• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium onions, roughly chopped
• 4 rosemary sprigs, stalks removed, leaves finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tablespoons runny honey
• 400 g parsnips, peeled and chopped into equal small chunks
• 1500 ml vegetable stock (or 2 stock cubes dissolved in 1500ml hot water)
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed soup pot over a medium-high heat. Add the onions, rosemary and garlic and sauté until the onions start to soften. Add the honey and stir to coat the onions, then mix in the parsnips. Pour in the stock, bring to the boil and simmer over a gentle heat till the parsnips are soft enough to purée – about an hour. Blitz the soup, and add a bit more water if it’s too thick for your liking: I find that the water often evaporates during cooking and I have to add more hot water as I go. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.