Alaska News

Alaska From Scratch: Roasted parsnips and carrots

Today I have a simple and rustic root vegetable side dish offering for your fall table. Have you ever roasted parsnips? They're a creamy white color and are similar to carrots in texture and flavor, but have a certain little oomph to them. If you prefer all parsnips or all carrots, you can certainly adapt this recipe to be one or the other, but I was very fond of the mix of the two, for both a wonderful earthy flavor and a pretty, colorful presentation.

This is very easy to do: peel, cut, toss, roast, done. Roasting the carrots and parsnips in a maple, mustard and thyme glaze really makes these vegetables shine and highlights their natural flavors. Fresh or dry thyme can be used, depending on what you have on hand. Also, feel free to swap the pure maple syrup for local Alaska birch syrup instead.

The very best part about roasting vegetables is the beautiful browning that takes place in the very hot oven, where the edges get somewhat crisp and caramelized. This is where all the delicious flavor lives, so go ahead and let those veggies get some color. These would make a perfect side dish alongside a roasted chicken or fall pot roast.

Roasted carrots and parsnips
4-6 side dish-sized portions
1 pound whole carrots, peeled and sliced into matchsticks
1 pound parsnips, peeled and sliced into matchsticks
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, finely chopped)
coarse sea salt & freshly cracked black pepper
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with foil. Spray the foil with non-stick spray.
2. Add the prepared carrots and parsnips to a bowl. In a smaller bowl, stir together the oil, maple syrup, mustard and thyme until well combined. Drizzle most of the mixture over the vegetables, reserving about 1/4 of it for later. Toss the vegetables to coat and spread them out into a single layer on the baking sheet. Season generously with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
3. Roast for 15 minutes. Stir and turn the vegetables. Roast another 15-20 minutes or until tender and caramelized on the edges. Transfer to a serving dish and drizzle with the remaining maple mustard mixture. Serve with a little fresh parsley or thyme on top, if desired.
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