Anne Morgan This Delia Smith Parmesan Parsnips Recipe is a crispy and golden recipe, which features sweet parsnips and salty Parmesan cheese. It’s the perfect Sunday roast side dish, ready in about 50 minutes.
Delia Smith Parmesan Parsnips Recipe Ingredients
- 2 oz (50 g) freshly grated Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano)
- 2½ lb (1.25 kg) parsnips
- 6 oz (175 g) plain flour
- Groundnut or other flavourless oil (for baking)
- A knob of butter
- Salt and freshly milled black pepper
How To Make Delia Smith Parmesan Parsnips Recipe
- Prepare the coating: Begin by combining the plain flour, freshly grated Parmesan, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
- Prep the parsnips: Peel the parsnips using a potato peeler. Halve and quarter them lengthways, then cut each length in half across to create smallish chunks. Important: Cut out any tough, woody centers, as these remain hard even after cooking.
- Par-boil: Pop the parsnips in a saucepan and pour in enough boiling water to just cover them. Add salt. Put on a lid, bring to the boil, and boil for exactly 3 minutes.
- Coat while steaming: Drain the parsnips in a colander. Whilst they are still steaming hot, drop a few at a time into the flour and parmesan mixture. Shake the bowl and move them around to get a good even coating. Transfer coated parsnips to a tray. Do this swiftly; the mixture only sticks well while the vegetable is steamy.
- Heat the fat: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Place a large solid roasting tin in the oven to pre-heat. Add enough groundnut oil to just cover the base and a knob of butter for flavor. Let it get smoking hot.
- Roast: Remove the hot tin from the oven and place it over direct low heat on the stovetop. Using tongs, quickly place the parsnips side by side in the tin. Tilt the tin to baste all parsnips with hot fat.
- Bake and finish: Place the tin in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Turn them over, drain off any surplus fat (a bulb baster is good for this), and continue to bake for a further 15-20 minutes or until they are crisp and golden.
Recipe Tips
- The Steaming Trick: The secret to the crust adhering to the parsnip is the steam. If you let the parsnips cool and dry before tossing them in the flour/cheese mix, the coating will slide right off in the oven.
- Oil Choice: Delia recommends groundnut (peanut) oil because it has a high smoke point and can get very hot without burning, which is essential for crisping the flour. Olive oil may smoke too much at this temperature.
- Removing the Core: Parsnips can be fibrous. If your parsnips are large, the core will be woody. Be ruthless in cutting this out to ensure a tender bite.
- Make Ahead: Once coated (step 4), the raw parsnips can be stored in the fridge or frozen in bags. You can cook them straight from frozen, just adding a few minutes to the roasting time.
- Leftover Mix: Don’t throw away leftover flour and Parmesan mix. Sift it to remove lumps and store it in the freezer for your next roast dinner.
What To Serve With Delia Smith Parmesan Parsnips Recipe
These savory, cheesy vegetables are the highlight of a roast dinner.
- Roast Beef: The salty cheese pairs perfectly with red meat.
- Roast Turkey: A Christmas dinner essential.
- Nut Roast: Adds texture to a vegetarian meal.
- Gravy: Thick onion gravy is delicious poured over the crisp crust.
How To Store Delia Smith Parmesan Parsnips Recipe
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: To maintain the crispiness, reheat on a baking tray in a hot oven (350°F) for 10-15 minutes. Microwaving will make the coating soggy.
- Freeze: While you can freeze them after roasting, they are best frozen before the roasting stage (after coating). If freezing cooked parsnips, thaw and roast to re-crisp.
Delia Smith Parmesan Parsnips Recipe Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 210
- Total Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Cholesterol: 10mg
- Sodium: 250mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 30g
- Dietary Fiber: 6g
- Sugar: 6g
- Protein: 6g
Nutrition information is estimated per serving (based on 6 servings).
FAQs
Can I use Pecorino instead of Parmesan?
Yes. Pecorino Romano is saltier and sharper than Parmesan, which works very well against the natural sweetness of the parsnips.
Why are my parsnips soggy?
Soggy parsnips usually result from overcrowding the roasting tin (they steam instead of roast) or not getting the oil hot enough before adding the vegetables.
Is this gluten-free?
No, because it uses plain wheat flour. To make it gluten-free, substitute with a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend or cornmeal for an extra crunch.
Try More Recipes:
- Delia Smith Chicken Liver Pate Recipe
- Delia Smith Chicken Curry Recipe
- Delia Smith Chicken Casserole Recipe
Delia Smith Parmesan Parsnips Recipe
Course: Side DishCuisine: BritishDifficulty: EasyServings
6
servingsPrep time
20
minutesCooking time
40
minutesCalories
210
kcalA game-changing side dish where sweet parsnips are par-boiled, coated in a savory parmesan-flour crust, and roasted until irresistibly crispy.
Ingredients
1.25 kg parsnips
50g Parmesan (grated)
175g plain flour
Groundnut oil
Knob of butter
Salt and pepper
Directions
- Mix flour, Parmesan, and seasoning in a bowl.
- Peel, core, and chop parsnips.
- Boil parsnips for 3 minutes; drain.
- Toss hot parsnips in flour mix immediately.
- Heat oil and butter in a roasting tin at 400°F.
- Roast parsnips for 20 minutes.
- Turn over, drain excess fat, and roast 15-20 mins more.
Notes
- Coat the parsnips while they are still steaming hot to ensure the flour sticks.
- Remove the woody centers of large parsnips for the best texture.
- Use a solid metal roasting tin that can handle direct heat on the stovetop.
