honey-roasted parsnip and celeriac soup

I'll admit I ripped the idea off of Marks and Spencer. But I can make it so much better! The original tasted quite lovely, with the sweetness of the honey and parsnips matching so well with the earthy, almost indescribable taste of celeriac. I didn't need the cream at all.

Honey (obviously) has quite a lot of sugar, but it has so many good benefits too. In the depths of winter, news that honey is better than cough syrup is not only a welcome but also a tasty development.

Only using a tablespoon of set honey for the entire soup enhances the flavour dramatically without significantly adding to the calorie count.

This makes about six 300g servings and is absolutely delicious.

honey-roasted parsnip and celeriac soup
(serves 6 for a first course)

3 medium-sized parsnips, peeled and cut into sticks
1 small celeriac, peeled and cubed
4 shallots
500 ml cold water
1 litre of hot vegetable stock
1 tablespoon of set honey (though any honey will do)
a handful of fresh lemon thyme
1 bay leaf
5-10 sprays of olive oil (about 2 ml)
salt and white pepper


Preheat oven to 200 C. Line a roasting tin and add the parsnips, shallots (no need to peel them), lemon thyme, honey and olive oil. Mix together to ensure the parsnips are coated. Roast for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the celeriac, cold water and bay leaf to a large pot. Bring to the boil about 10 minutes before the parsnips are due to finish roasting. Once boiling, add the hot vegetable stock, salt and white pepper to the soup.

When the parsnips are finished, remove from the oven. Add the shallots by squeezing the outside and allowing the insides to seep out. Discard the peels. Then tip the roasted parsnips into the soup and mix through.

Remove the bay leaf and use a hand blender to blitz the mixture until it takes on a creamy consistency. Serve immediately or save and freeze later.

Optional: add skimmed milk to the mixture should you like an even creamier consistency. Add slowly, whilst you are blending the soup and allow the mixture to warm through.

Tip: If serving immediately, add a small dollop of reduced fat creme fraiche and a few chives for a pleasing effect.

I had this for lunch yesterday, and freezed four portions worth for the upcoming week. My current plan is to stock my fridge full of warming winter soups for a great meal at the drop of a hat. Next soup, which I plan on making tonight: sweet potato, squash, fennel and radish.