In my recent recipe searches I've seen quite a few recipes that call for parsnips. What exactly is a parsnip? Is it similar in flavor and/or texture to any other veggie?
I've actually never had any, so here's what came up when I googled it:
The parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) is a root vegetable related to the carrot. Parsnips resemble carrots, but are paler in colour than most carrots, and have a sweeter taste, especially when cooked.[2] The buttery, slightly spicy, sweet flavor of cooked mature parsnips (often picked after the first frost) is reminiscent of butterscotch, honey, and subtle cardamom.
While parsnips can be eaten raw, they are more commonly served cooked. Parsnips can be boiled, roasted or used in stews, soups and casseroles. In some cases, the parsnip is boiled and the solid portions are removed from the soup or stew, leaving behind a more subtle flavor than the whole root and contributing starch to thicken the dish. Roasted parsnip is considered an essential part of Christmas dinner in some parts of the English-speaking world and frequently features in the traditional Sunday Roast. Parsnips can also be fried or thinly sliced and made into crisps.
Interesting.
Quoting VanBurren:I've actually never had any, so here's what came up when I googled it:
The parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) is a root vegetable related to the carrot. Parsnips resemble carrots, but are paler in colour than most carrots, and have a sweeter taste, especially when cooked.[2] The buttery, slightly spicy, sweet flavor of cooked mature parsnips (often picked after the first frost) is reminiscent of butterscotch, honey, and subtle cardamom.
While parsnips can be eaten raw, they are more commonly served cooked. Parsnips can be boiled, roasted or used in stews, soups and casseroles. In some cases, the parsnip is boiled and the solid portions are removed from the soup or stew, leaving behind a more subtle flavor than the whole root and contributing starch to thicken the dish. Roasted parsnip is considered an essential part of Christmas dinner in some parts of the English-speaking world and frequently features in the traditional Sunday Roast. Parsnips can also be fried or thinly sliced and made into crisps.
We eat them with corned beef and cabbage! They are not my favorite - they taste a tad bitter to me. But still not bad :)
never tried parsnips...they are on the 'list'...i often see recipes where they are roasted or mixed with mashed potatoes...did not know they could be eaten raw.
When you go to the grocery store, they look like giant white carrots. I use them in stews and soups. If you get smallish ones, cut them into tiny cubes and cook them into something with other veggies like potatoes and carrots, no one will even notice them (unless of course you tell them).
I will have to try that :)
Quoting christinab313:When you go to the grocery store, they look like giant white carrots. I use them in stews and soups. If you get smallish ones, cut them into tiny cubes and cook them into something with other veggies like potatoes and carrots, no one will even notice them (unless of course you tell them).
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- DixieFlower
on Feb. 13, 2012 at 6:38 PM