Duet de panais part deux

Second soup of the weekend was a stonking roast spiced parsnip affair. Deceptively hot, it tastes as if there's a smidge of coconut milk in it (there isn't) and comes across spiced and creamy until the heat hits you after a few seconds. When feeding some to the chap to try he didn't look like he thought it was spicy enough and I told him to 'wait for it' then watched in gratification as his face changed a few seconds later. He he he :-p It's not too hot - just unexpected but deffo a good one for these cold frosty nights we've been having.

Spiced Roast Parsnip Soup

1lb trimmed peeled parsnips

2tbsp EVOO + a small splosh

0.5tsp ground turmeric

0.5tsp ground cayenne

1tsp garam masala

1tsp cumin seed

1tsp black onion seed - not necessary but I had them in the cupboard

2 sml/1large onion

2 sticks celery

1 big (mine was a baker) / 2 small spuds

1 pint veg stock

0.5 pint water

0.5 pint milk

'Dollop' (approx 1-2 tbsp) soured cream - optional

Prefeat oven to Gas 6.

Peel and chop parsnips and put in ceramic roasting dish.

Mix the oil and spices in a jug / mug etc and pour over the parsnips. Mix really well.

Place in oven and roast for 45-60 mins.

As near end of cooking time peel and chop your onion and chop the celery.

Heat a small splosh EVOO in a big pan and gently fry off the onion and celery to soften.

Chop spud into small chunks and add.

Add stock + water + parsnips.

Bring to boil then reduce heat and simmer covered for about 10 mins until veg esp. spuds soft.

Blitz in the FP until quite smooth adding soured cream as you go.

Return to pan, add milk and warm through.

My personal version of the classic spiced / curried parsnip soup. You can adjust this to make it less hot / more hot or use your particular fave spice blend. You could even use coconut milk in place of the regular milk if wanted though I think that'd give a fairly sweet result. This is warming and filling; rich in flavours but relatively low in fat and of course - low cost to make. Yum!

Quick Found £'s update - 40p yesterday. Now have a box on the right with the latest update in so I can keep track of progress over the year. As can you. How exciting. *rolls eyes* *snort*

The beauty of ingredients

Look at these chestnut mushrooms. Do they not speak to you of promises of deep earthy flavours hidden within, of succulent juices released with a bite, of woodland and calm places and still shadows under trees? Well they do me.

I was struck by them last night as the Chap chopped some for the lovely veg curry he made me. Can't give you a recipe as I was 'encouraged' away from the cooking area (:-D) but it included onion, garlic, spuds, carrot, butternut squash, chestnut mushrooms, broccoli and green beans and served on top of nutty brown rice squeezed with lemon was a warming winter winner. Well done Chap. *claps*

Quick update on the found £'s - 80p today already! Woop!!

Found Pounds

Well I achieved very little this weekend - but in a good way. We had a thoroughly relaxed time, a potter round the stores on the Quay - a mix of eclectic, antique style stuff and a glass artist, metalwork and a couple of gorgeous wood furniture places making lovely (expensive) pieces from reclaimed timber. I got a few ideas for chrimble things and had many intentions to get stuff done. Which kind of came to naught. Oops!! In defence though both myself and Chap have got new stinking colds so didn't feel like doing an awful lot. We made it to 2 different birthday celebrations, did some shopping and I cooked a big pot of red bean / quorn mince 'stuff' yesterday for us to feed on before gently drifting into a stupor in front of the fire and whatever film was on the box. Nice. It's been pretty cold here [I nearly put 'extremely' then but I could imagine the cries of 'you southern softy' from more northern readers] so wrapping up well and staying in with the cat and the fire has been the order of things. That said I did suddenly realise yesterday afternoon that there's only 2 weekends left until xmas. Eek!!! I need to get stuff done methinks so that'll be the last lazy weekend this year I reckon.

I've decided to follow the challenge/example set by Atomic Shrimp and from the 1st Dec this year collect all the lost money I find into a jar to be spent on xmas 2011. Started today with a grand total of 11p. 10p of this was in the vending machine - must keep an eye on this as I think people often forget their change and leave it in there. Be interesting to see how this pans out - he made over £100 - not bad going!! Wish me luck...