Parsnips
Parsnips (Pastinaca sativa) look like white carrots, although they are sweeter than carrots, and were used in Europe as a sweetener before the arrival of cane and beet sugars. Due to this sugar content, the calorie count of parsnips is equal to fruits like bananas and grapes.
It is a relative of celery, carrots, parsley, cumin and dill.
They are native to the Mediterranean region and were part of Roman and Greek cuisine. They were considered an aphrodisiac by the Romans, but do not play a part in modern Italian cooking.
Parsnips were introduced to the United States in the 19th century by both the French and English, but were replaced as a source of starch in mid century by the potato. Parsnips were often fed to pigs.
For a time, they were confused with turniips, an unrelated vegetable.
Parsnips are harvested after the first frost. Frost is important as it turns much of the taproot’s starch into sugars.
The plant is harvested by pulling up the entire plant. Parsnips can grow up to 20 inches, but large parsnips have a srong flavor many people don’t like. They are most tender at 8 inches long.
Greens are removed before storage to prevent loss of nutrients.
Nutrients are also lost in boiling water, so boil with the peel on. When tender, let cool, then scrape or peel the skin away.
Parsnips contain many healthy components like poly-acetylene antioxidants which are anti-inflammation, anti-fungal and anti-cancer in addition to protecting from colon cancer and leukemia.
They are an excellent source of insoluble and soluble dietary fiber, Vitamin C— another antioxidant—and B-comlex vitamins. Vitamin E and K and minerals like iron, calcium, copper, potassium, manganese and phosphorus are also contained in parsnips.
The root is the only edible part of the plant. Handling stems and greens and flowers can cause a skin rash due to a chemical burn (like poison ivy), especially if the skin is exposed to sunlight after handling.
Sensitive individuals may also develop oral allergy syndrome (OAS), symptoms of which include an itching/burning sensation in lips and tongue, eye redness and breathing difficulty. Especially individuals with an allergy to birch category pollen which includes walnuts, figs, carrots and parsley, should probably avoid parsnips.
Parsnips are usually cooked—baked, boiled, roasted, fried, steamed, mashed, pureed or served in chunks, but can be eaten raw.
When purchasing, select firm, fleshy, medium-sized parsnips. Avoid long, thin roots, soft, shriveled and pitty or woody, overmature roots which will have strong flavors.
Wash them in cold water and trim off ends. Cut as desired and do not overcook. They cook quickly due to the presence of more sugar than starch.
To store, place in a perforated or loosely closed plastic bag in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator. Do not freeze raw parsnips. The longer they are stored, the sweeter they become.
Raw parsnips give a unique sweet taste when added to salads or cooked and mashed with potatoes, leeks or cauliflower. They make delicious soups.
The parsnip root is an integral herbal ingredient of traditional Chinese medicine.
I’m dedicating this article to my father-in-law Ross, a true gentleman who introduced us to parsnips when he began cooking soups.
Parsnips (Pastinaca sativa) look like white carrots, although they are sweeter than carrots, and were used in Europe as a sweetener before the arrival of cane and beet sugars. Due to this sugar content, the calorie count of parsnips is equal to fruits like bananas and grapes.
It is a relative of celery, carrots, parsley, cumin and dill.
They are native to the Mediterranean region and were part of Roman and Greek cuisine. They were considered an aphrodisiac by the Romans, but do not play a part in modern Italian cooking.
Parsnips were introduced to the United States in the 19th century by both the French and English, but were replaced as a source of starch in mid century by the potato. Parsnips were often fed to pigs.
For a time, they were confused with turniips, an unrelated vegetable.
Parsnips are harvested after the first frost. Frost is important as it turns much of the taproot’s starch into sugars.
The plant is harvested by pulling up the entire plant. Parsnips can grow up to 20 inches, but large parsnips have a srong flavor many people don’t like. They are most tender at 8 inches long.
Greens are removed before storage to prevent loss of nutrients.
Nutrients are also lost in boiling water, so boil with the peel on. When tender, let cool, then scrape or peel the skin away.
Parsnips contain many healthy components like poly-acetylene antioxidants which are anti-inflammation, anti-fungal and anti-cancer in addition to protecting from colon cancer and leukemia.
They are an excellent source of insoluble and soluble dietary fiber, Vitamin C— another antioxidant—and B-comlex vitamins. Vitamin E and K and minerals like iron, calcium, copper, potassium, manganese and phosphorus are also contained in parsnips.
The root is the only edible part of the plant. Handling stems and greens and flowers can cause a skin rash due to a chemical burn (like poison ivy), especially if the skin is exposed to sunlight after handling.
Sensitive individuals may also develop oral allergy syndrome (OAS), symptoms of which include an itching/burning sensation in lips and tongue, eye redness and breathing difficulty. Especially individuals with an allergy to birch category pollen which includes walnuts, figs, carrots and parsley, should probably avoid parsnips.
Parsnips are usually cooked—baked, boiled, roasted, fried, steamed, mashed, pureed or served in chunks, but can be eaten raw.
When purchasing, select firm, fleshy, medium-sized parsnips. Avoid long, thin roots, soft, shriveled and pitty or woody, overmature roots which will have strong flavors.
Wash them in cold water and trim off ends. Cut as desired and do not overcook. They cook quickly due to the presence of more sugar than starch.
To store, place in a perforated or loosely closed plastic bag in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator. Do not freeze raw parsnips. The longer they are stored, the sweeter they become.
Raw parsnips give a unique sweet taste when added to salads or cooked and mashed with potatoes, leeks or cauliflower. They make delicious soups.
The parsnip root is an integral herbal ingredient of traditional Chinese medicine.
I’m dedicating this article to my father-in-law Ross, a true gentleman who introduced us to parsnips when he began cooking soups.