The Root that Roams Free: Wild Parsnip
It was about 3 years ago today that my now fiance, Clay, took me on our first date. To be honest, I had completely forgotten that we had even made plans, until I got to my place and he was waiting outside, ready to take me to go pick wild parsnips. The whole ride there, he was bragging about his previous harvests at this particular spot. How the crop was unbelievably huge and he and a friend had filled a 5 gallon bucket with their harvest. We started digging only to find that the impressive green tops the parsnips boasted only resulted in roots about the diameter and length of my middle finger! Despite the small harvest, we brought them back to my place, and cooked up a meal with my other roommates at the time. This was my first time bringing a wild food into my home other than berries. It was so nice incorporating the parsnips into a meal for myself and those around me, and since then I haven’t looked back. Clay and I have made it a priority to feed our family as much wild food as we can.
Most people aren’t aware that the wild parsnip is the same species as the ones you would find in a farm or garden setting. Of course the size and texture can vary from year to year as the wild plants aren’t given soft soil and consistent irrigation, however, the abundance of this plant in our environment is too good to ignore. Why not let nature do our gardening for us? This year, I took a little drive out to a natural area that I knew to be abundant with wild parsnips. I harvested a couple pounds of them, some being quite an impressive size for growing in somewhat dense soil, brought them home to clean, and put them up in the refrigerator, waiting for inspiration to strike on what to make with these. Although it’s simple to toss these roots with some carrots and other root vegetables and roast them in the oven with some herbs, I wanted to try something out of my ordinary and see what else I could come up with. I decided to make something cozy using spring flavors since despite the fact that we are now a month past the first day of spring, we are still seeing flurries of snow. Wild parsnip puree can be added to any meal as a side, spread onto freshly baked sourdough bread, or scooped up with crackers. It’s one of my favorites lately and I hope you like it as much as I do.
Wild Parsnip Puree
Makes about 2 Cups
1 lb wild parsnips, peeled and greens removed
8 oz. Heavy whipping cream
8 oz. Whole milk
2 T Grass fed butter
2 oz. Wild leek bulbs
Thinly slice wild parsnips and place in a small pot. Add remaining ingredients, cover, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the temperature to a simmer, keep covered, and simmer for 15 min. Uncover and allow the liquid to reduce by half.
Once the parsnip mixture is done cooking, take off the heat and add to a high powered blender. You can use a food processor if you don’t have a blender, but it may not turn out as smooth. Blend on high until your parsnips obtain a smooth, creamy texture. Serve plain, or with a slab of wild leek butter. Enjoy!