Parsnip Leek Soup With Lump Crab Recipes

PARSNIP-LEEK SOUP WITH LUMP CRAB

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. In a medium roasting pan, toss parsnips with oil. Roast, covered with foil, 20 minutes. Add leeks and leaves of 2 thyme sprigs; toss to coat with oil; splash with wine. Roast, covered with same foil, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft, 30 minutes. Discard any burned bits. In a large pot, bring veggies and 2 cups stock to a boil; reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes; let cool slightly. In a food processor, blend soup on low until smooth. Return blended soup to pot; add cream, if desired. Bring soup to a very low simmer; season with salt and black pepper; add remaining 1 cup stock to reach desired thickness (crabmeat should be able to sit on top). In a bowl right before serving, microwave juice, butter and leaves of remaining 2 thyme sprigs until butter melts, about 20 seconds; stir. Toss crabmeat in lemon-butter mixture. Pour soup into 8 demitasse cups; top each with 1 1/2 teaspoons crab. DO AHEAD: You can roast the parsnips and leeks one or two days before your bash; just cover (so the veggies don't dry out) and refrigerate until you're ready to finish the soup.

CREAMY PARSNIP SOUP

Steps:

• Heat butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add leeks (reserving 1/2 cup for garnish). Cook, stirring, 5 minutes.
• Add parsnips, apples, potato, broth, and 4 cups water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until vegetables are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Working in batches, puree soup in a blender until smooth. Return it to pot; stir in cream. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with Leek Garnish.
• To make leek garnish, in a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high. Add reserved 1/2 cup leeks; cook, stirring, until golden brown, about 3 minutes.

CREAMY LEEK AND PARSNIP SOUP

Steps:

• Put olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add leeks and parsnips, and stir to coat. Add the 2 teaspoons salt and pepper to taste.
• Let vegetables sizzle and cook, stirring frequently until nearly caramelized, but without browning, until softened, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Add bay leaf, turmeric and garlic, and stir to coat. Increase heat to high, add water or broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes more. Taste broth and adjust seasoning.
• With a blender, purée soup to a creamy consistency. (Small batches work best.) Thin with water or broth, if necessary - it should be like a thin milkshake, not thick and porridge-like.
• Reheat the soup before serving. Serve plain, or give each bowl a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil or a dollop of crème fraîche or yogurt, if desired.

GINGERED PARSNIP & LEEK SOUP

Steps:

• Leeks have a good amount of sand trapped between the layers in both the white and green parts. Be sure to soak, rinse and clean well so as not to spoil the final results.
• Add olive oil, sliced leeks and ginger to a large sauce pan over medium heat. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the leeks begin to soften and the ginger becomes fragrant.
• Peel and slice the parsnips into 1/4 inch thick disks. If the vegetables are large, cut in half lengthwise before slicing. Add the sliced parsnips to the pot and cook an additional 7 to 8 minutes. Should the pan get dry, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of the vegetable broth to keep the pan from scorching.
• Add the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add the white wine. Cook for 20 minutes uncovered. When done the vegetables should be soft and tender.
• Place the soup in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. (I use an immersion blender for this step.) Season with white pepper and salt to taste.
• Ladle into bowls and garnish with a small dollop of yogurt (or for a more elegant presentation you can thin the yogurt and make swirls or a web pattern) and a small sprinkle of smoked paprika.

CRAB AND LEEK CHOWDER

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over high heat. Cook until the butter just begins to brown, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add the jalapeño and sauté for 1 minute. Add the garlic and leek and sauté for 1 minute, stirring. Increase the heat to high, add the stock, potatoes, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and let the soup simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat.
• Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. Alternatively, puree the mixture in a food processor or blender. Stir in the hot sauce to taste. Return the pot to low heat and simmer the soup for 15 minutes.
• Put the drained crabmeat in a small bowl and pick through it with your hands, removing any pieces of shell.
• To serve, divide the chowder among 4 bowls. Garnish each bowl with crabmeat, corn, red bell pepper, and shallot rings. Top with a pinch of parsley.
• Crispy Shallots
• Combine the flour, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Dredge the shallots in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess flour.
• In a medium skillet over high heat, heat the olive oil. Add the shallot rings and cook without stirring until they turn golden brown, about 2 minutes. Turn them over and cook until they are golden and crisp, about 2 minutes. As the shallots finish cooking, remove them to a plate lined with a paper towel.

LEEK-AND-PARSNIP SOUP WITH CAVIAR AND BLACK-PEPPER CREAM

Steps:

• Make the soup: Cut a round of parchment to fit inside a large pot. Melt butter in pot over medium heat. Add leeks and a pinch of salt, and cover with parchment round (this will help keep moisture in). Cook, lifting parchment to stir occasionally, until leeks are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Stir in parsnips, potatoes, chicken stock, 2 1/2 cups water, bay leaves, and 1 teaspoon salt. Raise heat to high, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer gently, partially covered with lid, until parsnips are soft, about 20 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Let cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
• Working in batches, puree vegetable mixture in a blender, being sure to hold lid down.
• Return soup to pot, and stir in milk. Reheat soup over medium heat (do not boil).
• Make the black-pepper cream: Stir 1/4 teaspoon pepper into creme fraiche.
• Ladle soup into 8 small bowls, and top each with a dollop of black-pepper cream and 1/2 teaspoon caviar.