How to make parsnip and pear soup with smoky walnuts

Using seasonal pears and sweet parsnips, and topped with smoky crunchy walnuts, this is an easy dish for an autumnal weekend lunch

Add texture to a fine soup with chopped smoky walnuts

Parsnip and pear soup with smoky walnuts

Prep: 50 mins

Serves: 4-6

For the soup

500g parsnip, roughly chopped 
1 tbsp olive oil
4 sprigs of thyme 
Salt and pepper
1 white onion, finely chopped 
1 tbsp butter
2 pears, peeled, cored and roughly chopped 
800ml vegetable stock 
600ml milk 
75g walnuts, ground in the food processor 

For the smoky walnuts

2 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp smoked paprika 
2 tsp soy sauce 
50g walnuts
1 tbsp chopped chives and a drizzle of walnut oil to garnish

Preheat the oven to 180C. Place the parsnips onto a baking tray and drizzle with the olive oil. Sprinkle over the thyme, season and toss everything together. Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown.

Meanwhile, make the smoky California walnuts. Whisk together the maple syrup, paprika and soy sauce and drizzle over the 50g of California walnuts, tossing to coat. Place onto a small baking tray and roast in the oven for 8-10 minutes. Leave to cool before chopping roughly.

Next, place the onion and butter into a large saucepan over a medium heat and sauté until soft and translucent. Add the pear and continue cooking for a further 8-10 minutes.

Add the parsnip and vegetable stock to the saucepan and continue cooking for a further 15 minutes with the lid on. Add the milk and blitz until smooth and silky. Stir in the ground California walnuts and adjust the seasoning to taste.

Ladle the soup into bowls, then sprinkle with the smoky California walnuts and chopped chives, adding a final drizzle of walnut oil to serve.

Recipe from walnuts.org