Being resourceful was one of the most valuable takeaways of growing up on a farm. Don’t waste anything! All of the scraps we saved for the chickens or the peels were to be turned into a stock or knobby ugly apples into apple sauce. So when I receive quite literally bagfuls of ugly, witch-like finger, gnarly parsnips in my farm harvest box each week, I can’t bear to throw them out! Parsnips aren’t something I normally crave, but given the cooler days, I have had a seasonal craving for something cozy. A risotto was just the dish for these knobby and stringy parsnips that have taken over my fridge. They have an earthy sweetness to them, making them a delicious canvas to toss in fresh herbs like sage, thyme, and rosemary. You can easily adapt the recipe to whatever you have in excess of, such as butternut squash, carrots, or any seasonal root veg. It’s delicious to curl up with a blanket by the fire while listening to the wind and rain.

Parsnip & Sage Risotto

Ingredients

1 large tablespoon of unsalted butter

1 shallot, finely minced

3-4 large parsnips, peeled and diced into small chunks

2 garlic cloves

2 cups arborio rice

3/4 cup dry white wine

8 cups of veggie stock (or chicken stock)

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

1 tablespoon minced fresh sage

kosher salt to taste

Add the butter to a large sauté pan, and once melted, add the shallots and parsnips. Sauté over low heat until they are soft and tender, about 10-15 minutes. Stir occasionally and add the garlic at the last few minutes. Add a little olive oil if needed if it starts to dry out.

Add the parsnips mixture to a blender or food processor and purée until smooth. I like to leave a little few chunks. Add a little olive oil or water if necessary to help you purée. Set aside for now.

In the same sauté pan, add a tablespoon of olive oil and the rice to the pan over low heat. Once the rice grains become translucent, add the wine and stir the rice until it becomes fragrant about 2-3 minutes, The wine will cook off and the rice will soak up all the flavor.

Add the stock to a medium pot and bring it to a boil.

Once boiling, add one ladle of hot stock at a time to the rice over a simmer. Stir often to help the liquid absorb completely.

Halfway through adding the stock, fold in the parsnip purée. Be sure to stir frequently and scrape the bottom if necessary. Continue in the same fashion until all the stock is absorbed. The rice should be just al dente, toothsome but not soggy.

Add the thyme sage, and season with salt to taste.

Serve immediately with freshly grated parmesan and fried or fresh sage leaves.