Parsnips - to pull or not to pull?

[JeremyinCzechRep]

I have been enjoying my parsnips but now the weather is getting colder and pretty wet. I think I could leave my parsnips in the ground until February but wouldn't it be better to pull them out now and stick them in the freezer? They are less likely to be attacked by any nasties at minus 18...

[alec-ish]

parsnips are pretty hardy i tend to pull them as and when i need themmost the nasties arnt about any more as its too cold plus parsnips get really sweet after being in the ground when its cold

[gdb]

Still pulling mine over here (Sweden). The ground kind of acts as a freezer for me.

But I will get up the rest soon as store them.

I dont use a freezer, just store them in a pile of ordinary dry compost/fertilizer. (The local garden centre sells it off for cheap at this time of year - 1€ a bag - because it wont keep outside until next year and they dont like the idea of overwintering their compost indoors in heated comfort....).

I've always stored parsnips like that and they've always kept well.

On the other hand, if this was a mild climate, I'd keep them in the ground. I've done that in France and there was no problem.

[Millymollymandy]

Mine are still in the ground but I will be digging them up soon as I now have enough room for them in the freezer. I chop them up into roasting size pieces and put in a big ziploc bag (or 3!).

I tried storing them in damp sand one year but they just sprouted.

I can't leave them in the ground all winter because they get eaten in place by the burrowing mice - you don't know they've eaten them until you go to dig one up and then find just the hollowed out top and stem left.

I've got way too many and I've gone off parsnips a bit.

[gdb]

Milly

If you've got too many try making Parsnip cake (like Carrot cake) - I've no idea whether that would be possible. Not being a cake maker. But it might be worth a try.

And then, of course, there is parsnip wine... very potent.

[Millymollymandy]

gdb - I did make a parsnip cake but wouldn't recommend it, it wasn't really very nice. Not interested in home brew as I don't drink.

I shall just grow fewer next year!

[Millymollymandy]

No, cos it's never appealed to me. I only really like parsnips roasted. I tried some mixed mash with parsnip and spud and didn't really like it.

Think it's just too much of a good thing, last year I couldn't eat leek and spud soup any more or touch any more pumpkins. The year before I didn't eat a single courgette on purpose. Think I just need a year off certain veg.

[Peggy Sue]

Milly

If you've got too many try making Parsnip cake (like Carrot cake) - I've no idea whether that would be possible. Not being a cake maker. But it might be worth a try.

And then, of course, there is parsnip wine... very potent.

Most definitely possible, my OH makes parsnip cake alot- very nice!

[Carltonian Man]

MMM
if you need to rekindle your interest in parsnips but only really like them roasted perhaps this might work for you.
Microwave parsnip pieces for about five minutes then brown them in a pan with a little olive oil. Sprinkle lightly with ground cumin followed by a drizzle of honey then gently fry until the honey starts to caramalise.

[Millymollymandy]

That sounds nice C Man. I have a recipe where you cook 'em a bit, then brown in some butter with a bit of dark brown sugar, splash of balsamic vinegar and walnuts which is lovely. The recipe does say to use 'young' ones though - and I've just excavated 5 monsters this morning!

[Millymollymandy]

There must be another 20 left in the ground! Why do they grow so big?

[Green Aura]

The good thing with storing them in the freezer though is that they'll fill the "hungry gap" when all you've got left is kale and swede (omit both of those in our house this year - think radishes ) or in the summer and still fancy a sunday roast.

And parsnip cake is yuuuuuuummmmmy Maybe try a couple of different recipes - I've got a really weird one that comes out like bread pudding, as well as the usual carrot cake styleeee.

I'm not a fan of parsnip soup though - I think it's just too darn parsnipy for my liking

[Peggy Sue]

Only 20! My OH went mad and has sewn 3 rows of the b*ggers, we haven't even made an impression yet

Do you think I can get away with wrapping them up for Chrsitmas?

[Millymollymandy]

I haven't actually counted them and I've already pulled some of them but when they are the diameter of my fingers/hands forming an O shape that's a lot of 'snip to get through!

The recipe I tried was this http://www.riverford.co.uk/recipes/reci ... 24&catid=8 which had a strange texture, was too dry and wasn't very nice at all and not sweet enough. Nothing like a moist carrot cake.

[Peggy Sue]

I think ours has a banana in it too- not sure I'll have to dig deep and see where he's hidden his recipe.... definitely moist though...and filling!