Spotlight on Parsnips

Carrot’s underappreciated cousin makes a comeback…or at least it should

As my readers know, I've had a bit of a thing for parsnips lately. People have been seeing this vegetable at the farmer's market, unsure what to do with it. So here is a brief history of the vegetable, along with some recipes that reflect various ways to prepare parsnips.

Parsnips (pastinaca sativum), root vegetables in the umbelliferae family, are vastly unknown and underappreciated in modern cooking. Although a close cousin to the more famous carrot, parsnips are largely ignored in the culinary world, and particularly by home cooks. Parsnips have a long and diverse history. Harold McGee, in his famed work, On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen (New York: Scribner, 1984), notes that parsnips were an important staple for ancient Greeks and Romans prior to the introduction of the potato. It was also used in Britain, says McGee, as a sweetener before sugar was widely available. Parsnips were brought to the Americas in the sixteenth century by Europeans. Once potatoes, sugar, honey, and sugar beets became more prevalent the popularity of parsnips diminished.

Indeed, today the parsnip has become largely forgotten, although it is experiencing a slight resurgence due to the popularity of farmers markets and local foods. A search on Epicurious.com, for example, yields 189 parsnip recipes. The parsnip is an incredibly versatile starchy vegetable that can be eaten raw, used in soups and stews, and glazed, roasted, steamed, braised, or pureed. Parsnips are easily identified by their carrot-like shape and white skin. Purchase parsnips with an ivory white color and no brown spots. Regardless of the preparation, parsnips should be peeled before use. Larger parsnips often have a slightly tough core, particularly close to the root. This generally softens when cooked.

Parsnips are more nutritious than carrots or potatoes, and can often be used as a substitute in their place. They are sweet like carrots but starchy like potatoes. Their flavor is almost a subtle, nuttier blend of the two, which is why they can be used in both savory and sweet dishes. Parsnips store well in the refrigerator for three to four weeks, and are best enjoyed in the fall through spring. Cold weather breaks down the starches in parsnips into sugars, meaning that they are sweetest in the winter. Parsnips are low in calories and high in folic acid, fiber, and potassium. They also contain Vitamin C, Vitamin E, thiamin, iron, and folate.

So what’s the hold up? Parsnips are nutritious, inexpensive, and versatile. They are a fun vegetable to experiment with as different cooking methods bring out different flavors in this complex root. As restaurants begin to incorporate the parsnip into their menus, home cooks will become more accustomed to its use. Try cooking with parsnips. You will surely not be disappointed.

For those who require a little push in the right direction, here are some parsnip-centered recipes to try:

Parsnip Soup with Chestnuts and White Truffle Oil
Chef Cyril Renaud of Fleur de Sel – New York, NY
Adapted by StarChefs

Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients:
1 large carrot, rough dice
1 large onion, rough dice
1 celery stalk, rough dice
2 sprigs thyme
2 quarts water
2 pounds parsnips, plus 2 parsnips for garnish, peeled
1 pound chestnuts, fresh or frozen (thawed to room temperature)
2 ounces crème fraiche
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Pinch of sugar
2 teaspoons butter
½ teaspoon white truffle oil

Method:

For soup:
In a large pot, combine carrot, onion, celery and thyme with water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes and strain, reserving vegetable stock.

Slice 2 pounds parsnips into medium-sized pieces and steam with salt and pepper until tender. Blend parsnips with vegetable stock, 1cup at time until a smooth, soup-like consistency is achieved (may not require all of the vegetable stock). Add crème fraiche, salt, and pepper to taste.

For parsnip garnish:
Cut 2 peeled parsnips in half lengthwise and steam. Place parsnips on a baking pan and lightly brush with butter. Bake in a 400 F oven until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

For chestnuts:
In a large pot, heat olive oil and then add chestnuts. Toss chestnuts in pan and add sugar and butter. Cook slowly until lightly browned. Add a little vegetable stock. Cover and steam for a few minutes until chestnuts are soft.

To serve:
Slice roasted parsnips into ¾-inch pieces and arrange on the bottom of a soup bowl. Ladle soup into bowl and arrange chestnuts in the middle. Drizzle a tiny amount of truffle oil into each bowl.

Parsnip Pancakes
Hans Röckenwagner of Röckenwagner - Los Angeles, California
Adapted by StarChefs

Yield: 6 pancakes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 large parsnips, peeled
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 small yellow onion, very finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Freshly ground white pepper to taste

Bring a medium saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the parsnips and simmer for 10-12 minutes, or until almost tender. Drain the parsnips very well, pat dry with paper towels, and coarsely grate into a large bowl. Add the flour, onion, salt and white pepper and combine well. Stir in the egg and mix until a thick batter forms. Lightly flour your hands and form the mixture into six 3-inch patties. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add olive oil and parsnip pancakes. Cook slowly, turning them over when the bottom is golden and crisp. They will take about 4 to 5 minutes on each side.

Parsnip and Apple Puree
From: The Gourmet Cookook, Ruth Reichl, ed., New York (2004): Conde Nast Publications.

Ingredients:
1 ½ pounds parsnips (about 6), peeled and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup sour cream, or to taste
⅛ ground allspice, or to taste

Method:
Combine parsnips with water to cover in a saucepan, bring to a simmer, cover, and simmer until very tender, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat. Add onion, apples, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring, until apples are tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

With a slotted spoon, transfer parsnips to a food processor (reserve ¼ cup cooking liquid) and add apple mixture. Puree until smooth. With motor running, add sour cream, allspice, salt and pepper to taste. Then add enough cooking liquid, 1 tablespoon at a time, to thin puree to desired consistency.

Maple Glazed Parsnips
From: The Joy of Cooking, Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker and Ethan Becker, New York (2007): Scribner

Ingredients:
1 ½ pounds parsnips (about 6), peeled
2 cups water
3 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
3 tablespoons maple syrup
⅛ teaspoon nutmeg, or to taste

Method:
Trim the parsnips at the stem ends. Cit the parsnips cross-wise in half and cut the large halves lengthwise down the middle. If the core in the large pieces is wider than ½ or woody looking and very dark yellow, pry it out with the tip of a knife; this will not be necessary unless the parsnips are large and over mature. If not cooking immediately, cover the parsnips with ice water to prevent discoloration; do not let stand for more than 1 hour.

In a large skillet, combine the parsnips with the water, butter, sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring to a slow boil. Cover and cook over medium heat until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. They should suggest a thoroughly cooked sweet potato in texture. Uncover the skillet, increase the heat to high, and boil the cooking liquid down to a syrupy glaze that coats the parsnips, stirring often. Be careful not to scorch.

Add the maple syrup. Cook for about 1 minute more, stirring gently to coat the parsnips with the syrup. Add a pinch of freshly grated or ground nutmeg.