Hello, Parsnip! You and I are going to be good friends!

My relationship with root vegetables has spanned from the common carrot, potato and sweet potato all the way to the more exotic daikon and taro root.  I have never, however, had a parsnip.  In my attempts to continue my quest to eat healthier, I decided to give this overgrown pale sister to the carrot a try.  Parsnips are an excellent source of dietary fiber, potassium and vitamin C. 

For our maiden voyage into parsnip land, we opted for a tame and tasty--

 

Baked Parsnip Fries with Rosemary

from epicurious.com

 

• 2 1/2 pounds parsnips cut into 3" x 1/2" strips
• 1 Tbsp. finely chopped rosemary plus additional sprigs
• 1 large garlic clove
• 3 Tbsps. olive oil
• Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin

Preheat over to 450°.  Mix parsnips, chopped rosemary, garlic and oil on a large rimmed baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Spread out in a single layer and scatter rosemary sprigs over.

 

Roast for 10 minutes; turn parsnips and roast until parsnips are tender and browned in spots, about another 10-15 minutes.  Crumble leaves from rosemary sprigs and discard stems.  Sprinkled cumin over and toss to coat.  Season with additional salt and pepper, if needed.

 

Sadly, my husband and I were so excited to try these, that there is no finished product photo, but here's a sneak peak of them right before they were put in the oven.