The Wonderful World of Parsnips

Parsnips are a largely under utilized vegetable  it looks like a rounder white carrot, but the flavor is very different. Most people walk right past them in the store or only pick them up to put in their soup. I was the same way, until one day i decided to experiment with mixing mashed potatoes with some mashed parsnip to get some more vegetables into my husbands diet. They were awesome, and he never even knew.

When the parsnips are roasted they develop this rich nutty flavor and become velvety smooth when pureed, add a bit of butter and serve as a instead of mashed potatoes. You can steam you parsnips if you prefer and use the cooking liquid to thin out the mash. Best part is you can make a big batch now while the parsnips are at their peak and pull them out and serve any night of the week.

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Basic Mashed Parsnips

Peel parsnips, remove the ends, then cut them lengthwise, in half. Lay parsnips on a piece of foil and drizzle olive oil over them. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Close up the foil into a pouch and then bake in a 400 degree oven for approx. 30 minutes or until fork tender. Put in the food processor, add in 2 tbsp of butter and puree until you get the consistency you like. Serve or freeze in freezer safe container for up to 8 months, some people say 10 months, but i don't recommend past 8 months.

Variations:
Roasted Leek and Garlic Parsnip Puree: 3 large parsnips, 1 leek sliced, 2 garlic cloves peeled-  Roast all the vegtables as above, add in 1/2 cup milk or heavy cream.
Sour Cream and Chive Mashed Parsnip: Cook as directed above, add in 1/2 cup of sour cream, and 1 tbsp chopped chives, add in 3 tbsp butter and puree as above.
Parsnips, Carrot and Apple Mash: 4 parsnips, 4 carrots, 2 apples all peeled and sliced. Steam together until they are fork tender. put in the food processor, add in 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and puree together. (*this also  great for baby food)