Thanks to my English mother, I grew up eating parsnips. Usually she’d roast them and just leave it at that. I love roasted parsnips — especially when roasted alongside carrots, but I also love taking the extra step of pureeing them. Roasted parsnips become ultra smooth and creamy when pureed. You could just leave them plain, but to make them extra silky, we add a splash of cream and love a touch of nutmeg swirled in at the end. Serve this as a replacement for mashed potatoes. I especially love this with roasted pork tenderloin or roast chicken. Recipe updated, originally posted January 2012. Since posting this in 2012, we have tweaked the recipe to be more clear. – Adam and Joanne 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 1/4 cup water or chicken stock, see our homemade stock recipe 1/2 cup cream or half-and half 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg Salt and fresh ground black pepper 2In a medium bowl, toss parsnips with olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Arrange parsnips in one layer onto a baking sheet — or use two baking sheets. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes, turning once, until lightly golden brown. 3Add roasted parsnips to a food processor (or use a food mill) with water/stock, cream and nutmeg. Puree until your desired consistency, add more water if necessary. Stir in a few grinds of pepper and season with salt to taste.
