Parsnip & Apple Soup

Serves 4

During the winter months, nothing feels better than a warming bowl of soup, and it doesn’t get much better than this delicious recipe of parsnip and apple soup. It is both sweet (from the parsnip) and savoury/sharp (from the apple) and gives a good balance between the two flavours.

• 4 medium parsnips, peeled and chopped

• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped

• 1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped

• 2 stalks celery, sliced

• 2 medium apples, peeled and chopped (ideally green cooking apples, as these are sour and add a delicious flavour)

• 2 vegetable stock cubes/pots dissolved in 4L (7 pints) hot water (or 4 litre fresh vegetable stock)

• 60ml (¼ cup/2fl oz) oat or coconut milk/cream

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 15g (¼ cup/0.5oz) fresh parsley, finely chopped for garnish

• 1 large parsnip, peeled and thinly sliced (with a grater) to make parsnip crisps

1 Preheat oven to 190°C/380°F/Gas 5.

2 In a medium saucepan add the stock water and all the fruit and vegetables (except the thinly-sliced parsnip for crisps). Once the water boils, turn heat down, cover and cook for 20 minutes.

3 Meanwhile, make the crisps. Put the thinly sliced parsnips on a flat baking tray, spray with some sunflower oil, scatter a little salt and pepper, mix with your hands and bake in the oven for 20 minutes ensuring you keep turning them over every 5 minutes as they tend to burn quickly.

4 Once the vegetables are soft, add the milk/cream, and mix with a hand blender until smooth.

5 Taste and add salt and pepper if desired.

6 Serve in bowls and top with parsley garnish and parsnip crisps.