Here are some tips for using up leftover parsnips. Sometimes you buy parsnips in a pack or end up buying more than you need. We’re here to help.
- Freeze your leftover parsnips. Simply peel, chop into chunks, blanch in boiling water for a couple of minutes, cool for 2-3minutes in an ice bath, and seal in a freezer bag (squeeze out the air!) for freezer-ready parsnip chunks. This will last you 6 months, easy.
- Chips. Everyone loves chips. Make quick, delicious, healthy parsnip chips with our very own recipe. Jazz it up with chilli powder, or cumin, or paprika, whatever you like.
- Yes, you can pickle parsnips! Pickling your parsnips will give you a sweet, tart treat that’d go great on an antipasto board, in lunchboxes, or just on biscuits. Just chop the parsnips into coins after peeling them. Pop a couple of whole peppercorns, a few halved cloves of garlic (we prefer 4-5), and 2-3 tablespoons of lemon zest into a jar. Top with coins. Pour in the brine (2 cups of water, 1 tablespoon of salt). Submerge. Let them brine for about 5 days, check the taste, and if you like it, pop it into the fridge. It should last you a couple of months. Experiment with seasonings or with including other veggies like carrots.
- Love kimchi? You can make a parsnip version. For 500g of parsnips, peel and shred them. Place in a bowl, add 1 tablespoon of salt, and cover with water. Let it stand overnight at room temperature. Rinse it a few times. Mix half a tablespoon of gochugaru, half a teaspoon of minced garlic, half a teaspoon of grated ginger, 50grams of fresh shredded daikon, half a teaspoon of fish sauce and half a tablespoon of salt. Mix everything in a jar, cover, and bang it in the fridge for 10 days. It’d keep for a month.
- What about sauerkraut? Like kimchi, sauerkraut is traditionally made with a type of cabbage, but the process also works for parsnips. This works best if you have lots of leftover root veggies lying around, not just parsnips. If you have a kilo of parsnips, turnips, beets, carrots, or whatever else you have in the pantry, peel and shred in a food processor. Toss with 2 tablespoons of salt and let it sit for half an hour or so until there’s a fair amount of juice. Pack into a non-metallic container and press down with a weighted top. Stir every day, replacing the weight afterwards, for a couple of weeks or so until you’re happy with the taste. It’d last you a month in the fridge.
Image Source: Spoonfuls of Wanderlust, Pickled Parsnip with Bay Leaf Smoked Kangaroo. Yum! (x)