Harvest box parsnip, celery and apple soup

Customers would get a bigger variety of local, sustainably grown produce and meats, cheeses and honey, while farmers would split the heavy lifting involved in getting their food to farmers’ markets and patrons, according to Leela Ramachandran, a founding farmer of the collective who has since become general manager of Farmhouse Food. 

The pandemic happened shortly after the creation of Farmhouse Food but their business model kind of anticipated the kind of pivots many food sellers have had to make, she said.

The twice monthly harvest box subscription offered by Farmhouse Food has begun, but interested customers can still sign on for partial subscriptions or a one-off sample box.

Ramachandran recommends this recipe for creamy parsnip, celery, apple soup that incorporates many of the vegetables you’ll find in the Farmhouse Food box. This recipe by Rheanna Kish is adapted from one first published in Canadian Living magazine back in 2012.

Creamy parsnip, celery and apple soup

Ingredients:

•  2 tbsp unsalted butter
•  1 leek (white and light green parts), sliced
•  1/4 tsp ground ginger
•  1 pinch salt
•  1 lb parsnips peeled and sliced
•  3 ribs celery sliced
•  1 Granny Smith apple peeled, seeded and chopped
•  3 cups sodium-reduced chicken broth
•  3 cups water
•  1/4 cup whipping cream 
•  2 tsp Dijon mustard
•  2 tsp cider vinegar

Instructions:

1. In a Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat.
2. Begin by cooking the leek, ginger and salt, stirring occasionally, until softened, about eight minutes.
3. Add the parsnips, celery and apple. Stir occasionally, until heated through.
4. Add broth and water; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until parsnips are tender, about 20 minutes.
5. Blend with an immersion blender. Stir in cream, mustard and vinegar. Serves eight.