What We’re Cooking With Now: Parsnips

By Amy Reed, executive chef, Café Phipps

Looking for adventure in the kitchen? Our monthly What We're Cooking with Now post features a fresh produce ingredient, explains how to find the market's finest, and includes a recipe to try at home.

Parsnips

Why: This relative of carrots and parsley is rich in potassium as well as Vitamins C and E.  

Shopping Tip: Choose parsnips with firm roots with milky white skins. Avoid roots with brown spots or lots of hair-like sprouts.

Preparation: Parsnips stand up well to roasting. Just peel and cut them into equal sizes. Drizzle with olive oil and roast in a 375 degree oven until fork-tender — approximately 30 – 45 minutes depending on size. You can add bulk and nutritional value to soups and stews by including parsnips. 

Recipe: Parsnip Soup

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium-sized onion, diced
2 lbs. parsnips, peeled and cubed
2 carrots, peeled and cubed
4 cups vegetable stock
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. nutmeg  
½ tsp. cardamom
Kosher salt and pepper
1 cup whole milk

Place the parsnips and carrots on a baking pan and drizzle with 1 T of the olive oil and Salt and pepper. Roast in a 375 degree oven till tender around 30 minutes. Heat remaining olive oil in large sauce pan over medium heat. Stir in onion and cook till onion just starts to brown. Reduce heat to low and add the garlic, roasted parsnips and carrots. Add the ginger, nutmeg and cardamom. Cook for 1 minute then add vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook till all vegetables are tender. Puree the soup either in a blender or an immersion stick blender. Return to pan and add milk.