Tag Archives: parsnip

Farro with Roasted Vegetables

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This versatile vegetarian dish serves equally well as a main course or a hearty accompaniment. Substitute whatever produce you have on hand — zucchini, eggplant, cherry tomatoes and peppers in the summer or carrots, parsnips, fennel, broccoli, cauliflower and winter squash in colder months. Whatever vegetables you choose, the flavor is sure to be deep, complex and oh so good. Roasting takes any ordinary veggie and intensifies the flavors, delivering taste that’s utter magic.

Farro is an ancient wheat grain from Italy. It has a chewy, soft texture and nutty flavor when cooked. It’s worth seeking out — you’ll find it at Whole Foods and other quality markets.

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Lentil Soup with Roasted Roots and Mint

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The original inspiration for this hearty soup came from Love Soup, by Anna Thomas, but I’ve tweaked the formula in so many ways over years, that I no longer could tell you what that recipe looked like. This soup draws its sweetness from loads of roasted carrots and parsnips (though it has done well with potatoes, turnips and fennel). There is also a bright nuance to the flavor that’s often tricky for tasters to pinpoint — lemon and mint.

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French Lentils with Sautéed Mushrooms and Roasted Vegetables

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This recipe was adapted from Clean Start by Terry Walters. Here’s a great opportunity to clear out the fridge, as nearly any winter root (or squash) will work wonderfully.  French green lentils are smaller and darker than brown ones.  They hold their shape in cooking, so are better for salads and pilafs.  You’ll find them at Whole Foods and many grocery stores.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups peeled and cubed (3/4 inch) mixed roots or winter squash (such as carrot, parsnip, turnip, rutabaga, celery root, potato or butternut squash)
  • 1 large onion peeled and cut into ½ inch wedges
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • ¾ cup dry French green lentils
  • 3 cups vegetable stock or water
  • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice (plus more)
  • 1 Tablespoon butter
  • 4 cups thinly sliced mushrooms
  • 1 Tablespoon white wine or sherry
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley leaves

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 ° F.  Toss roots with olive oil to coat.  Place on a baking sheet.  Toss onion with olive oil to coat and place on a separate baking sheet.  Roast both until tender (onions will take about 25 minutes, roots about 35).  Turn once or twice during cooking.
  2. While vegetables are roasting, place lentils in a saucepan with water/stock and a pinch of salt.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat and cover.  Simmer until tender (about 20 minutes).  Drain well.  Toss with one Tablespoon olive oil and one Tablespoon lemon juice.
  3. In a large skillet, heat butter with one Tablespoon olive oil.  Sauté mushrooms until they’ve reduced in size and browned in many spots.  Add sherry and one Tablespoon lemon juice.  Add thyme and cook until liquid is mostly absorbed.   Fold in lentils and roasted vegetables (with any caramelized pan drippings).  Heat through.  Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.  Toss with parsley and add more lemon juice or olive oil as needed for taste.

Root Vegetable Korma

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Korma is a creamy, rich vegetable stew — Indian comfort food worthy of a dinner party, but easy to throw together for mid-week supper as well. This version comes from Nigel Slater’s fabulous cookbook come memoir, Tender: A Cook and his Vegetable Patch. Serve with rice or naan (in the frozen section at Trader Joe’s).

Ingredients:

  • 2 ½ pounds mixed roots: parsnip, rutabaga, carrot, turnip, potato or such
  • 2/3 cup cashews
  • 6 green cardamom pods
  • 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 medium onions, peeled and minced
  • 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, coarsely grated
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 Tablespoon ground coriander
  • 2 teaspoons turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon chile powder
  • 1 inch cinnamon stick
  • 2 small green chiles, thinly sliced
  • 2/3 cup cream
  • 2/3 cup plain yogurt
  • Chopped cilantro
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper

Method:

  1. Peel and cut the vegetables into uniformly sized cubes, ¾ inch or so.
  2. Coarsely chop half the cashews. Toast the whole cashews in a small dry skillet until spotted in areas with golden brown.
  3. Open cardamom pods. Remove seeds. Crush with a mortar and pestle into a gritty powder.
  4. Warm the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan and stir in the onions. Cook until soft, but not colored. Add the ginger and garlic and cook over gentle heat for a couple of minutes. Add the cardamom, cumin, coriander, turmeric, chile powder and cinnamon stick. Cook the spices for a few minutes until their fragrance is noticeable.
  5. Add the vegetables, chopped nuts and chiles. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in 3 cups water, partially cover with a lid and simmer gently for 45 minutes until roots are tender.
  6. Carefully add the cream and yogurt to the pan, letting them heat through, but not boil (or the mixture will curdle). Check the seasoning and add more salt or pepper as needed. Scatter the toasted nuts and some chopped cilantro on top before serving.

Roast Parsnips

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This recipe is adapted from Nigel Slater’s fantastic cookbook, Tender: A Cook and his Vegetable Patch. Steaming the parsnips before roasting in a moderate oven keeps them moist and tender. Slater suggests using duck drippings instead of oil and butter, so substitute if you like.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound parsnips
  • Olive oil or peanut oil or a mixture of melted butter and oil
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 ° F. Peel parsnips, cut into fat lumps of uniform size and steam in a pan of boiling water for 10 minutes.
  2. Dry to remove any water, then toss with oil (or oil and butter) to coat. Place on a baking sheet and roast for forty-five minutes or so until tender and golden brown on the outside (approaching black in spots, here or there). Turn once or twice during cooking.
  3. Season with salt and pepper.
  4. As a variation, add some onions into the pan with fresh thyme sprigs and a drizzle of maple syrup or after the roots come out of the oven dress with honey, sherry vinegar and toasted sesame seeds.