Pear And Parsnip Soup Recipe

Prepare vegetables

Peel and dice the onion, parsnips, potato and pears into roughly 1/2-inch pieces so they cook evenly. Mince the garlic and strip the thyme leaves.

In a medium heavy-bottomed pot, melt 2 tablespoons butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat until foam subsides. Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt and sweat until translucent, about 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally so it doesn't brown.

Add the minced garlic and thyme and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Add the chopped parsnips, potato and pears to the pot. Stir to combine and cook 3–4 minutes to start softening the root vegetables and warm the pears.

Deglaze with 1 tablespoon apple juice or white wine, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

Pour in 4 cups of low-sodium stock and add the bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until parsnips and potato are very tender, about 20–25 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf. Use an immersion blender directly in the pot to purée the soup until smooth. Alternatively, transfer in batches to a blender and purée until silky — be careful with hot liquid and vent the lid slightly.

Return the puréed soup to low heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon heavy cream (optional) and season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep warm while you prepare toppings.

If using pre-smoked shrimp: pat shrimp dry and toss with smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a pinch of black pepper.

If using raw shrimp: season shrimp with smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and sear 1–2 minutes per side until just cooked through and slightly charred. Finish with 1 teaspoon lemon juice. If you want an added smoky note and have a smoking plank or smoking gun, briefly smoke the cooked shrimp for 1–2 minutes.

Keep shrimp warm and set aside until plating.

Heat 1 teaspoon butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped pecans and toast, stirring frequently, 3–4 minutes until fragrant and slightly colored.

If using, sprinkle 1 teaspoon light brown sugar over the nuts and stir to coat; cook another 30–45 seconds so sugar melts and lightly glazes the pecans. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt and toss to combine. Transfer to a plate to cool — nuts will crisp as they cool.

Ladle the warm pear and parsnip soup into warmed bowls.

Top each bowl with 3–4 smoked shrimp placed in the center.

Scatter about 1–2 tablespoons of the pecan crunch over the soup for texture.

Finish with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil (optional) and a generous sprinkle of 1 tablespoon thinly sliced chives per bowl.

Serve immediately. Leftover soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stovetop and add a splash of stock if it thickens.