Sunday, March 15, 2009

Roasted Parsnips with Carrots and Red Skinned Potatoes

I hadn't eaten parsnips since I was a kid, until two days ago. I loved the way my Mother fixed them. She parboiled them, cut them in half lenght wise and then laid the parsnips in a hot skillet with butter and and fried those babies until tender and caramelized. They were wonderful! My Father called them "rat tails", I guess because they are fat at one end and real skinny at the other. My brother wouldn't touch them because of Dad's reference! I forgot to take a picture of them, but they are a root vegetable, similar to a carrot, only white, with a sweet, kind of spicy flavor. I had some the other day, so I decided to roast them in the oven with some carrots and small red skinned potatoes. My husband has always told me that he hated parsnips, so I didn't cook them. But he liked these! This isn't a recipe, per say, just a way to do some mixed vegetables in the oven .

These three vegetables roasted beautifully together. I peeled 3 parsnips, 3 large carrots and cut up 6 red skinned potatoes in a bowl. I sliced the carrots and parsnips about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch thick and poured about 2 Tbs. olive oil over all. I added kosher salt and pepper to taste and sprinkled all with some Thyme. After roasting in a 425 degree oven for 45 minutes, my husband I enjoyed them with our lunch. This made about 3 servings, so adjust the amounts according to

what you need. The only thing I didn't like was the flavor of Thyme and parsnips together! I love Thyme on carrots and potatoes, but next time I'll use another herb, or just salt and pepper. Roasting really brings out a wonderful flavor in vegetables and has become my favorite way to cook many of them. However, grilling time is coming up and it's another great way to cook! Have you ever cooked parsnips?


8 comments:

  1. I love parsnips, I mostly roast them. Once in a while I'll puree them with potatoes too. Your vegetables look delicious.

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  2. I haven't ever cooked parsnips, but yours look so delicious I really need to give them a try!

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  3. i'm inimately familiar with roasted taters and carrots--it's my favorite preparation of them. tossing in some parsnips can't be a bad idea. :)

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  4. Mmmm. I love roasted veggies. I just picked up a couple of parsnips - I know what I am doing with them.

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  5. Wow! This looks so delicious... *drool*

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  6. I've never had parsnips! I love how you roasted these veggies, though, and this would be a great way for me to try something new! YUM!

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  7. I love roasted roots, and parsnips are a particular fave at the mo. Like you, until this winter I hadn't eaten them since I was a kid, but I'm so glad we got reacquainted. :-) They are so versatile and taste different depending on how they are cooked.

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  8. I love parsnips, especially roasted. I sometimes mix them with carrots, onions and zucchini, toss with EVOO, salt & pepper and roast till slightly caramelized. The leftovers are great eaten as a snack or cut up on a salad.

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