I love a good soup, me! And I often cook one in the course of a normal week. Particularly in winter. There is nothing better, on a cold, wet day (sorry, this is England! ) than a bowl of homemade soup, sprinkled with parmesan ( lots of it ! I AM Italian after all) and accompanied by some nice bread. And they don’t require any great culinary expertise either. Even a man could cook one, provided he knows how to peel a vegetable ( he he, this is a joke in case it is not clear.. )! But seriously I really can’t understand people who buy them ready made as they take no time at all. I often throw in my pressure cooker whatever vegetables I have available and BINGO! We have soup! The last one I made was particularly nice so I’ve decided to share it with you.
INGREDIENTS
3 parsnips
3 carrots
2 medium sized sweet potatoes or 1 large one
1 medium onion
150 gr. orange lentils
1 heaped teaspoon curry powder
2/3 vegetable stock cubes
1.5 lt. of water ( or thereabouts)
PREPARATION
Peel and roughly chop the vegetables and put in a pan with the water, the curry powder and the stock cubes. Cook until soft ( approx. 30 minutes. Less if in a pressure cooker) and liquidize. Add a bit more hot water at the end if too thick. Voilà! Couldn’t be simpler. Some chopped coriander would go very well with it if you have any knocking about.
The colour of the soup is very nice as it’s bright orange (sweet potatoes in England are orange inside. Not sure if that’s the case in Italy. Candi, please confirm or deny) and the taste is quite sweet thanks to the parsnips and the sweet potatoes. The curry powder adds a bit of interest . But you can easily leave it out if you don’t fancy it. I confess I didn’t put any parmesan on this one. Somehow I don’t think it went well. 
I was going to upload a photo of it but my husband ate the last bowlful I had kept behind in the fridge with the intention of taking a picture ( did you hear the scream?). Oh well! It must have been good then…:-)
P.S. Unfortunately I think Italian people are going to struggle with this soup as parsnips are not sold in Italy ( please Italian people: google “parsnip” to see what this vegetable looks like). When I first came in this country I thought they were BIG anaemic carrots as they look like carrots only they are white. They are so common in England people don’t realise they might be unknown abroad! Do they exist in the Northern countries, Laura (= Candida’s daughter currently doing a school exchange in Sweden)?? Anyway try using 3 sticks of celery instead of the parsnips. I am sure it will taste nice too!
Oh la pastinaca!!! Ma perché diavolo noi non ce l’abbiamo? Sarà così difficile da coltivare? Saranno anni che me lo chiedo. Proverò a chiedere al mio produttore di ortaggi se ci prova, chissà!!! Forse mi piace tanto non solo per il suo sapore, ma anche per il nome: in russo si chiama PASTERNAK!!! (uno scrittore che amo particolarmente). A proposito parte della sua famiglia è inglese ora, una tipica famiglia di professori oxfordiani… Molto British che parlano un adorabile russo con accento inglese.
Anche la patate dolci da noi non sono arancioni. Insomma, niente colorino delizioso per noi italiani (per ora).
There’s an idea for you, Candi: introducing the humble parsnip in the Italian market! A bit like when the conquistadores brought the potato and the tomato back from the Americas! Think of the money you would make! Shall I send you some seeds??
You could also introduce the orange sweet potatoes, while you are at it….
Se l’università italiana cola a picco…
Only a matter of time, from what I hear…:-(
SI la pastinaca ovviamente qua esiste 😀 qui c’è tutto
Ohi esterofile!???!!!
Not our fault if Italy is not in step with the vegetables…he he!
Candi sei solo invidiosa 😛
E la cioccolata densa Cameo? Eh eh questo è un colpo basso 😉