Ingredients

• 50g/2oz butter
• 500g/1lb 2oz parsnips
• peeled
• roughly chopped
• 2 banana shallots
• roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves
• finely chopped
• 2 fresh thyme sprigs
• leaves only
• ½ tsp curry powder
• 750ml/1pt 7fl oz chicken stock
• 75ml/3fl oz double cream
• plus extra to garnish
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• vegetable oil
• for frying
• 125ml/4½fl oz water
• 50g/2oz butter
• diced
• 75g/3oz plain flour
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 free-range eggs
• 75g/3oz white crabmeat
• 25g/1oz brown crabmeat
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander cress
• 1 tbsp flaked almonds
• toasted

Directions

• For the soup
• melt half of the butter in a large saucepan until foaming. Add the parsnips and fry for 4-5 minutes
• or until pale golden-brown.
• Add the shallots
• garlic and thyme and fry for 2-3 minutes
• then stir in the curry powder and fry for another minute.
• Pour in the chicken stock and cook for 8-10 minutes
• or until the parsnips are tender.
• Add the double cream
• cool the soup slightly and blend the soup in a blender until smooth.
• Strain the soup through a sieve into a clean saucepan and season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Whisk in the remaining butter.
• For the mini crab beignets
• heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer to 180C/350F. Alternatively
• heat the oil in a deep heavy-based frying pan until a breadcrumb sizzles and turns brown when dropped into it. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)
• Heat the water and butter in a saucepan until the mixture boils
• then boil for another minute.
• Remove the pan from the heat and beat in the flour and cayenne with a wooden spoon until smooth
• or until the mixture comes away from the side of the pan. Return the pan to the heat and cook for 1-2 minutes
• stirring continuously.
• Remove the pan from the heat and beat in the eggs
• one at a time
• beating well before adding the other egg.
• Stir in the white and brown crabmeat until well combined
• then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Spoon the mixture into a piping bag and pipe 1.5cm/½in long sections into the oil and fry for 1-2 minutes
• or until golden-brown and crisp. Remove the beignets from the pan with a slotted spoon
• set aside to drain on kitchen paper and season with salt.
• To serve
• ladle the soup into soup bowls
• scatter over some crab beignet and finish with a swirl of double cream. Drizzle the soup with olive oil and sprinkle over the coriander cress and flaked almonds.