How to cook parsnip
Information for parsnip in our free cooking ingredients collection.
Parsnip
Like the carrot and celery, the parsnip is a member of the Umbelliferae family, sonamed for the umbrella-like shape of their flower clusters. It is a cold-weather, starchy root vegetable that resembles the carrot in shape but is pale yellow or ivory. It has a mild, celery-like fragrance and a sweet, but slightly peppery, flavor. The parsnip root grows up to 18 inches in length and up to 3 to 4 inches across at the top.
Family - Umbelliferae
Scientific name - Pastinaca sativa L.
Common name - parsnip
A good source of folate, vitamin C, and fiber
Varieties
Unlike their cousins the carrots, parsnips are not bred for variety of color or shape, and the number of varieties is small. Modern varieties are bred to grow a fat, wedge-shaped root. The most disease-resistant types are the Gladiator, a sweet, early-maturing parsnip, the Avonresister, and the Andover, a new American variety. The most popular parsnip is the All American, which has broad “shoulders”, white flesh, and a tender core.
Origin and botanical facts
Wild parsnips were eaten by the ancient Greeks and Romans. The word pastinaca, part of the modern scientific name for parsnips, was used by Pliny in the 1st century A.D., but it may have referred to either parsnips or carrots, or both. According to Pliny, the parsnip was so valued by the Emperor Tiberius that he had it imported to Rome from the banks of the Rhine. Sixteenth-century Germans exploited the parsnip’s high sugar content to make wine, jam, and sweet flour for cakes. During the season of Lent, parsnips were eaten with salt fish. Today, parsnips are cultivated throughout Europe, Canada, and the northern United States. Northern California and Michigan are the leading domestic growers.
Although it is a biennial, the parsnip is usually grown as an annual, harvested before the second year’s leaves begin to appear. Parsnips are propagated from seeds and planted in deep, loamy, fine soil that has not been fertilized recently. In cold climates, parsnips are planted in early spring, but in areas where temperatures rarely fall below 25 degrees, seeds can be sown in early fall for a spring harvest. The roots take from 100 to 120 days to mature from seeds. The green stalks grow above ground, anywhere from 9 inches to 2 feet in height, with smooth, oblong leaflets about 4 or 5 inches long. The flowers, when permitted to develop, are deep yellow. Chilling the parsnip roots, either before or after harvesting, results in a sweeter flavor.
How to cook parsnip
The best parsnips are those that are small to medium in size, crisp, and plump. They should be stored in a perforated plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper. Because parsnips have a tough, fibrous core, they are usually cooked before serving. They can be peeled before or after cooking. Fresh parsnips that are not too tough can be grated or shredded and dressed like coleslaw or sliced very thin for a raw vegetable tray. They can be baked, microwaved, parboiled, or steamed until just tender and then pureed and served in place of mashed potatoes. When adding parsnips to soups, stews, and casseroles, they should be added about 15 minutes before serving time, because overcooking can turn them soft and tasteless.
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