Parsnip Gratin

By Hklbrries

... Chef Sylvia Wilson shared a recipe for Parsnip Gratin that she loves. The former owner of Mizuna restaurant now runs Feast Catering Co.

“Over the years I have developed a love for parsnips, and they seem so underrated and, well, … unknown,” she says. “I am not sure if most people could identify one.”

“What I love is that they have such a sweet, earthy flavor that nothing else can quite mimic. For me, the secret to releasing their subtle sweetness is in cooking them in the oven very slowly.”

Wilson suggests roasting parsnips alone or alongside roasts. They’re also great in stews or soups. ...

(Lorie Hutson, Correspondent)

Ingredients

• 1 large yellow or sweet onion
• Butter, for sautéing and for the baking dish
• 2 pounds parsnips (about 4 medium-sized roots), peeled and thinly sliced (see note)
• 2 pounds potatoes (Yukon gold or russet), peeled and thinly sliced (see note)
• 1 quart whipping cream (half-and-half will not do!)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon white pepper
• 2 teaspoons nutmeg
• 1 cup fresh parmesan
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme

Preparation

Step 1

Notes: Potatoes cook faster than parsnips; so cut parsnips a little thinner. When slicing parsnips, slice at a diagonal. Because the parsnip pieces will vary a lot in size (from widest end to the smallest end), I like to save the widest pieces for the top layer. It just looks better.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 9- by 14-inch baking dish (heavy-duty ceramic works best).

Dice and sauté onion in a bit of butter until golden brown. Peel and thinly slice parsnips and potatoes. Whisk together salt, pepper and nutmeg into the whipping cream.

Begin layering: Start with a single layer of potatoes, slightly overlapping, in the buttered baking dish. Lightly drizzle with cream mixture. Follow with a light sprinkling of parmesan cheese (about 1 tablespoon). Then place parsnips on top in a single layer, lightly drizzling with cream mixture and sprinkling with 1 tablespoon parmesan.

Repeat with potatoes, cream and parmesan. Add the sautéed onions. Layer parsnips, cream and parmesan. Repeat with potatoes, cream and parmesan. The top layer will be the remaining parsnips (see note). Pour the rest of the whipping cream mixture over the parsnips and sprinkle with 2 to 3 tablespoons parmesan.

Cover with heavy-duty foil and bake for 1  1/2 hours. Remove foil and continue baking for 20 minutes until nicely browned. Sprinkle with fresh thyme.


Nutrition Information:
Per serving
430 calories
32 grams fat (20 grams saturated, 66 percent fat calories)
8 grams protein
30 grams carbohydrates
115 milligrams cholesterol
5 grams dietary fiber