JOANNA'S FOOD: family cooking, from scratch, every day


Wednesday, November 07, 2007

Creamed parsnip


















Years ago, my friend Susan gave us the most delicious parsnip dish to go with a Sunday roast. It's Jane Grigson, she said airily, as good English cooks often do. I went home and consulted JG's Vegetable Book; Susan's creamed parsnip has been a family favourite ever since. And no wonder: parsnips, butter, cream. The parboiled parsnips are turned in butter over a very slow heat, and when they've absorbed the butteriness - in other words cooked down to a mush - you add a little cream, perhaps some nutmeg or a few chopped herbs.

I haven't cooked this for three years, and I still miss it. So yesterday, I thought I'd try a healthy version ... amazingly, I got it right first time: this will be on our table at least once a week this winter.

Creamed parsnips










Parsnips
Olive oil
0% fromage frais or Greek yoghurt

Trim the parsnips, and core them if necessary (the core doesn't normally turn woody until much later in the season). Grate them - I did this instantly in the Magimix, but otherwise a Microplane would make short work of it. Put them in a shallow pan and sprinkle on a little olive oil. Mix it in with your hands. Cook to a mush on a very slow heat - my panful of five parsnips took about 45 minutes. Stir in a little fromage frais or yoghurt.

This is a rare dish I'd need to season with salt - because I've always made it with salted butter.

6 comments:

MyKitchenInHalfCups said...

Wow jahootie that is just wow, your version I mean. I'm sure the other tastes good but yours is wow and healthy! Love it.

Celia Hart said...

I'll have to try that one - it sounds delicious!

Jane Grigson's Vegetable Book is one of my favourites - so informative and inspiring. The Fruit Book is equally good.

Thanks for experimenting and sharing!
Celia :)

Amanda at Little Foodies said...

This sounds excellent! I love creamed anything but am trying to go down your healthy route where possible. Have ordered a Riverford box again by the way. :)

Cottage Smallholder said...

Brilliant and insipirational!

I'm definitely going to try this. Thanks.

Joanna said...

Tanna, my new phrase is going to be wow jahootie, it's just SO expressive!

Fruit Book, Veg Book, 2 of the best ... and a good foundation for experiment ;) Thanks for kind words MC

Amanda, SO glad you've got a box again, they are so life-enhancing in every way, not least because there's always something to cook, even if you haven't been to the supermarket for weeks.

Thanks CS for kind words

Anonymous said...

Thanks for this recipe. I love roast parsnips and have had them in soup but I never know what else to do with them.
Sara from farmingfriends