White Chocolate and Parsnip Soup with Dill, Lemon, Coco Dusted Crouton
Executive Chef Garrett Pittler, City Winery Nashville
One of Chef Pittler’s favorites, and a featured dish on City Winery’s winter menu, this soup is sure to impress. Consider serving it as a holiday dinner appetizer or make it the main course on a chilly night with friends.
White Chocolate and Parsnip Soup with Dill, Lemon, Cocoa Dusted Croutons
Ingredients
Soup
- 2 pounds parsnips
- 1 oz olive oil (brush parsnips)
- 4 oz butter
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 2 quarts chicken stock
- 1 whole vanilla bean
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Crouton
- 1 loaf brioche bread
- 1 tbsp canola oil
- ¼ cup dark cocoa powder
- 5 oz vanilla white chocolate
- 8 oz heavy cream
- 1 fresh lemon, zested
- .75 oz fresh dill, picked
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400º.
- Peel parsnips, and cut into 1-inch chunks, brush lightly with oil and place on a baking sheet lined with heavy duty aluminum foil (for easy cleanup). Roast until the parsnips begin to soften (as tested with a knife blade) and until the tips begin to turn golden brown. This takes about 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for a few minutes while you start the other ingredients in the stockpot. (Leave oven on for toasting of croutons.)
- Melt the butter over medium-low heat in a large stockpot and gently saute the onion until translucent. (This takes about 10 minutes, but the more important thing is that they look translucent.)
- Add the chicken stock, slice open the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the pot and add along with the vanilla pod itself.
- Increase heat to medium, add the roasted parsnips, and bring to a boil.
- Season with salt and pepper, cover and let cook until the parsnips are completely tender, about 20 minutes.
- Once you have the soup underway, toast the croutons in the oven which is already preheated to 400º.
- Cut the epee loaf into ¾-inch thick slices.
- Brush the bread with oil and place on a foil lined baking sheet (important for cleanup purposes).
- Sift dark cocoa over the bread and toast briefly in the oven, just to make crispy.
- Remove and set aside.
- Stir the white chocolate chips into the soup and cook for a further 5 minutes, to allow them to melt and to integrate flavors.
- Remove soup from heat, discard vanilla pod, and stir in heavy cream.
- Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth. (Remember, when using an immersion blender, the blade end has to be immersed, or it will make a big mess.)
- Squeeze fresh lemon into the pot and stir to combine.
- Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with fresh dill.
- Serve with lemon zest and dark chocolate dusted croutons.
Serve this as something different this holiday seaons! Image: Chef Hunter Duncan
Find more holiday recipes from local chefs here!
