Parsnips look like white carrots and are very sweet. They have a center core which softens completely in chicken soup. In this recipe, I boil them until they are crisp-tender. The outside of the parsnips become soft; but the core, depending on how thick it is, remains hard. I like to remove the core with the tip of a sharp knife; before turning them into Glazed Parsnips.
I started making these Glazed Parsnips when my Mother was alive and joined us for Thanksgiving. She would only eat white and red vegetables. As luck would have it, my glazed parsnips became a favorite with my Mother and daughter. After Mom died, I stopped making them; until my daughter gently asked me: what happened to the parsnips? She missed them; so back on to the menu they went. She likes them so much that she takes a tupperware home with the leftovers. I think you’ll like them too.
Optional addition: scatter a jar of roasted chestnuts over the parsnips and glaze everything together.
Try my Parsnip and Apple Soup for another way to enjoy this sweet vegetable.
Note: This recipe can be easily halved.
Prep time: 30 minutes
Glazed Parsnips
By Published: April 16, 2024
Yield:
- 20 Servings
Ingredients
- 5 pounds parsnips peeled and trimmed
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 cup dark brown sugar firmly packed
- 1 large orange zested
- 1 cup orange juice
Equipment
- large pot to par boil parsnips
- 9x12x3 oven to table casserole
- baster
- spider or tongs to remove parsnps from hot water
Directions
- Cut parsnips where they begin to bulge at he bottom. If you have uniform narrow ones, boil them as is. Place parsnips in the pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Boil about 15-20 minutes until they are crisp tender. A sharp knife or cake tester should be able to pierce the outside but not all the way through. You can pick up a heavy pot of hot water and drain parsnips into a colander; or you can do as I do and remove the parsnips with a tongs or spider, drain them on a rack and then pour out the water.
- Cut the parsnips in half and remove the core if it is still tough. Cut pieces lengthwise into three-four inch slices.
Preheat oven: 375°F.
- Arrange parsnip slice evenly in the casserole. Sprinkle with brown sugar, orange zest and a little olive oil. Repeat layering until all the parsnips slices have been used. Pour orange juice over the filled casserole.
- Bake parsnips 30-45 minutes. Baste every 10 minutes or so so that all the slices get glazed and sticky. If the tips start to brown too much, cover lightly with foil.
Serve hot!
