Serves 4

Delicate and refreshing, it cocks a snook at people who say parsnip is a coarse vegetable. As well as hot, it's lovely chilled, in the unlikely event of a heatwave during the parsnip season.

450 g (1 lb) parsnips

1 medium onion

50 g (2 oz) butter

1 tbsp flour

grated rind and juice of one orange

2 1/2 cm (1 inch) fresh ginger, grated

1 litre (2 pint) vegetable stock

150 ml (5 fl oz) single cream (optional)

1. Peel and dice the parsnips and onion.

2. Melt the butter in a large pan or the base of a pressure cooker and stir in the parsnips, onion, flour, ginger and orange rind.

3. Add the stock, mix well, and bring to the boil. (The full quantity of stock makes quite a thin, elegant soup: if you prefer something thicker, use just half the stock and adjust the consistency later.)

4. Cook for twenty minutes or so until the parsnips are soft. If you use a pressure cooker, this will take only about five minutes.

5. Puree the mixture, then pass it through a sieve for a really smooth texture.

6. Return soup to the pan, stir in the orange juice and reheat gently, without boiling, adding the cream if you like. Season lightly.