PARSNIP SPICE CAKE RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Place the parsnips and carrots into a mixing bowl, and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Toss to coat the vegetables with oil, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread the vegetables evenly over a baking sheet.
• Roast in the preheated oven until the parsnips are tender and golden brown, about 30 minutes.
• Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and celery. Cook and stir until the vegetables have softened and the onion is beginning to turn golden brown, about 7 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, and stir in the butter, garlic, brown sugar, and the roasted parsnips and carrots. Continue to cook and stir until all of the vegetables are very tender and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.
• Season with the ginger, cardamom, allspice, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper; stir for 1 minute. Pour in the chicken stock, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer gently until all of the vegetables are very tender, about 15 minutes.
• Pour the soup into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway full. Hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel, and carefully start the blender, using a few quick pulses to get the soup moving before leaving it on to puree. Puree in batches until smooth and pour into a clean pot. Alternately, you can use a stick blender and puree the soup right in the cooking pot.
• Stir in the milk and cream. Return to a simmer over medium-low heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper before serving.

Steps:

• Heat a small, dry frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the cumin, coriander and cardamom seeds and shake them around for a few seconds until they toast and darken slightly. Tip into a spice grinder or pestle and mortar (or a coffee grinder used only for spices) and grind to a fine powder.
• Heat the butter and oil in a medium-size pan. Add the onion, cover and cook gently for 10 minutes until soft and lightly golden. Meanwhile, peel the parsnips and cut them into 2.5cm pieces.
• Uncover the pan, add the garlic, grated ginger and all the spices, then cook for 1 minute more. Add the parsnips, chopped apple and stock, then bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the parsnips are really tender when you test them with a knife.
• Remove soup from the heat and leave to cool slightly, then liquidise until smooth. Pour it through a sieve into a clean pan, using a wooden spoon to push it through. Season to taste.
• To serve, stir in the crème fraîche. Serve in warm bowls, garnished with a little more crème fraîche and chopped chives.