Potato and Parsley Soup

Sharon123's Note:

Easy, fast, healthful, and really good! I have called for using parsley root, but if unavailable, use celery or celery root. Adapted from Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone cookbook.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 10 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 50 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 4

• 1 1/2 lbs potatoes, peeled (can use a mixture of white and red potatoes)
• 2 parsley roots, scrubbed (or 2-3 celery stalks)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil (or butter- I recommend using half oil, half butter)
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 2 cups parsley, chopped
• salt
• fresh ground black pepper (or use white pepper)
• 6 cups water (or vegetable stock)
• 1/3 cup cream (or half and half or water)

Directions:

1. Quarter the potatoes lengthwise and thinly slice. Chop the celery fine or, if using parsley root, grate.
2. Melt the oil(or butter) in a soup pot and add the potatoes, celery, onion, and bay leaves.
3. Cook over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Raise the heat, add the wine, and let it reduce until syrupy. Add 1 1/2 cups parsley, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and the water; bring to a boil.
4. Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the potatoes have broken apart, about 30 minutes.
5. Stir in the cream and remaining parsley and heat through.
6. Taste and season with more salt if needed. Add the pepper. Remove the bay leaves and serve.
7. Enjoy!
8. Variations:.
9. Roast 2 heads garlic(with skin left on) that have been rubbed with olive oil, covered with foil(and add a little water to the pan), in a 350*F. oven for 45 minutes. Remove skins and add with the onions and potatoes. You may run the soup through a food mill if desired.
10. or.
11. Boil 1 bunch greens(mustard greens are especially good) 10-15 minutes, drain, coarsely chop, and add to soup with 2-3 pinches of red pepper flakes. Serve with a few shavings of Parmesan cheese.

Reviews

[magpie diner]

Like this recipe a lot. Even though I didn't have any true parsley root to work with, (and don't care for much celery so didn't use any), the soup has nice simple flavour and is very warming. I used some plain soy instead of cream which worked fine, and think it's vital you use stock or broth. I wasn't aware of parsley root before reading this recipe, so thank you for the introduction Sharon. Although I didn't have the right type of parsley in my garden, I did manage to pull out a few small roots and used them in the soup. I'll be on the lookout for some parsley root to try this again.