– by Carolyn Herriot –
Adding seasonal fruit to recipes makes a surprisingly delicious combination of flavours. The following recipes use apples and quince which are plentiful at this time of year. Parsnips and apples make a great team for your taste buds. Try this smooth and creamy soup to find this out for yourself.
CREAMY PARSNIP AND APPLE SOUP
Makes 10 Servings
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 tsp brown sugar
2 cups parsnips, peeled and chopped
1½ cups potatoes, scrubbed and diced
4 cups vegetable stock
2 cups apple juice
4 apples, peeled, cored and chopped
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp sea salt
½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
½ tsp grated whole nutmeg
1 cup milk or cream (optional for a vegan soup)
Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the onion with the brown sugar. Sauté for 10 minutes over low to medium heat, allowing the onion to caramelize a little.
Add the parsnips and potatoes to the softened onions along with the vegetable stock and apple juice. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add the apples, lemon juice and seasonings in the saucepan. Simmer for another 20 minutes.
Puree the soup in a food blender until smooth, and return it to the saucepan. Whisk in milk or cream if desired. Season with grated
fresh nutmeg.
QUINCE & SUNCHOKE ROAST
Makes 4 servings
4 quince, quartered and cored
4 large sunchokes, scrubbed clean
4 large potatoes, scrubbed clean, not peeled
2 tsp dried sage
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup maple syrup
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)
Cut the vegetables into approximately the same sized chunks. Mix in the seasonings, drizzle with the olive oil and toss until covered. Roast in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Drizzle with maple syrup when it comes out of the oven and serve.
Carolyn Herriot is author of ‘The Zero Mile Diet, A Year Round Guide to Growing Organic Food’ and ‘The Zero-Mile Diet Cookbook, Seasonal Recipes for Delicious Homegrown Food’ (Harbour Publishing).
