Pear, Pistachio, and Parsnip Soup

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/3 cup diced yellow onion
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 8 ounces parsnips, peeled and sliced
• 2 ripe Anjou pears, peeled and diced
• 3/4 cup roasted, salted pistachios
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 3 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup milk
• 1 dried red Thai chile
• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Set a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat and drop in the butter. Once it has melted, stir in the onion and garlic; let them soften until the onion looks clear, not browned, 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Now stir in the parsnips and pears, along with the wine and 1/2 cup of the pistachios. Let the mixture cook, with an occasional stir, until almost all of the wine is gone, about 8 minutes. Pour in the broth and milk, then add the red chile. Raise the heat to high and let the soup come to a boil. Lower the heat so it bubbles gently, then keep cooking until the parsnips are extremely tender, 45 minutes to an hour.
3. Blend the soup until smooth, using an immersion blender or working carefully in batches in a blender. Taste, then add salt and pepper as needed. The pistachios are already bringing plenty of salt to the party, so go gently. Ladle the soup into 4 bowls. Scatter the remaining pistachios over the top.