Roasted parsnips are the perfect side dish for a fall dinner or holiday dinner. These parsnips are roasted in butter and broth, then tossed with parsley, chives, garlic and a touch of horseradish.
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I recently had the pleasure of attending a fabulous class taught by and at the home of local chef maestra Evie Lieb.
I love these parsnips! Advice to those running from horseradish – try anyway.
I can’t tell the horseradish from the flavors of the parsnips and butter, and neither could my parents until I told them what was in it. The flavors of the ingredients complement each other perfectly.
What is a parsnip?
Parsnips look like funny white carrots, which makes sense — they’re part of the carrot family. They have a sweet, mild, earthy flavor that is all their own. You can actually eat them raw, but cooking improves their flavor and texture.
How to choose the best parsnips
Look for parsnips that are small rather than fleshy. Large parsnips can be stringy, while smaller ones are more tender and have better flavor. The larger the parsnips, the larger their woody core—a part that’s best removed rather than cooked.
Avoid shriveled, spotted, or limp parsnips. Parsnips are best in the cold weather months, fall through winter.
How to prepare parsnips for cooking
Peel parsnips like carrots. First, cut off the narrow end of the parsnip. Then quarter the wide end lengthwise so you can cut out and discard the fibrous core if necessary. Sometimes the core is not very hard or developed and you don’t need to remove it.
Parsnips will discolor if cut and stored for more than an hour or two. To minimize browning of sliced parsnips, chill in water with a squeeze of lemon juice.
Love parsnips? Try these recipes!
- Mashed Roasted Parsnips
- Root vegetable pot pie
- Mashed potatoes with parsnips, chives and parsley
- Sauteed chard with parsnips
From the editors of Simply Recipes
Roasted Parsnips
Note that late in the season (February vs. November) parsnips can have a woodier center that cannot be softened by any cooking. If this is the case with your parsnips, you may want to cut out part of the middle and discard before cooking.
To save time, Parsnips (with oil, salt, pepper, and broth) can be pre-cooked in a covered container in the microwave for 5 minutes. Place in the oven to finish cooking in much less time. You may want to uncover them to allow the liquid to evaporate in the oven.
Adapted by Evie from a recipe by Grace Parisi in the November 2004 issue of Food and Wine magazine.
ingredients
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1 1/2 lb parsnipspeeled and cut into 2 1/2 inch batons
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4 teaspoon Extra virgin olive oil
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1/3 Cup Broth (Low sodium turkey broth, chicken broth or vegetable broth)
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3 tablespoon unsalted buttersoftened
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4 teaspoon drained, filled horseradish
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1/2 tablespoon finely chopped flat leaf Parsely
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1/2 tablespoon chopped chives
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1/2 small clove garlicchopped
method
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Preheat oven to 400°F
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Season parsnips:
In a large skillet, no more than 2 inches high on the rim, toss the parsnips with the olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Pour in the broth, cover with aluminum foil.
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Roast parsnips:
Cook, stirring once or twice, until parsnips are tender and broth has evaporated or been absorbed, 20-45 minutes (depending on how tender parsnips are to begin with). Check frequently that they are not getting mushy, especially if they are to be reheated later.
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Prepare the horseradish herb butter:
Mix the soft butter with horseradish, parsley, chives and garlic and season with salt and pepper.
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Surcharge:
To serve, toss the warm roasted parsnips with the horseradish herb butter.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 243 | calories |
| 14g | Fat |
| 30g | carbohydrates |
| 3g | protein |
