VEGETARIAN APPLE-PARSNIP SOUP

Vegetarian Apple-Parsnip Soup image

Provided by Tara Parker-Pope

Time 2h

Yield 6 to 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 24

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, peeled and diced
4 carrots, peeled and diced
1/2 celery stalk, diced
2 leeks, cleaned and diced
2 bay leaves
2 branches thyme
3 tomatoes, diced, or 6 ounces canned San Marzano plum tomatoes
A few sprigs of parsley
A few sprigs of chervil
Salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 pound parsnips, peeled and diced
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter or pareve margarine
6 shallots, diced
4 tart apples, peeled and diced
1 cup cider
8 cups vegetable broth (see above)
Salt to taste
White pepper to taste
A few gratings of nutmeg
1 teaspoon cider vinegar (optional)

Steps:

To make the broth: heat the olive oil very slowly in a large pot. Add the onion, carrots, celery and leeks and sauté until the onions are transparent.
Add 10 cups of water along with the bay leaves, thyme and tomatoes. Bring to a boil and simmer over low heat, half covered, for 45 minutes. During the last few minutes of cooking, add the parsley and chervil, and season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Put everything through a sieve and set the broth aside.
For the soup: put the parsnips and the lemon juice in a large bowl. Cover with water and let sit until you are ready to make the soup. Drain and dry the parsnips.
Heat the olive oil and the butter in a heavy soup pot. Add the shallots, parsnips and apples and sauté for about 10 minutes, or until the onions are clear but not golden. Add the cider and cook uncovered for 5 minutes. Then add the broth, bring to a boil, cover, and simmer slowly for 40 minutes. Add salt, white pepper and nutmeg.
Purée the soup in a blender or food processor, and, if you want more acidity, add the cider vinegar. Serve immediately.