sauté until they are caramelized. 7-10 minutes.
- Add thyme sprigs and celery. Sauté for 3 minutes stirring frequently.
- Add garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Add carrots, parsnips, mixed herbs, a pinch of salt and 1/2 tsp of black pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes stirring frequently.
- Cover with the tight fitting lid, reduce heat to low and sweat the vegetables for 10-15 minutes.
- After the vegetables have sweated, increase heat to medium high. Add the mushroom seasoning, sugar, cognac and tomatoes. Cook for 2 minutes to allow the alcohol to evaporate.
- Add the stock stir well and bring to a hard rolling boil. Cover with the lid and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the carrots and parsnips are tender.
Making soup
- Once the parsnips and carrots are fork tender, turn the heat off and REMOVE the stems from the thyme sprigs. Leaving the stems in can cause your soup to taste bitter when you puree it.
- Using your immersion stick blender or a blender, process until a smooth purée has been created. Keep blending until the purée is smooth and totally lump free. This will create the correct base thickness of the bisque.
- At this point check for seasoning and adjust if necessary.
- Turn the heat back on to medium low. Add the cream and stir well. If the soup is too thick for you add more HOT stock, and or cream, stirring well between each addition. Continue to do this, a little at a time, until the desire thickness has been achieved.
- Heat the soup until it's very hot, but not boiling, approximately 5 minutes.
Putting it all together
- Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle lightly with freshly grated nutmeg.
- Garnish with freshly chopped parsley.
- Serve with freshly baked warm bread.
Notes
Substitutions
Alcohol is optional in this recipe. Coconut or oat milk can be used in place of heavy cream.Storage
Soup can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost in your refrigerator. I store mine in mason jars in both the refrigerator and freezer. Make sure that your mason jar is freezer safe and will not crack or break. You can use Ziploc bags or plastic storage containers. Once again, make sure that they are freezer safe.Reheating
Pour the soup into a pot and gently reheat on the stove top, over medium low heat. Stir frequently. Do not let it come to a boil, as this may cause the cream to separate. Add a couple tablespoons of water or stock if necessary.Variations
This bisque is a base which allows you to add whatever you like to it as long as it’s already cooked. I added smoked salmon when I added the heavy cream. Once the bisque was ladled into the serving bowls, I garnished with caramelized mushrooms and spring onions. This also added texture to the soup. You can add precooked chicken, shrimp, ham or cheese, let your imagination and taste buds be your guide.Nutrition
Serving: 6ServingsCalories: 282kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 3gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 54mgSodium: 1134mgPotassium: 600mgFiber: 6gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 15336IUVitamin C: 19mgCalcium: 100mgIron: 1mg
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