Today was definitely a fall day – there was a blanket of frost over the lawn this morning and cool, sunny, refreshing air this afternoon. I even think I saw a few maple leaves change colour! When I shop the produce isle at my local Sobeys, I’m drawn to growing varieties of winter squash and root vegetables. My favourite root vegetable of all time is the humble parsnip. These tasty tubers just keep getting sweeter through the season. In the fall they are good, but as the temperature gets colder, the parsnips keep getting better. I know a few home gardeners that leave theirs in the ground through the frosts, pulling them just before the earth freezes solid. I hear they taste like candy! We eat them a fair bit through the fall and winter in; soups and stews or have them roasted, pureed and glazed. My personal favourite way to prepare and eat them is; honey glazed, scented and flavoured with vanilla. I think they are perfect cooked just until tender all covered in a sticky sweet honey glaze with the light vanilla perfume. They pair well with roast, grilled or braised pork, veal and poultry, but in my house they are eaten all on their own.
Honey and Vanilla Glazed Parsnips
Serves 4
Prep Time: 5 min
Total Time: 20 min
1 lb bag (454 g) parsnips
2 tbsp (30 mL) unsalted butter
½ cup (125 mL) Compliments Liquid Honey
¼ cup (63 mL) water
½ fresh vanilla bean with seeds scraped or 1 tsp (5 mL) pure vanilla extract
Sea salt and white pepper
- Peel the parsnips, trim off the top and tails, and them cut them into thin fingers lengthwise. For some parsnips this may simply be into quarters, for other larger parsnips you may need to cut them into eights.
- Heat the butter in a large non stick sauté pan over medium high heat. Toss the parsnips in the butter and sauté them for 4-5 minutes to get things going. Lightly season with salt and white pepper, and then add the honey, water and vanilla.
- Bring to a simmer and cook the parsnips until they are tender and the honey/water has reduced, glazing the parsnips making them all sweet and sticky.
- Carefully toss the parsnips in the pan to glaze them all evenly, let cool slightly and serve.
They are that easy. I know for something so tasty it shouldn’t be that simple, but all good food is. Isn’t it nice how that works!? Try adding parsnips, fresh vanilla beans and honey to your fall fridge/pantry this season; you’ll be glad you did!
Happy Cooking!
Chef Ryan Skelton
