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Dec 24, 2009

As I sit here on a cold - no, frigid - January morning writing a column on food and recipes, I reflect on what is important to me, culinary speaking, and how would my ideals fit into the ideals of our world. Fly Freeman, columnist for the Cosmos wrote about eating locally and seasonally, thereby supporting our own farmers, and I would have to agree.
But sitting in a three foot snow bank with a temperatures of -20C. hurling around is not ideally suited to eating seasonally or locally. Or is it?
Root vegetables, grown right here and around Uxbridge, were harvested in late October and are still available. Carrots, turnips, onions, celery root, yams, beets and the often over-looked parsnip are all members of the root family and conjure up delicious bowls of hot soup, purees, roasted vegetables, casseroles and more - the ultimate Canadian winter comfort food.
The parsnip, however, appears to often be neglected in comparison to its 'root' cousins. Although it has been cultivated for over two thousand years, is inexpensive and easy to find, it is not as well known (or used) as the other root vegetables. Looking like a white carrot, the parsnip is a fragrant and sweet-tasting root that was grown and enjoyed by the Greeks in the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Before sugar became readily available, parsnips were used to sweeten pastries and jams. But now that we have other sources of sugar, the parsnip's use has diminished.
The parsnip is high in Vitamin C and potassium, which makes it an ideal winter companion.
My Favourite Parsnips: Remembering that vegetables that grow below the ground are always started in cold water, cook parsnips in salted water until tender, as you would potatoes. Drain. Then puree in your processor with a little butter, a couple sprigs of parsley, salt and pepper. A little whipping cream can be added to finish the puree to make an extra special side dish for company. The cooked parsnips can also be mashed with a potato masher with the butter, salt and pepper but chop the parsley before adding. Serve as a side dish to any main or place the pureed parsnip in a soup bowl and ladle your favourite stew over them.
Try adding parsnips to your scalloped potatoes. Peel and slice washed potatoes, sweet potatoes and parsnips into half inch slices. Arrange the vegetable slices along with some sliced onions, pepper and salt in a baking pan. Pour enough whipping cream over the arranged slices until covered with cream. Bake covered in a 350 degree F. oven for 30 minutes, then uncover and cook for another thirty minutes. Serve as a side dish with chicken or pork, or on their own as decadent comfort food.
Peeled parsnips cut into 'carrot' stick size can be tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted in a 400 degree F. oven for 30 minutes and served as an alternative to French-fried potatoes.
Leftover boiled or roasted parsnips can be added to sautéed onions and garlic, pureed in a processor and thinned out with a good chicken stock to make a hot and hearty soup. Top with grated cheese or croutons.
Root vegetables are available right now, and they are inexpensive. Most are excellent sources of Vitamin C that we certainly need in our long winter. Come spring, we will be thinking green again with lighter vegetables and all the time, we will be supporting our local farmers, naturally.