Parsnip & Apple Sauté
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Parsnips have never been my favorite. I believe the first time I tried them I was already in my twenties, and their sweetness took me by surprise. I wanted desperately for them to taste a bit more savory, even when roasted. But there is something else I can't quite put my finger on when it comes to parsnips. Is it the Earthy tones? But I love beets, which even I admit can taste like dirt. I've heard parsnips described as "spiced," like nutmeg and cinnamon, but I can't say that's ever come to mind when I bit into one. Maybe that means my tastebuds just aren't quite on the parsnip game, but either way, there are still only a few ways I like to eat parsnips.
Cauliflower Parsnip Soup with Caramelized Onions and Apples (this is my favorite way to eat parsnips)
Roasted like french fries (yes, it's true! 😳)
This. Sautéd with apples and sage and eaten like a sweet-n-savory hash
And I wouldn't even have known about the third one if it wasn't for a serendipitous day when I waked in the grocery store and there was a big table of samples from the deli. What were they serving? Latkes topped with parsnip apple sauté. And of course the latke was good (fried potatoes, duh), but I was also taken aback by how much I liked that parsnip apple sauté. And rather than trying to convince the clerk to give me five more free samples, I figured I'd come up with my own rendition.
Really I'd say this is the sort of dish you might serve as a side at dinner, next to a roast chicken, or naturally, on a latke, but I ended up eating for breakfast a few days in row, polishing off the pan every time. It's a bit like a hash, but apples don't get the same sort of crisp as potatoes might, which is why I'm calling it a "sauté." And if you're thinking the parsnips and the apples make this dish sweet, you're right... but, minced garlic, onion, sage, black pepper and a pinch of salt also go into the pan, making it over all much more complex and truly a special combination.
Parsnips are also an ideal thing to make through out the winter. Did you know that they can be stored for six months after harvest and their flavors will remain just about the same? Apples, when stored properly, have a similar shelf life. So whether you're into eating seasonally or not, you can buy the ingredients for this dish basically throughout the entire year, and they'll still taste great.
P.S. I am in love with this bowl. I happened upon it at TJ Maxx--it was the only one of it's kind- and have since found all sorts of ways to use it. I've never thought of sage as a blue color, but I love how this bowl echoes that colors of sage. 😍
Parsnip & Apple Sauté
Serves: 3 | Total Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- 4 medium parsnips
- 1 medium apple
- 1 medium sweet yellow onion
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Salt to taste
Directions:
- Finely dice the onion. Then, peel and dice the parsnips into 1/2 inch cubes, and dice the apple removing the core (I leave the peel on the apple, but you may peel it if you prefer).
- Heat coconut oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. When the oil glistens, add the onion and minced garlic to the pan, sautéing until the onion is transparent.
- Add the parsnips and apples to the pan, and stir. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown and the parsnips are tender.
- Mince the sage, and add it to the pan, along with the pepper and salt to taste. Cook for 2 more minutes, stirring occasionally, and then serve hot.
