Michael Allemeier’s Vanilla Parsnip Soup (and a Soup Party!)
Sometimes the soup just isn’t as photogenic as the flowers.
But yet: a pot of homemade soup exemplifies nourishment, comfort and sharing, doesn’t it?
(Deep Thoughts for a Sunday night.)
You may have heard of Soup Sisters, an organization that started in Calgary in 2009 (and has since grown to operate 15 events in 9 cities across Canada every month), where participants gather in local professional kitchens for a soup-making event under the guidance of a chef facilitator, producing 150-200 servings of nourishing soup that are packaged in reusable lidded glass bowls and delivered to a local shelter. It’s half class, half kitchen party – events are social evenings with lively conversation, chopping, laughter and warm kitchen camaraderie that culminate in a simple, sit-down supper of soup, salad, bread and wine. Since March 2009, Soup Sisters has delivered over 60,000 containers of soup to 20 shelter recipients across Canada. I’ve been a Soup Sisters chef/facilitator myself, and it’s fun.
And now I’ve been asked to take photographs (gratis!) for their new cookbook. Scheduled to release this fall, it’s a wonderful collection of recipes Soup Sisters groups have made at their events across Canada, as well as recipes contributed by celebrity chefs, with proceeds going to the Soup Sisters organization. But – extenuating circumstances mean I have to get all the photos done by the end of the month. This month. So that’s 40 photos in under 2 weeks. I’m so happy to be involved, but yeah.
The time-consuming part, of course, is the preparation of all that soup. And so I called up the Cookbook Company and asked if we might take over their kitchen for a day, thinking I’d enlist some of my favourite people to come and cook pots of soup, Soup Sisters-style. The sunny upstairs kitchen is all ours this Wednesday, if anyone would like to come by and help chop, stir and simmer.
I thought I’d reserve it from 12-8, so that anyone who wants to come after work can do so. Come for the whole thing, for a bit, or for ten minutes to say hi. I’ll bring some music, buy some wine, dig up some nibbles, and pick up all the ingredients we need.
Since I’ll only need a bowlful per shot, excess soup can be brought home, so you’ll get dinner out of it.
Plus, we can hang out and cook. Which sounds to me like the most fun ever. All hands on deck!
Want to come? We’ll be in the upstairs kitchen of the Cookbook Company Wednesday from 12-8pm; come on down anytime, and leave a comment here if you could, just so I get an idea how many(ish) to expect. Maybe we’ll set up a movie in one corner for any kids who come along.
This vanilla parsnip soup isn’t in the book, but Michael Allemeier tweeted it to me awhile ago to make for a dinner party I was auctioned off to cook for, having been published in the Herald. It’s really wonderful, and so is he. The secret is to slowly sweat off the parsnips to bring out the natural sweetness, he says. I’ve made this as-is, and with a small bundle of asparagus tossed in.
The vanilla is a deliciously unique addition, something we’re used to tasting with sweet, but you can leave it out and still have a pretty fab pot of parsnip soup. If you like, add a wee dollop of curry paste and swap a small sweet potato or a couple carrots for one of the parsnips.
Michael Allemeier’s Vanilla Parsnip Soup

In a large pot set over medium-high heat, heat the oil and butter. When the foam subsides add the onion, leek and garlic. Slowly sweat the vegetables until they're tender and soft but not browned - 5 minutes or so.
Add the parsnips and continue to cook, stirring often. After about 5 minutes, add the stock and bring to a simmer.
Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape out the black seeds. Add pod and seeds to the simmering soup. Simmer for 30 minutes until parsnips are tender.
Remove the vanilla pods and discard, and stir in the cream. Puree the soup well using a hand-held immersion blender or in batches in a regular blender. Add the lemon juice and season with salt.
Ingredients
Directions
In a large pot set over medium-high heat, heat the oil and butter. When the foam subsides add the onion, leek and garlic. Slowly sweat the vegetables until they're tender and soft but not browned - 5 minutes or so.
Add the parsnips and continue to cook, stirring often. After about 5 minutes, add the stock and bring to a simmer.
Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape out the black seeds. Add pod and seeds to the simmering soup. Simmer for 30 minutes until parsnips are tender.
Remove the vanilla pods and discard, and stir in the cream. Puree the soup well using a hand-held immersion blender or in batches in a regular blender. Add the lemon juice and season with salt.
Mmm soup. Nourishment for the soul. This sounds like fun…count me in!
Sounds like a ton of fun. I’m wishing I could be there. I like broccoli soup with parmesan cheese.
Rosemary
Ooo, I like the idea of kids being able to come and watch a movie. I’m a maybe!
Plus that soup sounds delish!
I think I can make it from 4-6. Will that be of any help?
sorry, e-mail last time failed..
We were at micheal’s place when made that soup at it was awesome. Even my picky husband liked it. Pretty much everything micheal makes is awesome so of you can get one of his recipes you are very lucky!
Sounds like fun! My aunt, who is a chef in England, is visiting – maybe I can get her to come with me too.
I am a long time follower/lurker and have made SO many of your recipes but never posted. Off work for a bit and my husband is out of town this week, so timing is perfect and this just strikes me as something good to do. And I have a couple of vintage paperback cookbooks (from my sister’s estate, tho probably from my mother) I have been intending to drop off at the CBC for you and just never got around to, so 2 birds with one stone. I’ll plan to come around noon and stay till whenever.
Count me in! I have the whole day free even! =)
Julie, this sounds wonderful and it made me think of how long it’s been since I’ve seen Michael! I hope he is well and of course you and the fam are doing well. It would be great to help make soup with you but the distance is too great. I’ll make a soup in honour of it all though. Big hugs xoxo
Wow Julie – You get involved in so many great projects.
I’d love to come help but I am far away on holidays.
I’ve discovered that Aussies love “beetroot”, cooked pumpkin, and any sport. Best wishes for Wednesday.
This sounds interesting. Never had a soup with vanilla in it. Thanks!
I just spent 3 great weeks in Chef Alleiemer’s class at SAIT and on the first day he had me add a Vanilla pod to my Lobster Bisque. It changed from a good Bisque, to an incredible Bisque.
Julie, I’d love to come and help. I get off work at 5 and will make my way then. See you. If you get too many people volunteering – just let me know and I will back out.
Here is one more body to help you chop and cook.
I’m retired and can stay all day if you need me.
You may not know this but we are distant relatives.
Your mother and the mother of my new daughter in law are cousins.
I have followed you on CBC and on line and tried out many of your recipes with great success. Now I’m looking forward to meet you in person.
Margareta
I can do 12-3 on Wednesday. See you then. Do we need to bring anything Julie?
Coming from Red Deer! Will stay the day :). Do we need to bring supplies, money, wine?
Julie, I would love to come! I haven’t seen you since your Cookie party and now I’m eating soup for two….well, more like 1.1 🙂
Is there anything us folks can bring to help out? Extra cameras, $ to support the cause, etc?
Looking forward to it. Be there sometime after 12 to whenever.
Sounds like fun! I’ll be there at 12 and stay till around 2:30. I can’t wait to meet you!
I’m so excited that you’re all coming! Don’t worry about bringing anything – I’ll try to rustle up everything we need! Whoo hoo!
And no – no need to bring money! The regular events are paid (to cover ingredients etc) but this is something totally different!
I’ll try to be there by 1pm.
Yay soup! I should be able to come around 1 and stay most of the day, minus an hour in mid-afternoon.
Kathy
Gah, I’d LOVE to come. Darn meetings! Can’t wait to hear how it goes.
I will be doing my laundry and banking at top speed tomorrow to try to make it for a few hours before my kickboxing class! Can’t wait!
Goodluck with it all Julie. If I wasn’t having just one more surgery on Thursday I’d be there.
Love the stuff you’re doing. Are you going to see Martin Picard? Ron and I are.
My husband can watch our kids, but only until 2. So I am there for a good time, not a long time!!
It was nice seeing you yesterday Julie! Unfortunately, I might not be able to make it after all. Have a great time!
wish I could come..my injured arm won’t allow me to though!
I’d love to drop in to say Hi, Diamond Willow also hosts Soup Sisters Sundays every second month – it’s amazing fun, feel-good, friendly way to spend a day in the country! Hope to see you there sometime!
Pat
Soupapalooza was so much fun! Not to mention the joy of meeting you and Michael and everyone else. You know the nicest people. Count me in any time you need a hand.
I still feel guilty for taking home so much soup — somebody mustn’t have taken their share.
So much fun! So many awesome soup sisters! It was wonderful to meet you all. That sweet potato red pepper and corn soup…… Oh my it was good.
I wish I had seen your post earlier. I would have loved to come. The soup sister project sounds awesome. Maybe next time I could get involved. I also see that you have the blogger without border badge on your website. I know that in the US there is a huge national bake sale with them going on. Wondering if something similar is going on in Canada and I just do not know about it. Any idea? Have a nice weekend!
Hmm is anyone else having problems with the images on this blog loading?
I’m trying to find out if its a problem on my end or if it’s the blog.
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Look into my weblog bowling strikes turkey (hayleygrisham.mywapblog.com)
Hello this is somewhat of off topic but I was wanting to know
if blogs use WYSIWYG editors or if you have to manually code with HTML.
I’m starting a blog soon but have no coding expertise so I wanted to get advice from
someone with experience. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Attractive part of content. I just stumbled upon your site and in accession capital to claim that I acquire actually loved
account your weblog posts. Anyway I will be subscribing
to your feeds and even I achievement you get entry to consistently fast.
It’s an amazing post in favor of all the online people; they
will get benefit from it I am sure.