Parsley Soup

Parsley soup is prepared by boiling the Hamburg root parsley belonging to the P.crispum Radicosum species. This is a special cultivar which is different from the variety of parsley favored for its leaves and used as herbs or as a spice. The leafy variety can also be used as a garnish for chicken and vegetable stew and it is popular for its flavor which is utilized in soups as well.

The leafy vegetable is extremely nutritious and enlivens the soup when it is used as the primary ingredient in a soup. The residents of South and Central Europe consume the root parsley soup in winter although it can be grown round the year. The leaves are rich in vitamins and antioxidants which help in retaining the body warmth during the cold season. Parsley and onion soup is one of the very few vegetable dishes that is consumed in Seychelles where seafood is the chief ingredient of most other dishes.

The soup is often enriched by adding chicken or vegetable stock and fried parsley leaves serve as an aromatic garnish. Potato and leeks are also popular additions to the soup as they tend to mellow the flavor.

Parsley Soup Recipe: Ingredients and Preparation Overview

The traditional Central European soups utilize both varieties of parsley, the root as well as the leafy variety. They are pureed together and form a thick bodied soup with an intensely aromatic flavor.

The dish that is consumed commonly across the United States of America and Western Europe consists of flat leafed parsley leaves boiled along with potatoes, garlic and yogurt or cream. Chicken or vegetable stock is added to make it more wholesome. The parsley stems and the onions along with the potato slices and garlic are fried with the stock being added soon after. The parsley leaves are usually blanched and allowed to cook within the soup for sometime after which the solid ingredients are processed into a puree and returned to the boiling soup again. Straining the soup makes it lighter and most individuals prefer to retain the pureed ingredients within it. Parsley soup is ladled into bowls and served with a dollop of cream or yogurt as well as a drop of lemon juice.

Parsley Soup Recipe Variations

• Italian Soup- This particular variety is made by boiling leeks and zucchini along with parsley which is usually cooked in olive oil and white wine.
   
• Cream of Potato and Parsley Soup- This soup contains cubed potatoes and is boiled in vegetable stock. Shallots, garlic and parsley stems are fried in olive oil before adding them to the stock and the solid ingredients are pureed and passed through a sieve to obtain the creamed form. It is topped with a poached egg just before serving.
   
• Vegan Soup- This vegan version of the popular soup is made with parsley and celery boiled in vegetable stock along with onions. Flour is the thickening agent used and soy cream serves as the garnish. 

Trivia

People weakened by chronic illnesses were made to consume parsley soup in medieval Europe.