Caramelized Leek & Parsnip Soup with Mushrooms & Crispy Prosciutto

• Gluten free

• Meat

  • 4 slices Prosciutto

• Produce

  • 1 Leek, large
  • 12 oz Mushrooms, assorted
  • 2 Of garlic, whole bulbs
  • 1 Parsnip, large
  • 1 tsp Tarragon, dried

• Canned Goods

  • 2 cups Chicken broth

• Baking & Spices

  • 1 Salt and pepper

• Oils & Vinegars

  • 2 tbsp Olive oil, Extra Virgin

• Dairy

  • 4 tbsp Butter, high-quality
  • 1/4 cup Heavy cream

Found on caligirlcooking.com

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a jelly roll pan with aluminum foil, set aside. Cut the tops off of each garlic bulb, about 1/3 of the way down. Do not cut the side with the root. Place garlic bulbs and cubed parsnip on jelly roll pan. Drizzle heavily with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Roast in oven for 30 minutes, or until parsnip can be easily pierced with a fork and cloves of garlic easily popped out of their skins.
• Meanwhile, begin prepping your leeks. Place a large skillet over low heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter. Once butter is melted, add leeks. Cook, stirring every so often, on low heat for 20-30 minutes or until leeks look (and smell) nicely caramelized. If leeks begin to look dry during the caramelization process, simply drizzle on a little olive oil to get them moist again.
• If you would like to cut down on dishes, you can wait until the leeks are done to start cooking the mushrooms. Simply remove the leeks from the skillet and set them aside. No need to keep them warm because they will get reheated later. Add another 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan, increase heat to medium, and wait until butter is melted before adding mushrooms. At this time also add the dried tarragon. Stir fairly continuously until mushrooms have begun to soften and let out their juices, but not so long that they become completely cooked and mushy. Set aside.
• Begin heating your saucepan that you will use to make the soup. Drizzle another tablespoon or so of olive oil in the bottom of the pan for some moisture as it is warming up. Once oil is warm, add the roasted parsnips and garlic. I ended up adding about a bulb’s worth of roasted garlic, and saved the other bulb for other uses, but feel free to add as much as you’d like. Next, add the caramelized leeks and then the chicken broth. Start with just 2 cups at this point. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for about 5 minutes.
• While soup is simmering, heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add prosciutto. Cook, stirring frequently, until prosciutto JUST becomes crispy. Be careful not to overdo it. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel and prosciutto will continue to crisp slightly. Set aside.
• Pour the saucepan items into your blender. Blend on high until soup looks smooth and creamy, adding in either the cream or additional chicken broth as you go along until you reach your desired consistency.
• Pour back into the saucepan over medium-low heat and stir in the sauteed mushrooms. Stir and let simmer for just a few minutes to give the flavors a chance to meld.
• Serve topped with crispy prosciutto and with some delicious flax seed focaccia bread on the side.