Rapunzel's favorite parsnip and hazelnut soup

With two kids I see A LOT of cartoons, especially Disney movies.  One of Liam's favorites is Tangled.  Every time I see it I wonder about Rapunzel's favorite soup, which supposedly contains parsnips and hazelnuts.  I looked around online and found a recipe to use as a starting point.

This recipe is adapted from Perrys Plate.

Don't be scared by the idea of nuts in a soup.  The whole thing is pureed so its soft, fluffy, and creamy.  The consistency is really lovely.

I'm really terrible at plating.  My pictures of this soup are especially boring, but the flavor is so good.  Even better, this soup is pretty darn healthy, and quite filling.

Start off by sauteing the veggies in olive oil with the salt.  Honestly you can chop the veggies whatever size you want, it will just take a bit longer for them to soften and cook down if you are lazy like me and cut them in huge pieces.

While the veggies are cooking, put the hazelnuts in the oven in the single layer at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes.  Wait for several minutes for the nuts to cool, then wrap them in a dish towel and rub the towel vigorously for a minute to try and get the skin off the hazelnuts.  Remaining skin is fine, but the soup might taste a bit bitter with all the skins still on.

Add the broth, nuts, chili powder, and pepper into the pot.  Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 30 minutes.

Using whatever you've got (blender, food processor, immersion blender, etc.) puree the soup.  You might have to do this in several batches.  If you've got a big vitamix like me, you can do it all in one batch.  Make sure the soup is fully pureed before adding back to the pot.

Stir on low for a minute just to make sure the soup stays hot evenly, then remove from heat and slowly stir in the milk.  Serve.  I found this soup to be filling and tasty, and to my surprise, even after I microwaved leftovers it stayed fluffy.

Rapunzel's favorite parsnip and hazelnut soup
serves 6

Ingredients:

• 1 cup hazelnuts
• 4 shallots, peeled and chopped
• 2 medium leeks (whites only), chopped
• 2 large parsnips, chopped
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large potato, chopped
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 tsp chili powder

Directions:

1. Chop up the veggies and add into a large hot pot with olive oil and salt.  Saute until softened.
2. Heat oven to 350 degrees F and roast hazelnuts on a baking sheet for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool for several minutes.  Wrap the nuts in a towel and rub vigorously for a minute to slough the skins off.  You don't have to get all the skins off.
3. Dump the hazelnuts into the soup pot with the chicken broth, chili powder, and pepper.  Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Using a blender, immersion blender, food processor, etc. puree the soup thoroughly.
5. Return the soup to the pot, heat on medium low to make sure the soup is heated through thoroughly, then remove from heat, slowly stir in the milk, and serve.

note: This soup makes for really good leftovers, and stays fluffy even after refrigeration and being microwaved.

potato leek soup

I love potato leek soup.  You can make it quickly, it tastes divine, and my favorite part... my version tastes like a million calories, but is actually pretty healthy.  Woohoo!

I used to always buy fresh leeks, but between a crummy selection most of the time and the ease and availability of frozen leeks, I get them frozen and sliced at Trader Joe's.  So much easier and now I always have them on hand to use whenever.

Saute the leeks with a little olive oil and salt until they are soft and fragrant.

Rough chop about 4 medium yellow skinned potatoes.  Why yellow skinned?  They aren't as starchy as russets, plus Jeff likes his soup with the skin still on (keeping all the nutrients).  If all you have is russet, that's fine, just peel them.

They don't have to be pretty, just try to get them sized the same as they will cook through evenly.

Once the leeks are soft add the potatoes and the chicken broth.  I prefer using low-sodium broth because I can always add a bit of salt later on and I don't like my soup extra salty like many canned soups tend to be.  That's why I love making my own instead.

There should be enough broth to completely cover the potatoes, but not so much that the potaotes are drowned under a few inches of broth.

Keep the soup on medium heat until the potatoes are at least fork tender.  You can ignore the soup completely until the potaotes practically fall apart on their own if you want to.  Yeah, this is the easiest and laziest soup ever.

Use an immersion blender or a blender to puree the soup.  The consistency should be thick enough to stick on the spoon, but still liquid enough to drip.  Don't worry about the soup being too thick though, the milk still needs to be added.  Add in the black pepper and the parsley.  I like to use fresh parsley normally, but I ran out, so dried parsley will do fine.  When using fresh parsley make sure you use Italian flat leaf, not the nasty garnish kind.  Yuck!

Take the soup off the heat and stir in the milk.  It will marble the soup at first, so be sure to mix it in completely.  If you don't like your consistency you can easily change it.  If you want thicker soup add in a teaspoon of cornstarch mixed into a tablespoon of water.  If you want thinner soup, add a bit more milk or broth.

Add a bit more parsley on top for decoration and voila!  This soup is delicious and makes great leftovers.  It will thicken in the fridge, so add a bit of broth or milk to it when reheating.

This soup tastes like it's so bad for you with the potatoes, salt, and milk making it thick, starchy, and very creamy.  Most versions of this soup use butter and cream, which sound good but would most likely make me feel sick and fat after eating a single bowl.  I'll take my version any day.

I love this soup because it is forgiving when you make it, it tastes simple and happy, it reheats well, and it is made with few ingredients which tend to be staples of mine, so I can make this even when I'm in desperate need of groceries.

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potato leek soup

by Liesl September-16-2014

simple, easy, and delicious

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup (fresh or frozen) leek slices
• 4 medium yellow potatoes, rough cut, skin on
• 4 cups chicken stock (low-sodium)
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp parsley (plus more for topping)
• 1 cup low-fat milk

Instructions

1. Saute the leek slices in the olive oil and salt until softened and fragrant. Add in the potatoes and chicken broth. Cook on medium heat until the potatoes are also soft. Add the black pepper and parsley. Puree the soup with a blender or immersion blender under soft, velvety, and completely smooth. Take the soup off the heat and slowly stir in the milk until mixed in completely. Add more salt if desired. Ladle into bowls and top with a bit more parsley.

Details

Prep time: 5 mins 
Cook time: 35 mins 
Total time: 40 mins 

Yield: 4 servings