soup II

For the solstice, a soup with white and green and gold ingredients. Another slight variation on a Sally Nirenberg* original -- she calls for dry mustard, I like it with mustard greens, fresh or frozen. Not surprisingly, fresh greens have a snappier flavor, so start slow if you're shy about mustard's sharpness. You can always add more later, or next time.

Parsnip and Mustard Green Soup

1 tblsp unsalted butter
1 Spanish onion, coarsely chopped
1 pound parsnips, peeld and sliced
1/2 ten-ounce box frozen mustard greens, or 1/3 to 1/2 a bunch of fresh greens (If using fresh: wash, stem, blanch, and chop the greens. Freeze the rest for next time. )
5 cups chicken stock

Step 1
In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook until golden.

Step 2
Add parsnips and stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until parsnips are soft, about 25 minutes.

Step 3
Puree the soup in a blender or food processor. Return it to the pot, add the chopped greens and heat gently.

Or, you can add the greens in the last five minutes or so of step 2 and puree it all at once. I like the way the soup looks with the green lacing through the ivory broth so I add them after the power-mashing.


* Also from Recipes from the Night Kitchen.