This recipes comes from the kitchen at Seasons Fine Foods Cookery School in Napanee Ontario and was printed in the Fall 2017 edition of Grapevine Magazine. What I love about this soup is how flavourful it is. The salty peameal, sweet parsnips, and spicy cardamom come together in a surprisingly delightful way.
Peameal Parsnip Chowder
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups cubed cornmeal crusted peameal bacon
3 cups potatoes, peeled and cut into ½” cubes
3 cup parsnips, peeled and cut into ½” cubes
1 tsp ground cardamom
2 tsp dried thyme
6-8 cups vegetable stock
1 cup 35% whipping cream
Fresh chopped flat leaf parsley for garnish
Heat a large soup pot over medium heat and then add the olive oil. Once heated add the onions and saute until they are clear and soft. Add the peameal bacon and saute ten minutes, stir occasionally. Add the potatoes, parsnips, thyme and cardamom, saute for 5 minutes. Add enough stock just to cover ingredients in the pot.
Simmer until the vegetables are soft. Add the cream and gently heat through. Add more cream if needed to create a smooth crowder. I like my chowder less smooth, so I take a potato masher and mash the soup a few times to break up some of the potatoes and parsnips, this creates a thicker broth and various sixed chunks.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with parsley and serve.