Cream Of Parsnip Soup With Crisp-Fried Pancetta

1. 1

   Peel parsnips. Shave each parsnip with vegetable peeler, working until you get to its woody core. (Core will be rough instead of smooth) Discard core; place shavings in a large bowl.

2. 2

   Melt butter in large saucepan over med heat. Add onion, carrot, and 1 Tbls of salt. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until veggies are soft, about 10 min.

3. 3

   Add shaved parsnips and potato, cover and cook until parsnips begin to wilt, about 5 min. Add wine, cover & cook until veggies are quite soft, about 20 min.

4. 4

   Add chicken or vegetable broth, water, bay leaf, nutmeg, black pepper and salt to taste. Cover & bring to a simmer. Cook until vegetables are extremely soft, about 20 min.

5. 5

   Discard bay leaf. Fill a blender about half full with veggies. Puree on low speed until coarsely ground. Slowly ladle in enough broth to make a smooth puree. Transfer puree to a large bowl and repeat until all is pureed.

6. 6

   Adjust seasonings. If parsnips were bitter, you can add up to 1 tsp sugar to balance it. (The soup can be made up to this point 3 days in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered.)

7. 7

   Before serving, return soup to the saucepan, pouring it through strainer to remove grainy bits. Simmer briefly over medium-low heat.

8. 8

   In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolks and whipping cream until smooth. Spoon 1/2 cup of the simmering puree into the cream and egg mixture. Whisk until smooth.

9. 9

   Slowly whisk the cream/egg mixture into puree and cook, whisking frequently, until soup has thickened slightly and the texture is silken, about 5 minutes. Do not let soup boil or the egg will curdle.

10. 10

    Divide soup among 6 shallow bowls; garnish with crisp-fried pancetta.

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.