Roasted Parsnips with Mushroom Purée
Roasted parsnips can be tricky if you don’t know the secret to cook them properly. Removing the core of the parsnip is critical. The center is woody, tough is unpleasant to eat.
The interplay of sweet roasted parsnips generously coated with smoked paprika is the perfect pairing for this seasonal vegetable. Two types of sweetness are at play, we have the natural sweetness of the parsnip, then we have the caramelized bites that are sweet, crunchy, and chewy.
The dish as a whole is grounded and balanced with rich, creamy earth notes of the mushroom purée. The cashews make it rich, and the slow-cooked yellow onions bring sweetness. The mushrooms are packed with umami. A few sprigs of thyme can bring surprising herbal notes to the dish, thyme is bright in aroma and flavor and is the perfect partner.
Finally, the caper almond vinaigrette brings that acidity that counterbalances the parsnips and brings all of the notes just a bit higher and clearer. It’s not just the acid in this dish, but it’s the complex flavor of brined capers and the liquid of the capers that make this vinaigrette so good. This side dish is naturally vegan and a perfect complement to many dinners including the Tofu Steak recipe.
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Microplane Grater
Baking Pans
Blender
WHAT YOU NEED…
Parsnips: have a sweeter, licorice-like taste with a hint of spice, as opposed to the carrot’s sweetness.
Button Mushrooms: have a mild, earthy flavor, sometimes described as slightly nutty.
Yellow Onions: are strong but mild, with an onion flavor that isn’t overpowering. They often have a bit of sweetness to them, they caramelize nicely and they hold up well when cooked.
Garlic: when cooked adds a soft, sweet buttery flavor to the dish.
Capers: are reminiscent of the lemony tang and brininess of green olive but with a smack of floral tartness all their own. Because they’re packed in brine, capers also boast a bold salty, savory flavor profile.
Roasted Parsnips with Mushroom Purée & Caper Almond Vinaigrette
Servings: 8 People
Calories: 264kcal
Sweet roasted parsnips generously coated with smoked paprika are just too good to eat in one bite. Two types of sweetness are at play, we have the natural sweetness of the parsnip, then we have the cartelized bites that are sweet and crunchy.
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Ingredients
ROASTED PARSNIPS
- 4-5 parsnips
- 2 Tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 1 tsp salt kosher
- 1-2 Tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp red chili flakes
CAPER ALMOND VINAIGRETTE
- 4 garlic cloves fresh minced
- 3 Tbsp capers dried with a paper towel
- 4 Tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 1 lemon zested on a Microplane grater
- 3 Tbsp almonds sliced with skin on
- 1 Tbsp caper brine liquid
MUSHROOM PURÉE
- 1 ½ cup button mushrooms sliced
- ½ cup cashews
- ½ cup vegetable broth
- 2 Tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- ½ cup yellow onion
- 1 tsp salt kosher
- 2 thyme sprigs
GARNISH
- arugula
Instructions
HOW TO MAKE SMOKED PAPRIKA ROASTED PARSNIPS
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- Peel and cut the parsnips into quarters lengthwise. Remove the core.
- Place the cored parsnips in a bowl, and drizzle extra virgin olive over the parsnips. Use your hands to coat the parsnips.
- Add the smoked paprika and red chili flakes, and message the parsnips rubbing the spices into the parsnips. Season with kosher salt.
- Place the parsnips on a baking tray, cooking for 15 minutes. You might need to flip the parsnips about halfway. The parsnips should be tender and have deep caramelized spots.
HOW TO MAKE CAPER ALMOND VINAIGRETTE
- Heat the extra virgin olive oil over medium to medium-low.
- Pat dry the capers with paper towels.
- Cook the capers for 3 minutes, the capers will start to open and become crispy, add the sliced garlic cooking until light brown the sliced almonds are last. Cook until lightly toasted.
- Adding the caper brine liquid will stop the cooking.
- Finish the vinaigrette with 1 lemon zested on a Microplane grater
- Set aside
HOW TO MAKE MUSHROOM PURÉE
- heat a pot over medium-low heat with the extra virgin olive oil, and add the sliced yellow onions and smashed garlic. Season with kosher salt, and cook for 15 minutes until the onions are very soft and translucent. The aroma should be garlic and sweet.
- Add the sliced button mushrooms, cashews, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf. Stir to combine.
- Add the vegetable broth, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a low simmer, and cover. Cook for 15 minutes. The cashews should be tender and the mushrooms should have released their liquid.
- Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaf. If you feel there is a lot of liquid in the pot remove 1/4 cup and set aside.
- Place all of the ingredients in a high-speed blender, and puree until very smooth. If you removed some of the cooking liquid and you find that the puree is too thick slowly add the liquid back to the puree. If you feel the puree is too thick use plant milk to adjust. The spread will thicken as it cools and may need to thin later as well.
- The purée is best served warm.
PLATING
- Use a large platter to plate. Start with spreading the mushroom spread on the bottom, it is best to have a thick layer. Sprinkle the arugula on top of the mushroom puree and all around the platter. Layer the roast parsnips on top of the arugula. Drizzle caper and almond vinaigrette over the parsnips and all around the platter.
- This can also be served as an individual appetizer dish. The key to platting this is to balance the ratio of mushroom puree, roasted parsnips, and caper vinaigrette. Let’s say you are going to put three pieces of parsnips, which would mean using about a quarter cup of mushroom puree. The goal is to have enough mushroom spread for each bite of parsnip. Lightly spoon the caper vinaigrette over each parsnip.
Nutrition
Calories: 264kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Sodium: 739mg | Potassium: 478mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 553IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 2mg
