MORE WAYS WITH PARSNIPS

Ideas from the Good Food team

Carrot & parsnip soup Fry 2 inely chopped onions in ½ tbsp olive oil with 2 inely chopped celery sticks for 10 mins until softened. Add 2 crushed garlic cloves, the leaves from ½ small bunch of thyme and ½ tsp black pepper. Cook for 2 mins. Add 3 roughly chopped carrots, 2 roughly chopped large parsnips and 1 litre veg stock. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 20 mins. Blend with a hand blender until smooth. Add 100ml double cream and blitz again.

Hasselback parsnips Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Peel and halve 4 parsnips lengthways. Make deep cuts along them at ½cm intervals, without cutting through. Put on a baking tray lined with baking parchment in one layer, drizzle with 2 tsp olive oil and season. Roast for 20 mins. Mix the juice of ½ orange with 1 tbsp red

wine vinegar, 2 tsp maple syrup and the leaves from 4 thyme sprigs.

Pour over the parsnips. Roast for 15 mins, basting once or twice.

Parsnip hash browns Peel and coarsely grate 450g waxy potatoes and 350g parsnips. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible, and put in a bowl. Stir in 1 thinly sliced small onion, 1 inely chopped garlic

clove and 1 beaten egg. Season. Divide and shape the mixture into six patties. Heat 2 tbsp sun lower oil in a non-stick frying pan and fry three over a low heat for 4 5 mins on each side until golden. Transfer to a sheet of kitchen paper to drain, and repeat with the remaining mixture. Serve with bacon, tomatoes and poached eggs.

…and from our readers

I remember as a student when I wanted to make carrot cake, but we only had parsnips, so I figured they were close enough and used those instead. Parsnip cake does work. Also, if you have a deep-fat fryer, parsnip chips are nice.

Jo Ramsay, Reading

We like them as part of the veg mix in borscht, and as half the mash on cottage pie with some horseradish sauce.

Barbara Rhodes, Leeds

I make parsnip jam, and add raisins and cinnamon for a warming twist.

Ellie Douglas, Poole