Ingredient: fresh parsnips

Parsnips are one of those vegetables that very often gets over looked as being bland and tasteless. The unassuming parsnip has neither carrots’ obvious sweetness or potatoes mashable, fryable, butter-loving appeal.

I’ve always loved their sweet, mellow, complex flavor. To me, parsnips have a taste reminiscent of hazelnuts, cardamom and a gentle peppery spice. They are at their best after a few autumn frosts, which converts the tuber’s starches into sugar. In fact, if they are left in the ground over winter and dug at the first sign of spring, parsnips are nearly as sweet as carrots.

Over the years, I have used them in many different applications. Pork with parsnips is a common savory pairing but grating them into breads and spice cakes is equally good. Making cakes with vegetables used to be a necessary economy, while today we use it as a way to improve the quality and it adds a range of flavors we’d forgotten about.

Using some fresh root veggies at this time of year seems to be a good choice. This cheesy parsnip bake makes such a flavorful meal.

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Pork & Cheesy Parsnip Bake

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Rating: 5
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Course

Main Dish

Cuisine

American

Keyword

pork & cheesy parsnip bake

Servings

MetricUS Imperial

Ingredients

Parsnip Topping

• 500 gm fresh parsnips
• small amount of milk & butter
• 100 gm strong cheddar cheese, grated

Casserole

• 2 Tbsp oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 100 gm mushrooms, sliced
• 454 gm ground pork
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 zucchini, quartered lengthwise & chopped
• 1 cup kernel corn
• 1 tsp EACH sea salt & pepper
• 1 tsp sage leaves

Course Main Dish Cuisine American Keyword pork & cheesy parsnip bake Servings MetricUS Imperial Ingredients Parsnip Topping 500 gm fresh parsnips small amount of milk & butter 100 gm strong cheddar cheese, grated Casserole 2 Tbsp oil 1 large onion, chopped 100 gm mushrooms, sliced 454 gm ground pork 2 Tbsp cornstarch 1 cup vegetable or chicken broth 1 zucchini, quartered lengthwise & chopped 1 cup kernel corn 1 tsp EACH sea salt & pepper 1 tsp sage leaves

Votes: 1 Rating: 5 You: Rate this recipe!

Instructions

Parsnips

1. Peel parsnips & cut into chunks. Cook in salted boiling water until they are tender, about 20 minutes.

Casserole

1. In saucepan, heat oil & sauté onion until tender crisp. Add the mushrooms & cook gently for an additional 5 minutes. Stir in pork & fry, breaking it up as it cooks, until lightly browned.
2. In a small container, combine vegetable broth with cornstarch. Carefully add to meat mixture, stirring until it starts to thicken. Add extra broth if needed. Stir in chopped zucchini & cover. Turn heat to low & cook gently while preparing the parsnip topping.
3. Turn oven on to broil. When parsnips are soft, mash thoroughly. Stir in butter, milk & grated cheese. Spoon pork mixture into an ovenproof dish. Evenly spread the cheesy parsnip mixture on top. Place under a broiler until the topping starts to brown. Serve immediately.