A soup for our times — with comfort in mind. This is a favorite soup from my mother’s recipe collection — and one she liked to make around Easter because the color is so vibrant and the flavors are so fresh! You can substitute vegetable broth to make vegetarian.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1-1/2 pounds carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise
- 1 pound parsnips, peeled and quartered lengthwise
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 1 piece (3 inches) fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
- 6 Tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
- 3 Tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar
- 6 cups chicken broth, preferably homemade, or more if needed
- Salt to taste
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1/4 cup creme fraiche, for garnish
- Snipped fresh chives, for garnish
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- Combine the carrots, parsnips, onion, and ginger in a shallow roasting pan. Dot with the butter and sprinkle with the brown sugar
- Pour 2 cups of the broth into the pan, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and bake until the vegetables are very tender, 2 hours.
- Transfer the vegetables and broth to a large soup pot, and add the remaining 6 cups of broth. Season to taste with salt and cayenne pepper, ad bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered for 10 minutes.
- Puree the soup, in batches, in a blender or food processor until smooth, adding more broth if needed. Return the soup to the pot, adjust the seasonings if necessary, and heat through. Serve each portion dolloped with a teaspoon of creme fraiche and sprinkled with chives.