To accompany this week’s CSA, I thought it would be a good idea to share the first soup Clover ever made.  Here is a collection of posts about this soup. Take a look at the dates. The first one is dated, the first week we opened back in early Nov 2008. That’s neat. Clover soup kits are a bit larger these days.

Minnie made this soup today at the HUB and she did a great job. Click the following link for recipe.

Parsnip Pear Soup – Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp. vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 pound parsnips
• 1 medium potato
• 1.5 quarts vegetable stock (may need more after blending)
• 1 each bay leaf
• 2 sprigs thyme, fresh (or 1 pinch dried)
• ½ pound pears, ripe (Bartlett or Bosc)
• ½ cup half-and-half (optional)
• to taste salt
• to taste sugar
• 1 – 2 tsp. white wine or cider vinegar (not distilled)

Garnish: (optional)

• 1 – 2 each parsnips
• 4 sprigs thyme, fresh

Cooking Method:

• Medium chop the onion.
• Slice the garlic cloves.
• Wash, trim (but do not peel) and rough chop the parsnips and potatoes.
• Wash (but do not peel), core and rough chop the pears.
• Heat a soup pot over low heat.
• Add vegetable oil and onions then sweat for 10 minutes (being sure not to brown).
• Add parsnips, potato, vegetable stock and bay leaf then bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and stir occasionally.
• When parsnips are tender (30 minutes), add pears and half & half then simmer for an additional 15 minutes.
• Remove bay leaves and blend in batches until super smooth (about 1 minute on high). If you use a stick blender, it will take longer (3 – 5 minutes).
• If necessary, use additional vegetable stock, to adjust to a medium viscosity, then taste and adjust seasoning.
• Season to taste with salt, sugar, and vinegar.
• Serve garnished with parsnip crisps and thyme leaves.

Garnish Method:

• Wash & peel entire parsnip(s) into strips, using a vegetable peeler.
• Fry at 300°F, stirring occasionally, until stops bubbling and crispy (about 4 -6 minutes) – drain on paper towel & salt.
• Pick thyme leaves and reserve in a covered container.