Roast Parsnip & Chestnut Soup

Christmas can be a difficult time for everyone, what with all the stress and preparation, the planning, the plans, the parties, the shopping...the list goes on. For those of us in the condition it can be even more stressful and difficult. Like alot of other people at group last night I am nervous and anxious about Christmas but this year I wanted to do something different. I wanted to contribute to Christmas dinner in order to allow me to be present in the room rather than cowering in another room building up the anxiety of what lay ahead. By joining my family in the preparations I hope not only to distract myself but also to allow myself be present with them and hopefully enjoy some Christmas Spirit. I went in search of a nutritious recipe that took preperation and care and something I had not tasted before. I stumbled upon Turnip and Chestnut soup. Nutritious and equally delicious. Enjoy.

Roast parsnip & chestnut soup Recipe
The sweet, nutty flavor of parsnip achieves an effortless balance with roasted chestnuts in this rich and velvety soup.

Ingredients
3 cups parsnips (1 lb approx)
4 cloves garlic
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
500g whole chestnuts
2 onions, diced
1 leek, halved and sliced
5 cups vegetable or chicken stock
½ cup double cream (optional)
3 tbsp parsley
sea salt
Ground black pepper

Serves 5

Method

Cut the parsnips into large chunks and place on a baking dish together with the garlic cloves and half the olive oil. Roast at 180C for 25 to 30 minutes or until soft.

With a paring knife, make a crisscross on the belly of the chestnuts. Put them into a pot of cold water to cover. Bring to the boil, then simmer on a low flame for up to 20 minutes. Cool a little, then take out a few chestnuts at a time and peel off the outer and inner skins. Set aside.

In another pot, saute the onions and leeks in the remaining olive oil with a sprinkling of salt. Top with the roasted parsnip, shelled chestnuts and the squeezed-out garlic. Add stock and pepper and simmer for 10 minutes. Puree in a blender until smooth. Then add the cream, if you desire.

Heat and serve with a sprinkling of parsley.

Enjoy

I know this can be a stressful time but I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and can keep focused on whats important. That goes for myself too :)