Seasonal ingredient of the week: Parsnips

IN SEASON: October - February

Parsnips are first harvested in Autumn, when the leaves are golden, the nights (and mornings) darker, and the desire for comfort food is calling. Luckily nature has answered, and the current seasonal offerings are slightly more stodgier and satisfying than their summer predecessors - Parsnips being one of the best. They can get quite a bad rep - childhood memories of steamed, flavourless parsnips still looming, but they can take pride of place on your plate when cooked well.

They’re harvested from mid October to late February and tend to be sweeter later in the season as frost helps turn the starch content into sugars. They have a sweet, earthy flavour and roast well.

TIPS 

- Parsnips can be roasted either whole, cubed or or cut into chips. Simply drizzle with a splash of oil, spread on a baking tray and bake at 200C for 20-45 minutes depending on the size. 

- To get the most nutrients from your parsnips, skip the peeler - simply scrub the skin and roast. 

- Parsnips work wonderfully with so many different spices. We particularly love maple + rosemary, paprika or cumin + cinnamon.  

Recipe:

METHOD

1. Cook quinoa in 3 cups of water with a pinch of salt until the water has evaporated. Turn off the heat and put lid on the pot, leave to stand for 5 mins. 

2. Pick the kale off the stalks and then wash and dry the leaves. In 3 batches put the kale leaves into a food processor until it’s coarsely chopped. 

3. Chop the tomatoes into small cubes, then finely slice spring onions and mix all ingredients together in a bowl (quinoa, kale, spring onions, tomatoes, lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil and salt).

Best served with home made houmous and falafel

KALE TABBOULEH
Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

- 300g kale
- 2 cups white quinoa 
- 2 tomatoes
- 2 lemons juice + zest
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 bunch spring onion