Backyard Bounty all-Tasmanian Vegie box: 30th July

Winter root veg are delicious, and parsnips are no exception! We had been sourcing parsnips from Sassafras Farm, but when Sandra sold this business a couple of years ago we weren’t quite sure if we’d be able to keep including them in our boxes. The new owner Matthew has moved the farm down the road a bit – still in Sassafras – and rebranded as So Sweet Tasmania, but is still growing delicious parsnips, and also bunched carrots.

Parsnips – like celeriac – are much sweeter when cooked than raw, and this sweetness comes out especially when the vegetable is roasted. When roasting parsnips it’s best not to cut into too small pieces as they tend to dry out and brown excessively, where larger pieces will have a sweet, chewy core. Parsnips also make a great soup or mash of course, but recently I pushed the boat out a bit and tried a parsnip fruit cake! Just like carrot cake, the batter is stretched out with grated parsnip which effectively steams inside the batter while baking, become soft and providing a moist interior. I’ve never actually tried using parsnips raw in a dish – watch this space!