This recipe falls under the category 'Serve This To Wife To Get Forgiveness For Any Transgression'. You know what I mean: You've forgotten it's your anniversary, you broke her favorite vase, or maybe you did something that reminded her of her last jerk boyfriend. And you need to make up for it fast. Well, I am developing a list of recipes that will do it and this is one of them.
This recipe is from Fine Cooking issue 70. It's hard to believe that something as pedestrian as carrots and parsnips could taste so good. Here in Phoenix the best parsnips are at AJ's Fine Foods.
Roasted Carrots & Parsnips with Shallot & Herb Butter
1 pound carrots
1 pound parsnips
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons minced shallot
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 clove garlic, minced
Position a rack at the center of the oven and preheat to 450F.
Cut the carrots and parsnips into 2 x 1/4-inch matchsticks. Put them into a large bowl and toss with the oil. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper and toss again. Transfer the vegetables to a 10x15-inch pyrex dish (I use a roasting pan instead) and roast, stirring every 15 minutes, until the vegetables are nicely browned, 40-45 minutes.
Meanwhile, soften the butter in the microwave until it is soft but not runny. Combine it with the shallot, chives, rosemary, thyme, and garlic in a small bowl and mix well.
After removing the carrots and parsnips from the oven, add the herbed butter and toss to coat. Serve immediately.
Serves four.
Photo Courtesy of Fine Cooking Magazine.
Just gorgeous! Funny but I have parsnips roasting right this minute! But -- did you slice out the cores? My cousin's recipe suggested doing so and I seem to remember it being an impt step the last time I made these (pre blog so so-so notes).
Posted by: Alanna | February 17, 2006 at 04:58 PM
No, I do not slice out the cores, and I've not heard of that before. But then again I'm pretty new to this cooking stuff (I'm not a chef, I am a 'recipe follower'). I treat them exactly as I do the carrots, and the original recipe in Fine Cooking did not call for slicing out the cores. After roasting they were nice and tender and tasty, so I don't see a reason to do so for this recipe.
Posted by: Dave Barnhart | February 17, 2006 at 05:24 PM
Wow what a gorgeous looking dish. Roasted carrots and parsnips have long been a favorite of mine, but I've never had it with shallot & herb butter before - so it's next on my list. I'm definitely bookmarking this recipe.
Posted by: Ruth | February 17, 2006 at 08:29 PM
wOw, carrots have never looked so good to me! If you are LEARNING to cook, you're putting to shame alot of people I know that already claim they know how to cook!
But then my opinion has always been that throughout life we are all ALWAYS learning.
Great dish =)
Posted by: Jaay | February 17, 2006 at 10:40 PM
That is one of my favorite recipes! I make it all the time. Talk about the sum being greater than the parts, eh?
Posted by: Karen | March 06, 2006 at 08:10 AM