Parsnip Soup with Chilli Oil and Parsnip Chips

Ingredient

Parsnip Soup:
2kg parsnips
2 brown onion, diced
6 garlic cloves, finely sliced
50ml Red Island extra virgin olive oil
50g butter
2L full cream milk
1L buttermilk
Salt flakes

Parsnip Crisps:
1 large parsnip
1L flying oil

Chilli Oil:
15 long Thai chillies
1L rice bran oil

Method

Peel the parsnips, cut them into the quarters and remove the core from the middle of the parsnip, then finely slice it and set aside.

In a large saucepan heat up the olive oil and melt the butter. Once the butter is just before browning, place in the diced onion and garlic. Cook down over a medium to low heat for 10 minutes, making sure you don’t colour the onions or garlic.

Next, stir through sliced parsnips. Season the parsnips with salt and let the mixture cook out for a further 5 minutes. Pour the milk and the buttermilk over the top of the parsnips.

Bring the soup mix to the boil and reduce the heat to a light simmer. Let the parsnips cook for 30 minutes, or until they’re soft.

Transfer the mix to a blender and carefully puree the soup. You will need to add more salt flakes at this stage.

While the soup is cooking get onto your garnish.

Parsnip Crisps:
Peel the skin away from the parsnip. Using your peeler, run it down the parsnip lengthways to create thin ribbons of parsnip.

Heat the frying oil to 180 degrees. Place the parsnip ribbons in the hot oil and fry until they turn golden brown. Remove from the oil and place on paper towel. Season immediately with salt flakes.

Chilli Oil:
Slice the chillies in half lengthways and remove the seeds and membrane from the chilli.

Place the chillies in a medium pot and cover with rice bran oil. Place the pot over a low heat and let tick away for 45 minutes.

Once the chillies are soft, take off the stove and leave to cool. Strain away the oil. With the leftover chilli, puree the mix to make the most amazing confit chilli.

Heat up some of the soup mix and ladle into a shallow bowl. Make a nice mound of parsnip chips in the middle of the soup, drizzle over some chilli oil and grate some nutmeg around the plate.

Recipe by Andy Allen