On Saturday, I spoke with a friend of mine, getting an update on how his maple sugaring was going (it was a great season). He told me that the ground under the several inches of snow still on the ground was "not froze". When I stepped into the vegetable garden on Sunday morning, I found that he was right: my feet sank deep into soft muddy earth.
My goal that morning was to find and dig the parsnips planted last spring and left in the ground to overwinter, where they gather up a rich sweetness from the frosts. They are the first crop of spring, a longed for treat at winter's end. They show themselves by the newly greening tops, so I know where to dig; a map of each year's garden helps too, because the sticks I use to mark the row get knocked over by snow.
Using a very long narrow shovel, I pry the long, narrow roots out of the ground, wiping them off as best I can. I then place them on the lawn in the sun to dry out so that I can brush off as much of the soil as possible before bringing them into the house to wash.
Parsnips are a very humble looking root, but they have such a rich sweet flavor that one of the best ways to eat them is simply roasted. Chop them coarsely, cutting out any tough fibrous cores from the larger roots. Place them in a baking pan, large enough so they are not piled high, and toss with some olive oil, then roast in a 400º oven, tossing from time to time, until nicely browned, about 35-45 minutes. What results is a deliciously sweet and nutty treat, which makes me feel as though I'm eating a big plate of candy.
Your parsnips are gorgeous! So long and healthy: I love roasted parsnips!
ReplyDeletethanks, Maggie. I had a nice crop this year. I make sure to loosen the soil deeply before planting so those roots can grow long.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! One of the sweetest and tastiest vegges - especially if roasted.
ReplyDeleteWoah. Who knew? I don't think I've ever eaten a parsnip. Just wrote 'em down on my shopping list.
ReplyDeleteAren't they great, Nancy? and Lauren, you're in for a treat, but I'd recommend trying to get them locally because I can't guarantee sweetness from a root grown in California.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a miracle to pull something edible out of that snowy muddy morass!
ReplyDeletea marvel of the mud season, no?
ReplyDeleteA marvel and a miracle: they certainly seem to be. It does seem amazing that they stay in the ground, through snow and rain and freezing and thawing, and come out so beautifully.
ReplyDeleteHere I am, late to post, but just finished roasting parsnips. What a day and night difference to remove that inner core. I never knew to do that to parsnips. Any tips on cooking turnips?
ReplyDeleteyes, wetoilpaint, I caramelize turnips by cooking them cut up with some vegetable oil and sugar until the sugar caramelizes, then covering them with water, adding a bit of nutmeg, salt and pepper; cook until tender, then remove cover and cook on lively flame until the water is mostly gone. This is via Claudia Roden.
ReplyDeleteYummy, sounds like really tasty turnips! Thank you Altoon. Will try them this way for sure!
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