Irish Parsnip and Apple Soup with Soda Bread

This week we finally got some summery weather so this dish is very out of place! But I was craving fresh bread so went ahead and made it in spite of the 20C sunnyness outside! I have loved soda bread  ever since me and a friend made it when we were about 13 - it is sooo yummy (especially fresh out of the oven). But I haven't had any for ages! No rising, no kneading - just mix and bake! Perfect for when you want fresh bread but don't have the time!

The timings work great if you set the bread to bake and then make the soup...they should be ready at about the same time! The soup was yummy - very parsnipy - which is great as I love parsnips SO much! May play around with the spices a little bit next time as I felt they didn't come through that stongly! (And there will be a next time - this is a flavoursome, easy and affordable soup!)

Time - ***
Taste -****
Repeat - Definitely

Irish Soda Bread
makes 1 small loaf
adapted from bbcgoodfood.com

125g plain white flour
125g wholemeal bread flour
50g oats
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/4 tsp salt
14g butter, chopped
250ml buttermilk

1. Combine flours, oats, soda and salt
2. Rub in the butter
3. Add buttermilk and fold together (work the dough as little as possible)
4. Use your hands to bring together (add a but more flour if needed)
5. Form a circle/oval and place on a floured baking sheet
6. Cut a deep cross in the middle of the loaf (supposedly to let the fairies out!)
7. Bake at 180C for 35 minutes or until the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped
8. Serve with butter and soup

My housemate was confused as to why I was tapping the loaf on the bottom - I said I was checking to make sure the fairies had escaped!

Irish Parsnip and Apple Soup
makes 1 very hearty bowl
adapted from here

knob of butter
150g parsnips, peeled and thinly sliced
150g apple, peeled and sliced (I used one large Jonagold apple)
1/4 chopped leek
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground coriander
pinch cinnamon
1/2 garlic clove, finely chopped
400ml chicken stock
50ml cream (I used Elmlea double light)

1. Melt butter over medium heat and add apple, parsnip and leek. Cook to soften for 3-4 minutes
2. Add spices and garlic and cook for 2 minutes
3. Add stock and simmer over medium heat for 25 -30 minutes until parsnips are well softened
4. Liquidise soup, return soup to the bowl with cream. Stir and heat through
5. Serve with a couple of slices of buttered soda bread

I had some left over bread...perfect for wholegrain mustard and cheese toasties for lunch :)  Yum!

Love Rebecca


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