With Hurricane Raymond stationed off the coast and the temperature in our normal balmy, tropical Zihuatanejo so cool that we actually have to don sweaters and long pants to feel comfortable, a hearty, hot soup sounds much more appetizing than normal.
This thick, rich curried carrot soup beckons. It’s the color of the sun.There’s only one glitch with this recipe, however: it calls for parsnips. Here in Zihuatanejo, we rarely see that rooty, northern vegetable: only when imported from some cooler, faraway clime.
So, what to do? Substitute of course. I can see two courses of action, depending on the time of year. If the season is right, we can find little turnips (nabos) at the supermarkets and sometimes in the municipal market. I’ve also grown them in my tropical garden. Nabos are worthy substitutes for parsnips, although I’d use a maximum of two nabos in place of the two to four parsnips the recipe calls for, since nabos can have a bit more of a bite than parsnips do. The other option is to use a potato, well cooked with a small rib of celery. That provides density as well as a taste moderator for the pureed carrot.
Either way, this sunny-colored soup is a comfort food unparalleled for watching hurricanes make their ways up the Pacific coast while waiting for the sun to shine once again over our gorgeous bay.
Turnips from my Mexican garden
Get the recipe for Vegan Curried Carrot & Parsnip Soup from MindBodyGreen.com