Some gardeners say that parsnips are fussy additions to the vegetable plot but with practise they are reliable. They like a rich soil, but not newly manured. Seed must be fresh and needs warmth to germinate. We live in the midlands so we don’t even try to get them started until mid April at the earliest. It would be a good idea to start them off in modules in the greenhouse and transplant outside when the weather warms up, but they prefer to be direct-sowed. Frustratingly, a parsnip seed can take as long as 3 weeks to germinate so you will need patience.
Once they are growing they need careful thinning as they take a lot of room up but you can interplant the rows with radishes for a quick catch crop.
'Gladiator' is an excellent, sweet, heavy-producing parsnip, which never gets too woolly. The advice is to harvest them small but we have produced some whoppers which are just as tasty as the smaller ones. However, don’t be tempted to lift your parsnips early because they taste so much better after the first frosts. Low night-time temperatures convert the starch to sugar resulting in a sweeter parsnip.
We find that parsnips store better in the ground and we harvest them to order. However, if there is very cold weather, digging them up is a real challenge. We have, once or twice, resorted to buying some from the shops because the ground is rock hard! If you do want to keep some parsnips for a few days, don’t wash off the soil, just wrap them in several layers of newspaper and store them in a cool, dark place.
Parsnips make a great winter soup. I use two or three parsnips, a potato, an onion and enough curry powder or garam masala to make it mildly spicy. It is the ultimate comfort food though mashed potatoes and parsnips come a close second.
A Sunday is not complete unless we have roasted parsnips and they always grace the Christmas lunch table. Peel and cut them into chunks, removing any tough core and then toss them in oil. Roast in a hot oven for 30-40 minutes, toss in grated parmesan cheese and roast for a further 10 minutes.
For a different topping to Shepherd’s pie, try grating parsnip on the top instead of mashed potato and if you feel like you need a Christmas treat and are a French Fry fan, then turn some parsnips into chips. You will not be disappointed. But for us, true decadence is layered parsnip and potato, smothered in double cream and baked. Topped with parmesan cheese and roasted until crisp and golden brown, it is delicious.
Happy Christmas and best wishes for 2015.
