Carrot-Parsnip Soup

I've gotten lots of parsnips this week. The girls don't like them that much. I guess it's because of their strong flavor. So I've looked up a recipe that uses parsnip together with another vegetable with a sweeter taste. I've ended up with this carrot-parsnip soup from the Everyday Greens Cookbook. They've loved it.


Carrot-Parsnip Soup, adapted from the book Everyday Greens (p.97-98)

vegetable stock, 7 to 8 cups

1 tbs olive oil

1 tbs unsalted butter

1 large yellow onion, chopped, about 2 cups

salt and pepper

1 tbs minced garlic

1/4 cup white wine

1 1/2 tbs coriander seeds, toasted and ground   (I've used 1 ts of ground coriander)

1 1/2 pounds carrots, coarsely chopped, about 4 cups

1 medium parsnip, about 1/2 pound, peeled and coarsely chopped, 1 1/2 cups

1 medium potato, peeled and coarsely chopped, about 1 cup

1. Heat the oil and butter in a large soup pot and add the onions, 1/4 ts salt, and a pinch of pepper. Cook over medium heat until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add the wine and cook until the pan is nearly dry, about 3 minutes. Stir in the coriander, followed by the carrots, parsnips, potatoes, 1/4 ts salt, and a pinch of pepper. Add 5 cups of stock and simmer, uncovered, until the vegetables are tender, 35 to 40 minutes.

2. Puree the soup in a blender until smooth, adding a little stock if needed to each batch, then pass it through a food mill, and return to the pot over low heat. Add the stock to thin to desired consistency and season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. If you like, garnish each bowl with a swirl of Orange Creme Fraiche*

* (whisk together 1/4 ts minced orange zest+2 tbs fresh orange juice+1/2 cup creme fraiche)

P.S.: 
- I didn't pass the soup through a food mill 
- I've added some buttermilk (like 1/2cup or so) at the end, after pureeing the soup