Roasted Maple-Bourbon Carrots and Parsnips
3 pounds carrots
2 pounds parsnips
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ cup bourbon whiskey
¼ cup maple syrup
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
If any carrots or parsnips are very large, cut pieces lengthwise in half or into quarters for even cooking.
In large bowl, toss carrots and parsnips with oil, salt, and pepper until well coated.
Transfer to two 15 ½” by 10 ½” jelly-roll pans or large cookie sheets.
Roast vegetables on 2 oven racks 45 to 50 minutes or until tender and lightly browned, stirring once and rotating pans between upper and lower racks halfway through roasting.
If not completing recipe right away, cool vegetables completely in pans on wire racks.
Transfer vegetables to large self-sealing plastic bag.
Refrigerate up to 1 day.
About 10 minutes before serving, in large microwave-safe serving bowl, heat bourbon and maple syrup in microwave oven on High 4 to 5 minutes or until mixture is very thick, stirring occasionally.
Add vegetables to bourbon mixture and stir until well coated.
Heat vegetable mixture on High 1 to 3 minutes or just until hot, stirring once.
Parsnip Gratin
1 pound parsnips
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup unsalted chicken stock or vegetable stock
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons heavy cream
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Peel parsnips; slice into thin rounds or cut into matchsticks.
Heat butter in skillet over medium flame.
Add parsnips and cook, tossing often, until partially tender, about 3 minutes.
Add stock and bring to strong simmer.
Lower heat, cover skillet, and gently simmer parsnips until almost tender, 5-6 minutes.
Uncover, raise heat to high, and cook until liquid reduces to a syrupy glaze.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Butter a baking dish.
Place half the parsnips in dish.
Drizzle with half the cream and sprinkle with half the Parmesan cheese
Repeat layers with remaining ingredients.
Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
Serves 4.
Oven-Fried Parsnips
2 pounds parsnips
2 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse sea salt
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Peel parsnips.
Cut them crosswise into 2½-inch chunks, slice the chunks lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick planks, and cut planks into sticks.
Toss with olive oil and a little sea salt.
Spread in single layer on baking sheets.
Bake 15 minutes; toss well and add additional salt.
Continue to bake, tossing occasionally, until golden brown and crisp, about 30 minutes total.
Serves 4-6.
Open Hands Farm 