In case you are wondering what a parsnip looks like:
Before I challenged myself to try cooking with a new food for each month of 2013, I wouldn't have been able to tell you what these were called. It's sad, but there are so many foods in the produce section that I have no clue about and realized that so often we stick to what we know and fail to venture out. Here is what I did with these cousins of the carrot:
I roasted the sliced parsnips in olive oil and seasonings and put them on top of a Parmesan pasta and spinach dish. They were satisfactory--nothing out of this world but a nice little addition to a normal pasta dish. My husband could have done without and my 2 year old would eat them if he dipped them in ketchup.
I forgot to take a picture of the second dish I made and took to Easter dinner at our friends' house, but I would say this was the more successful experiment of the two. Since parsnips are so closely related to carrots, I put the two together all chopped up in a pan to boil and soften them up. I drained them, added some butter and seasonings and transferred them to a baking dish. Throw some cheese and crumbled crackers on top, pop it in the oven and there you have it -- a new side dish that was husband-approved.
I just watched a Sesame Street episode with my toddler that was all about trying new foods--he needs to take the advice of his furry friends sometime soon.
Try something new, you might just discover a new favorite!
