Potato Parsnip Purée
A variation on Mash Potatoes; the addition of parsnips, another root vegetable, gives this potato recipe a delicate sweet flavor of Fall | Autumn. The parsnips don’t over powering the creamy Yukon potato, yet build on the body, texture and enhance the potatoes starch with a wonderful complexity. Using multiple types of root vegetables increases the flavor and nutrients of this Potato Parsnip Purée over just a basic mashed potato recipe. This is a wonderful way to introduce your family | friends | guests to parsnips, as there are some sad stigmas with this vegetable, usually attributed with it not being prepared correctly. The key is to cut the potatoes and parsnips about the same size, so it takes the same length of time for them to cook properly. Overcooked parsnips can get funky.
I find the best way to cook just a parsnip, to preserve it’s unique flavor is to vacuum seal it with the milk, salt and butter in a plastic bag and cook them sous vide. Set the water bath to 185°F | 85°C and cook them for 50 – 60 minutes. A touch of nutmeg or Ceylon cinnamon will compliment the delicate flavor of this root vegetable. One of the reasons this cooking technique works incredible well on parsnips is that the water, boiling or cooking the parsnips, leaches out a lot of the flavor of the starchy vegetable, leaving it going down the drain when strained after cooking. The bland vegetable is further reduced of it’s flavors from this cooking technique. While not everyone has a Immersion Circulator and a vacuum sealer at home, I adapted this recipe to a more traditional cooking technique.
Try serving this side dish with Grand Cru Braised Lamb Shank, Beer Brined Free Range Chicken or Wit Braised Chicken recipes. This Potato Parsnip Purée could also be substituted for the mashed potato topping found on a lamb shepherd’s Pie with Ale or a Cottage Pie recipe.
This Potato Parsnip Purée recipe is also very different than my Roasted Garlic IPA Mash Potato recipe, which could be used instead.
Makes: Enough Potato Parsnip Purée for 12 guests
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 6 cups | 10 minute |
| Cook Time |
| 30 minute |
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Adding another root vegetable to potatoes, making this Potato Parsnip Purée recipe more complex in flavor and gives an extra depth of earthiness.
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- 3 pound Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and quartered
- 3 pound parsnips, peeled and chopped
- 2 tablespoon salt, kosher
- water, cold enough to cover
- 4 ounce butter, unsalted preferably European style
- 1 cup milk, whole preferably organic
- salt, sea to taste
- peppercorns, white, freshly cracked, to taste
- nutmeg, freshly ground to taste
- cinnamon, Ceylon, ground to taste
- In a large dutch oven or pot over medium heat, add quartered potatoes and chopped parsnips. Top off with enough cold water to cover the root vegetables by an inch or so, seasoning water with kosher salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, or the potatoes and parsnips are fork tender. Drain into a colander.
- Using a potato ricer (or spaetzle machine), press the potatoes and parsnips into a bowl; creating a fine purée. If you do not have either device, a potato masher or fork will also work, resulting in a not as smooth final product. Warm the milk and butter together in small pan. Add the milk | butter mixture to the potato | parsnip purée and season with salt and white pepper, to taste.
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