Equipment
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 800 g parsnips, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks
- 10 g fresh ginger, peeled
Dairy & Seasoning
- 120 ml heavy cream, room temperature
- 60 g unsalted butter, cubed
- 5 g kosher salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 362 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 37 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Fiber
- 10 g
- Sugar
- 11 g
- Sodium
- 515 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 15 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 66 mg
- Potassium
- 793 mg
- Calcium
- 96 mg
- Iron
- 1.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 61 mg
- Phosphorus
- 164 mg
- Zinc
- 1.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 226 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 34 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.5 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 3.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 47 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.19 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.16 mg
- Niacin
- 1.4 mg
- Folate
- 136 mcg
- Water
- 179 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Peel the parsnips and cut them into even chunks approximately 2cm thick. Finely grate the ginger using a microplane.
Place parsnips in a large saucepan and cover with cold water by at least 2cm. Season water generously with salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until parsnips are very tender and easily crushed with a fork.
While parsnips cook, gently warm the heavy cream, butter, and grated ginger in a small pot or microwave until butter is melted. Do not boil.
Drain the parsnips thoroughly in a colander. Allow them to steam dry for 1 minute to remove excess moisture.
Transfer hot parsnips to a blender. Pour in the warm cream, butter, and ginger mixture. Blend on high speed until completely smooth and velvety. Season with salt to taste.
Chef's Notes
- For the smoothest texture, avoid using the very center of extremely large parsnips, as the core can be woody and fibrous.
- Warming the cream and butter before adding prevents the hot parsnips from seizing and ensures a better emulsion.
- This puree pairs exceptionally well with seared scallops, roast pork, or venison due to its sweet and earthy profile.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. Reheat gently to prevent separation.
Freezer: 1 month — Texture may become slightly grainy; whisk vigorously upon reheating.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stove over low heat, adding a splash of milk or water if too thick.
Troubleshooting
Texture is fibrous or stringy
Cause: Parsnips were too large (woody cores) or blender was not powerful enough
Fix: Pass the puree through a fine-mesh sieve (tamis) to remove fibers
Prevention: Remove woody cores from large parsnips before cooking
Cultural Context
Before the arrival of the potato from the Americas, the parsnip was a primary starch in European cookery. This dish elevates the humble root vegetable using classic French purée techniques.
