This week we’ll be treated to a true prize of winter. That ivory hued, less well-known cousin of the carrot, the parsnip, requires cold weather to develop its characteristic sweetness. Without winter’s frosty touch, these subterranean veggies are just another starchy root. Once harvested parsnips store better than most vegetables – placed in the crisper drawer, loosely bagged, they’re likely to last for weeks and even months. These gnarly roots not only resemble their orange brethren, they lend themselves to many of the same cooking methods. Unlike carrots though, parsnips are not suitable for raw consumption and require proper cooking to bring out their nutty sweetness.
Roasting aficionado that I am, my preferred cooking method is to toss peeled parsnip cubes with olive oil to coat, place on a roasting pan and cook at 400 degrees until fork tender. I mix them with other roots, or cook by themselves. When done, all that’s left is to season the caramelized gems with salt and pepper, add some chopped herbs if you like (parsley or chervil) and eat!
Another easy way to enjoy parsnips is mashed. I mix them with equal parts potato, though you can mash them alone or in combination with many other roots and even fruit – notably turnip, carrot, sweet potato or apple. First boil cubes of the peeled vegetables/fruit – best to do them separately since they may take different amounts of time to cook. Drain them, and mash together with milk and butter, seasoning with salt and pepper, to taste. For added flavor it’s nice to lightly sauté the drained vegetables in some butter/olive oil before mashing. You might consider adding a bit of minced shallot or onion to the pan too, if you like this method. Just make sure you allow the onion to soften, but not brown – about 5-10 minutes should be sufficient.
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