Recipe from the new cookbook

Last night, I flipped through the new cookbook, Irish Food and Cooking by Biddy White Lennon and Georgina Campbell, slapping a post-it on every page with a recipe that sounded good, as well as reading the history tidbits. This morning before work, I opened each page that had a post-it and picked something for dinner tonight.

Naturally, I would choose something The Man would stick his nose up at - parsnip soup. Not that it matters because he was asleep when I got home at 5:30 and he's still asleep now at 7:00.

Now, I can't recall ever eating a parsnip. Doesn't mean I haven't, but I don't remember the smell that wafted toward my nose while peeling them or while they were cooking before I added the spices.

If I make this again, I definitely need to add some potatoes to help draw down the parsnip aftertaste. Maybe The Man might at least sniff the pot then.

I ate mine with GF cornbread from Bob's Red Mill (yes, the stuff I was too hungry to bake this past weekend).

Parsnip Soup
from Irish Food & Cooking

2 lbs parsnips
1/4 c butter
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
5 c hot chicken stock
2/3 c light cream
salt and ground black pepper
chopped fresh chives or parsley, to garnish

Peel and slice the parsnips. Remove the cat from the counter at least 5 times while attempting to prepare the parsnips. Heat the butter in a pot and add the peeled parsnips and onion with the garlic. Cook until soft but not browned, stirring occasionally. Oh heck...feed the cats and the fish before you forget again.

Add the spices to the pot and cook for a couple of minutes, then add the chicken stock and stir.

Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, long enough to shove the scraps down the disposal and accidentally step on your cat's tail (why do they always lay right behind where you're standing?). When the parsnips are soft, pour the whole pot into a blender and puree. Adjust texture with stock or water if too thick. Taste to check for seasoning. Add the cream and reheat without boiling. Serve immediately.

He's still sleeping...!