Parsnips for Thanksgiving dinner?

[RegGuheert]

MomsintheGarden grew a LOT of parsnips this year and they are rather large. Is there any way to prepare parsnips so that guests at Thanksgiving dinner will not only eat them but enjoy them? That may sound funny, but most people I know don't really like them. (I'm one of them, although I will eat them.) But perhaps some of you have a "miracle" parsnip recipe that makes them actually taste very good.

 

Or is it simply a lost cause because most people won't take a helping of parsnip-whatever simply because it contains parsnips?

 

I'm betting on the second answer since I don't recall EVER seeing parsnips on a Thanksgiving table. But I'd love to be proven wrong here.

 

Thanks!

[Jennifer3141]

Roasted with carrots and maple syrup. :)

[OLG]

The only way I know and serve them is roasted with red potatoes (disguises them!) and carrots. I kinda like them myself!

[RegGuheert]

Wow! I wondered if I would have any replies. Thanks! We will definitely try these ideas! (Did I mention we have a LOT of parsnips?)

 

Perhaps I should ask a little more directly:

 

- Have you ever included parsnips in a Thanksgiving dinner that you served?

- If so, how were they prepared?

- How did it go over? (What percent of your guests consumed the parsnip dish?)

[amey311]

We have parsnips nearly weekly with roasted chicken and veggies. My English cousins showed me how to make them better (at least for us).

 

Cut the parsnips up into chunks about an inch wide (I'm using my thumb as a guide - i think mine are about that big, maybe 1.5 inches). They can be 3 inches long or so). We peel them.

 

Bring a pot of water to boil and throw the parsnip pieces in the boiling water for about 3 minutes. If you're going to to roasted potato pieces, too, then put the potatoes in for 10 minutes, throwing the parsnips in for the last couple of minutes.

 

Drain. Shake the veggies in the colander. My cousin says the "roughing up" helps. :)

 

Put your roasting pan in the oven with some oil in it. Let the oil get hot. For us, this is usually 400-425F. Once the oil is hot, dump the veggies in the pan, ideally in a single layer. Bake for 30-45 minutes. Give them a stir at some point if you remember. Add some salt and pepper or other spices if you remember.

 

Enjoy!

 

(like this: http://interconnected.org/notes/roast.shtml#parsnips)

[amey311]

The parsnips might only need the 30 minutes, but I frequently do parsnips and white potatoes, and the potatoes often need more like 40-45 minutes.

 

I kind of wish we had a second oven when I'm making something like this.

[Snickerdoodle]

I love parsnips in soups.

 

There is a recipe on page 23 of Full Moon Feast for roasted root veg that is wonderful. Check it out at your library.

 

Essentially you just cut up a bunch of different root veg and add olive oil, fresh thyme, salt and pepper and roast at 475.

[milovany]

- Have you ever included parsnips in a Thanksgiving dinner that you served? Yes. I listed this as one of my two "signature" dishes in the thread about that.

 

- If so, how were they prepared? Roasted with other vegies as described in this thread.

 

- How did it go over? (What percent of your guests consumed the parsnip dish?) They're usually gone! But that could possibly be because I'll finish them off if others don't. I *love* them.

 

They're really good a little over roasted (not burnt, but nicely browned). They get pretty sweet. I make my dish with carrots, parsnips, Brussels sprouts, turnips and rutabagas. I think I do some onions, too.

[Mrs Mungo]

I haven't made parsnips, but I have made other less popular vegetables like collard greens or brussels sprouts. Last Thanksgiving everyone loved the brussels sprouts and most people had never had them before!

[jenangelcat]

Have you tried homegrown parsnips? IMO they taste nothing like the ones you buy at the store which is what most people are thinking about when they say they don't like them. I roasted parsnips with beets, turnip, olive oil and sea salt for Thanksgiving this year and it was fabulous.

[Mrs Mungo]

For our Halloween party I made tarts with puff pastry, slices of beets, apples and cheddar. You could add slices of parsnips to that pretty easily. It is a great appetizer, if you are looking for some more ways to use them up!

Edited November 8, 2011 by Mrs Mungo
Iphone

[Spy Car]

Parsnips are divine roasted, and I agree with Milovany that being slightly over-roasted makes them sweet and most delicious. They are also worth coating with ghee prior to roasting (rather than olive oil) as the buttery goodness melds with the roasty-sweetness, and the ghee won't burn like butter will.

 

Bill

[Hathersage]

Every thanksgiving in our home! :)

 

 

 

Maple and Mustard Glazed Parsnips

 

Ingredients

 

1 lb Parsnips, peeled and cut into slices

Salt and Black Pepper

4 tbsp Butter

1 tsp Mustard Powder

4 tbsp Maple Syrup

 

 

Instructions

 

Preheat oven to 350 F and grease a small baking dish.

Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to boil, add the parsnip slices and cook for five minutes.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan, add the mustard and the maple syrup and mix.

Drain the parsnips well and arrange in layers in the baking dish, seasoning with salt and pepper.

Pour the butter mixture over the top, cover, and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove the cover and continue to bake for another 15 minutes until golden. Serve immediately.

[NancyNellen]

I grew 8 million or so last year, so I feel your pain :-)

 

I add them to mashed potatoes...50/50. Add lots of butter, salt, and pepper. All the family ate them happily.

[Rivka]

I love them mashed with potatoes. We usually use Yukon Golds. The parsnips add a little sharpness and zest to what can otherwise be a bland dish.

[plansrme]

I served them last Christmas, roasted with carrots, turnips, beets, and rutabaga. The dish was so pretty that I took a picture of it. Everyone loved it.

 

Terri

[RegGuheert]

Thanks to all for the tips on parsnips! Not only did you provide recipes, but several of them have passed muster at Thanksgiving dinner! That's very encouraging! We'll have to try some of these ideas out in the Guheert household!

Last Thanksgiving everyone loved the brussels sprouts and most people had never had them before!

I usually don't like brussels sprouts but MomsintheGarden started buying them from Costco last year and they were DELICIOUS! I find that strange since some of the produce Costco sells is quite poor quality. We haven't found them there yet this year.

[kewb]

I usually roast them with all my other root vegetables. The maple and mustard glazed parsnips sounds very good.

[cjzimmer1]

I've never seen parsnips at a Thanksgiving meal either but if I did it would be very hard not to put the entire bowl in front of me and claim it as my plate. I LOVE parsnips. I've been trying for years to grow them but they never germinate for me (Okay once one grew from a seed I had planted the year before but before it was ready something dug it up and ate it). I really miss the the Parsnip ships that Trader Joe's used to sell. I'd eat the whole bag by myself in a day.

 

Anyways my favorite way is the way my grandma made them for me when I was little.

 

She sliced them into rounds, dipped them in beaten egg, then in crackers crumbs (it was either saltines or town house or ritz) and then pan fried in butter. MMMMM.

 

Now if only I could find some them that weren't waxed coated I'd be happy.

[Meriwether]

MomsintheGarden grew a LOT of parsnips this year and they are rather large. Is there any way to prepare parsnips so that guests at Thanksgiving dinner will not only eat them but enjoy them? That may sound funny, but most people I know don't really like them. (I'm one of them, although I will eat them.) But perhaps some of you have a "miracle" parsnip recipe that makes them actually taste very good.

 

Or is it simply a lost cause because most people won't take a helping of parsnip-whatever simply because it contains parsnips?

 

I'm betting on the second answer since I don't recall EVER seeing parsnips on a Thanksgiving table. But I'd love to be proven wrong here.

 

Thanks!

My SIL made them one year mashed with onions and potatoes.

[RegGuheert]

 

My SIL made them one year mashed with onions and potatoes.

That sounds good! I'm a big fan of potatoes and onions! Did you like them? Can you please get the recipe? TIA!

[J-rap]

We boil them with potatoes and mash them. It gives the mashed potatoes a great zippy flavor!

[Meriwether]

That sounds good! I'm a big fan of potatoes and onions! Did you like them? Can you please get the recipe? TIA!

 

 

I did like them which is astonishing since I'm not a great fan of onions. I'll try to get the recipe.

[RegGuheert]

 

We boil them with potatoes and mash them. It gives the mashed potatoes a great zippy flavor!

I guess I'm wondering what a good ratio would be. Others have mentioned a 50/50 ratio, but that seems a bit "parsnippy" to me. Has anyone tried a lower ratio of parsnips? What do you like?

[Jean in Newcastle]

Reg, you've inspired me to cook parsnips tonight!

[MomsintheGarden]

Thank you all for the wonderful sounding recipes! I am going to think about these, and am leaning toward roasting them with carrots and beets. We have a LOT of beets from the garden, too!

 

I've never seen parsnips at a Thanksgiving meal either but if I did it would be very hard not to put the entire bowl in front of me and claim it as my plate. I LOVE parsnips. I've been trying for years to grow them but they never germinate for me (Okay once one grew from a seed I had planted the year before but before it was ready something dug it up and ate it).

 

There are several secrets to getting a good stand of parsnips in the garden. The problem is that even the best parsnip seeds have only about a 50% germination rate, from what I've experienced. I have had success by doing the following:

1. Plan to plant in the garden when the daffodils bloom. Here in the northern Shenandoah Valley that's in early-mid April.

2. About a week before planting, prepare your bed by digging it deeply.

3. At the same time, presprout your seeds indoors. Get a plate (I use a dinner-sized plate) and cover it with damp paper towels. For each parsnip you want, put about 5-10 seeds in a spot on the paper towels. I wanted 64 parsnips this year, so I had 64 "stations" on the plate. Mist well and cover with plastic wrap.

4. Mist every day (uncover and recover) for about a week.

5. When you just see a root tip coming out of some of the seeds, cut or tear the sprouty-parsnip-stations apart and plant them in the garden about 1/2" deep. I plant them 8" apart on all sides. Cover all the paper towel bits with dirt or they will wick moisture away from the seeds.

6. Water every day until you see the leaves come up.

7. Wait a few weeks before thinning because sometimes seedlings can die mysteriously.

8. If you are really with it, presprout a few more (10% of what you want) stations of seeds to cover the spots that don't come up.

 

Of course you could always plant them in a row very thickly, with a soaker hose right next to them. You would have to thin a bit.

 

And don't forget the cardinal rule of parsnips: Never use old seeds. Parsnip seeds have a very short shelf-life.

 

HTH! Presprouting is not that much trouble once you get the rhythm of it.

 

GardenMom

[MariannNOVA]

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Golden-Mashed-Potatoes-with-Parsnips-and-Parsley-884

 

There is the link for a mashed potato with parsnips recipe that I use on Thanksgiving. It always receives rave reviews.

[RegGuheert]

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Golden-Mashed-Potatoes-with-Parsnips-and-Parsley-884

 

There is the link for a mashed potato with parsnips recipe that I use on Thanksgiving. It always receives rave reviews.

That one looks nice! And it comes with a complete recipe! We definitely need to try that! Thanks, Mariann!

[cjzimmer1]

Thank you all for the wonderful sounding recipes! I am going to think about these, and am leaning toward roasting them with carrots and beets. We have a LOT of beets from the garden, too!

 

 

 

There are several secrets to getting a good stand of parsnips in the garden. The problem is that even the best parsnip seeds have only about a 50% germination rate, from what I've experienced. I have had success by doing the following:

1. Plan to plant in the garden when the daffodils bloom. Here in the northern Shenandoah Valley that's in early-mid April.

2. About a week before planting, prepare your bed by digging it deeply.

3. At the same time, presprout your seeds indoors. Get a plate (I use a dinner-sized plate) and cover it with damp paper towels. For each parsnip you want, put about 5-10 seeds in a spot on the paper towels. I wanted 64 parsnips this year, so I had 64 "stations" on the plate. Mist well and cover with plastic wrap.

4. Mist every day (uncover and recover) for about a week.

5. When you just see a root tip coming out of some of the seeds, cut or tear the sprouty-parsnip-stations apart and plant them in the garden about 1/2" deep. I plant them 8" apart on all sides. Cover all the paper towel bits with dirt or they will wick moisture away from the seeds.

6. Water every day until you see the leaves come up.

7. Wait a few weeks before thinning because sometimes seedlings can die mysteriously.

8. If you are really with it, presprout a few more (10% of what you want) stations of seeds to cover the spots that don't come up.

 

Of course you could always plant them in a row very thickly, with a soaker hose right next to them. You would have to thin a bit.

 

And don't forget the cardinal rule of parsnips: Never use old seeds. Parsnip seeds have a very short shelf-life.

 

HTH! Presprouting is not that much trouble once you get the rhythm of it.

 

GardenMom

 

Thanks so much for typing that up for me. I will bookmark it for the spring to try again. I've always kept my seeds in the freezer because I've heard that keeps them longer (and my cilantro and lettuce seeds are 3-4 years old and going strong). Do you think this method works with parsnips too? Or do you think that seed is just done for (I'm guessing it's 2 years but it's always been in the freezer except for a half hour when I'm planting)?

[Liz CA]

I cooked them in soups and roasted them...however I like them even raw. Definitely use your favorite seasoning, thyme, rosemary and all that is good and divine and people will ask you what delicious little morsel this is. :001_smile:

[ktgrok]

I make them for thanksgiving almost every year!!!

 

I do a winter vegetable medley in the crock pot. Cut up carrots, parsnips, and chunks of sweet potato, or if you want, chunks of red skinned potatoes. Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper. Cook in the crock pot until done. You can also add some fresh cranberries for a more festive dish. YUM. The roasting makes them sweeter. Boiled and mashed they are icky, but roasted they are delicious.

 

The secret to parsnips is to use the smaller ones. The core of the big ones can be pretty bitter. If you have big ones you don't want to waste cut the core out of the larger end.

 

And in the worst case scenario guests can just pick them out in this dish, lol.

 

Oh, and since it is in the crock pot it frees up the oven!

Edited November 9, 2011 by ktgrok

[justamouse]

My MIL boils them, mashes them with butter, a dash of cream and a bit of brown sugar. We love them. That's traditional T day fare, here.

[GingerPoppy]

Yes, I've had them at Thanksgiving. One relative makes them by boiling with carrots and mashing afterwards with butter. I personally enjoy them this way quite a bit. But when I was a nanny and we had roast Sunday dinner, often with parsnips roasted in there with the chicken--WOW! I adore roasted parsnips. If you do them alongside the meat, you get those juices permeating them as well as the oil. They are honestly one of my top fave vegetable done this way, and I say this a someone who loves a whole lot of different vegetables.

[Marylou]

Shred finely and add to sauerkraut :001_smile:

[kubiac]

I love this recipe from Skippy's Garden that combines parsnips, carrots and beets:

 

http://carletongarden.blogspot.com/2007/11/winter-root-veges.html

 

That said, I can't believe no one has yet mentioned the basic digestive problem that comes with parsnips. I love them, but I've found they cause terrible, um...

 

Cue toddler, gleefully shouting:

 

"FARTS! FARTS!"

[Rosie_0801]

They taste good in parsnip and pear soup. I don't suppose that's very Thanksgivingish though.

 

Rosie

[MariannNOVA]

They taste good in parsnip and pear soup. I don't suppose that's very Thanksgivingish though.

 

Rosie

 

Actually, I think it sounds rather Pilgrim-y and Mayflower-y.

:)

[RegGuheert]

Wow! I can't believe how many ideas you guys have for parsnips! Somehow you are all making parsnips sound so great! You'll have me liking them before long if you keep this up!

I cooked them in soups and roasted them...however I like them even raw. Definitely use your favorite seasoning, thyme, rosemary and all that is good and divine and people will ask you what delicious little morsel this is. :001_smile:

Thanks! Sounds great! And it sounds like you are an experienced chef: "...use your favorite seasoning,...". We're both engineers and MomsintheGarden used to get so mad when we first married and got a cookbook from the church with instructions like "add salt to taste". HOW MUCH IS THAT? :confused: Now she is a VERY good cook and she usually cooks that way. ;)

I make them for thanksgiving almost every year!!!

 

I do a winter vegetable medley in the crock pot.

...

I like the idea of the crock pot, since it tends to meld the flavors better than other cooking techniques.

The secret to parsnips is to use the smaller ones. The core of the big ones can be pretty bitter. If you have big ones you don't want to waste cut the core out of the larger end.

That's interesting. MomsintheGarden cooked a few very large ones the other day and I didn't notice them being bitter. This after questioning her whether they would be woody since they were so large. These were probably approaching a foot long and about 3-4 inches in diameter at the big end.

My MIL boils them, mashes them with butter, a dash of cream and a bit of brown sugar. We love them. That's traditional T day fare, here.

Another vote for mashed! But it sounds like you do this without white potatoes included and you still love them! Amazing!

Yes, I've had them at Thanksgiving. One relative makes them by boiling with carrots and mashing afterwards with butter. I personally enjoy them this way quite a bit.

Now mashed with carrots. How much is parsnips and how much is carrots?

But when I was a nanny and we had roast Sunday dinner, often with parsnips roasted in there with the chicken--WOW! I adore roasted parsnips. If you do them alongside the meat, you get those juices permeating them as well as the oil. They are honestly one of my top fave vegetable done this way, and I say this a someone who loves a whole lot of different vegetables.

MomsintheGarden often does this with white potatoes, but they seem more absorbent than parsnips. You make it sound so good!

Shred finely and add to sauerkraut :001_smile:

Hmmm. We just made sauerkraut and I think we may be ready to try it again soon. This could be interesting! So are you saying that parsnips won't ruin perfectly good sauerkraut? ;) How much do you put in, BTW?

I love this recipe from Skippy's Garden that combines parsnips, carrots and beets:

 

http://carletongarden.blogspot.com/2007/11/winter-root-veges.html

 

 

That sounds like a good combination and it is three things that we get out of our garden!

That said, I can't believe no one has yet mentioned the basic digestive problem that comes with parsnips. I love them, but I've found they cause terrible, um...

 

Cue toddler, gleefully shouting:

 

"FARTS! FARTS!"

Perhaps that's why I have never seen them at Thanksgiving before? ;) OTOH, perhaps that can be part of a strategy to discourage guests who otherwise would never leave! :D

They taste good in parsnip and pear soup. I don't suppose that's very Thanksgivingish though.

 

Rosie

Yeah, for some reason, I have also never seen soup at Thanksgiving. (I wonder what our guests would think if they showed up and we served them parsnip soup for Thanksgiving dinner! :D) Anyway, that sounds interesting! Do you have a recipe you can share?

[Rosie_0801]

Yeah, for some reason, I have also never seen soup at Thanksgiving. (I wonder what our guests would think if they showed up and we served them parsnip soup for Thanksgiving dinner! :D) Anyway, that sounds interesting! Do you have a recipe you can share?

 

It's cold. Why wouldn't you eat soup? (I wouldn't know, would I? I assume "because" is the answer. ;) )

 

Recipe? Uh, some chopped up parsnip, some chopped up pear, some veggie stock. Cook until the parsnip is done, then puree, serve it up and grind some pepper over the top. How much of each ingredient depends very heavily on how much you have in the pantry.

 

Rosie- not an engineer.

[astrid]

Wow! I wondered if I would have any replies. Thanks! We will definitely try these ideas! (Did I mention we have a LOT of parsnips?)

 

Perhaps I should ask a little more directly:

 

- Have you ever included parsnips in a Thanksgiving dinner that you served?

- If so, how were they prepared?

- How did it go over? (What percent of your guests consumed the parsnip dish?)

 

1. Yes, I have served parsnips for Thanksgiving.

2. Tossed with olive oil, salt and cracked pepper and roasted till golden. Oh, but first I cut them up like carrot sticks and sort of carved out the woody cores of the big ones. That's important. If you've got big fatties, quarter them lengthwise and trim off the woody center. It'll make all the difference.

3. Everyone loved them in my immediate family (they're a favorite here) and my guests liked them as well. Actually, they were pleasantly surprised because they THOUGHT they didn't like them. One of their kids wasn't thrilled, but that was ok.

 

Good luck with MIG's bounty!

 

astrid

[astrid]

They're really good a little over roasted (not burnt, but nicely browned). They get pretty sweet. I make my dish with carrots, parsnips, Brussels sprouts, turnips and rutabagas. I think I do some onions, too.

 

Yes, I agree with browning them. I roast them with carrots, onions, potatoes and Brussels sprouts. We all fight over them. :D

 

astrid

[AK_Mom4]

I like mashed parsnips with garlic. But when I have made them, I put twice as much butter in them as I would if I were doing mashed potatos.

 

My friend's mother made mashed potatos and parsnips with onions. Really delicious - boil the onions, potatos and parsnips together. Lots of milk or creme and plenty of butter.

 

But I am not sure you would want to serve these AND regular mashed potatos at Thanksgiving. How about roasted parsnips with honey? Peel and slice the parsnips (1" thick slices). Spread out in a small pan, drizzle with honey and bake in the oven until nice and brown.

[MomsintheGarden]

Thanks so much for typing that up for me. I will bookmark it for the spring to try again. I've always kept my seeds in the freezer because I've heard that keeps them longer (and my cilantro and lettuce seeds are 3-4 years old and going strong). Do you think this method works with parsnips too? Or do you think that seed is just done for (I'm guessing it's 2 years but it's always been in the freezer except for a half hour when I'm planting)?

You're welcome!

 

I keep seeds in Lock & Lock containers in the refrigerator, and have had some types germinate well after years of storage. Kale and other brassicas keep the best. I buy new parsnip seeds at least every other year. They are poor germinators according to my gardening books.

 

From The New Seed Starting Handbook by Nancy Bubel:

"Be sure to use fresh seeds, and sow even those thickly (at least one every inch) because parsnip sees are notoriously low in vitality."

 

From The Garden Primer by Barbara Damrosch:

"Use fresh new seeds. Soaking them overnight in warm water will help shorten the two- to three-week germination period."

 

From Gardening When it Counts by Steve Solomon:

"Parsnip seed, for example, rarely sprouts effectively in the third year from date of harvest."

 

For my gardening situation, I would rather buy new seeds for a tricky crop than risk losing a growing year. I could save seeds, but that would mean dedicating garden space for more than a year for that project.

 

Happy gardening!

GardenMom