Parsnip and Quince Soup, Raw Persimmon, Parsnip Crumble, Purple Sage, Buttermilk Bubbles
Quince, Parsnip and Persimmon are not foods you will commonly see on most produce stands and pantries. I'm sure there are a variety of reasons for this, from their seasonal availability to the need to manipulate them before eating. Parsnips have poisonous greens and flowers, and the quince and persimmon need to be properly ripened, slightly rotted or cooked to dissipate their extreme astringency. Don't let this keep you from seeking them out however. As I'm about to show you, all they need is a little love and attention and they will reward you.
While the parsnips greens contain a toxin similar to poison ivy, the tuber is perfectly safe, and delicious. It looks and tastes similar to a carrot, but much sweeter with a slight annis flavor.
The quince's hardness and astringency enable it to grow in much colder conditions than it's cousins the apple and pear. It also makes it extremely unpleasant to eat in it raw, just-picked form. If you wish to eat one raw you basically have to allow it to rot and soften. Otherwise, you can just apply some heat to it.
I sauteed some leeks and onions in butter to soften them a bit before tossing in some peeled and diced parsnip and quince. I added a 1/2 teaspoon of citric acid to prevent browning, seasoned with salt and pepper and allowed everything to mingle for a few minutes. I then added some cider vinegar and white wine and cooked it off. I topped of the pot with chicken stock, adding a sachet of black pepper, sage and thyme and boiled til the quince and parsnip were completely cooked. I removed the sachet and pureed everything, adding a little more butter and some buttermilk. I strained the soup to remove any solids and set aside in a small sauce pot.
While the soup was coming together I took the peels from the parsnips and placed them in a container and filled it with water. I pulsed them with a stick blender and strained of the water. I sauteed the parsnip in butter and then baked it in the oven til dry and crumbly.
I combined the buttermilk with some cider vinegar, maple syrup and soy lecithin and pulsed it with a stick blender til it foamed up.
I placed a slice of persimmon (that was ripened at room temperature for ten days) on the bottom of the bowl and spooned some of the parsnip crumble around it. I added some thyme and sage leaves to the crumble and spooned some of the buttermilk bubbles on and around it.
Product:
Quince - Beechwood Orchards
Organic Parsnips - Root Mass Farm
Organic Persimmon - Culton Organics
Organic Purple Sage - Weaver's Way
While the parsnips greens contain a toxin similar to poison ivy, the tuber is perfectly safe, and delicious. It looks and tastes similar to a carrot, but much sweeter with a slight annis flavor.
The quince's hardness and astringency enable it to grow in much colder conditions than it's cousins the apple and pear. It also makes it extremely unpleasant to eat in it raw, just-picked form. If you wish to eat one raw you basically have to allow it to rot and soften. Otherwise, you can just apply some heat to it.
I sauteed some leeks and onions in butter to soften them a bit before tossing in some peeled and diced parsnip and quince. I added a 1/2 teaspoon of citric acid to prevent browning, seasoned with salt and pepper and allowed everything to mingle for a few minutes. I then added some cider vinegar and white wine and cooked it off. I topped of the pot with chicken stock, adding a sachet of black pepper, sage and thyme and boiled til the quince and parsnip were completely cooked. I removed the sachet and pureed everything, adding a little more butter and some buttermilk. I strained the soup to remove any solids and set aside in a small sauce pot.
While the soup was coming together I took the peels from the parsnips and placed them in a container and filled it with water. I pulsed them with a stick blender and strained of the water. I sauteed the parsnip in butter and then baked it in the oven til dry and crumbly.
I combined the buttermilk with some cider vinegar, maple syrup and soy lecithin and pulsed it with a stick blender til it foamed up.
I placed a slice of persimmon (that was ripened at room temperature for ten days) on the bottom of the bowl and spooned some of the parsnip crumble around it. I added some thyme and sage leaves to the crumble and spooned some of the buttermilk bubbles on and around it.
Product:
Quince - Beechwood Orchards
Organic Parsnips - Root Mass Farm
Organic Persimmon - Culton Organics
Organic Purple Sage - Weaver's Way