This clever recipe is actually two recipes in one which can be prepared ahead of time during Christmas week! Firstly, follow the instructions to make sweet and sticky roasted parsnips which can be reheated for on your Christmas dinner. Then, some of the roasted parsnips are portioned off to be turned into a lightly spiced soup, which makes a wonderfully warming starter or light lunch, perfect for Boxing Day. The recipe makes enough roasted parsnips for four people as a side dish, and then enough soup to serve four people also.

Ingredients

For the Roasted Parsnips

500g parsnips, peeled and cut into thick batons

5 whole garlic cloves, peeled

2 tbsp rapeseed oil

1 tsp fresh rosemary, roughly chopped

1 tbsp local honey

2 tbsp butter

For the Soup

250g of the cold roasted parsnips (plus the whole garlic cloves)

1 tbsp rapeseed oil

Large onion, thinly sliced

1 tbsp mild curry powder

1l chicken stock

Method

Pre heat the oven to 180C.

Place the parsnips and garlic cloves into a roasting tin. Drizzle with two tbsp. rapeseed oil, add the rosemary, maple syrup and a generous grinding of salt and pepper. Give the roasting tin a shake to coat the parsnips evenly. Add butter to the roasting tin in small pieces dotted around the tin. Roast the parsnips in the oven for 45 minutes until golden, turning halfway through.

When the parsnips are nearly done, heat one tbsp. of rapeseed oil in a heavy bottomed pan. Turn the heat down to low and add the onion, leaving it to cook slowly for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the cloves of roasted garlic, half of the roasted parsnips and the curry powder to the pan with the onions. Stir to coat. Then, add the stock, increase the heat and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Using a hand held blender, blend the soup until smooth. Add extra water accordingly, if you want a thinner consistency.

Keep the remaining roasted parsnips in the refrigerator, to be reheated for your Christmas lunch. The soup will keep refrigerated for up to 3 days or can be frozen in portions.