Valentine’s special Parsnips

Roasting this root veg or cooking it in soup brings out its natural sweetness,

recipe SAMUEL GOLDSMITH photograph DAVID MUNNS

Spiced parsnip & maple muffins

MAKES 10-12 PREP 15 mins plus cooling COOK 22-24 mins EASY V

200g plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon, plus extra to serve (optional)

1 tsp ground nutmeg

125g light brown soft sugar

1 parsnip (around 200g), peeled and grated

100g pecans, chopped, plus 10-12 whole pecans to serve (optional)

3 tbsp maple syrup

3 eggs

125ml vegetable oil

For the frosting

50g icing sugar

50g softened butter

100g soft cheese

1 tbsp maple syrup, plus extra for drizzling (optional)

1 Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg into a large bowl. Tip in the sugar and rub any lumps between your fingers to break them up

2 Mix in the grated parsnip and chopped pecans, ensuring that everything is fully combined Pour the maple syrup into a jug and mix in the eggs and oil. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and mix with a wooden spoon until nearly combined with a few specks of flour remaining. Spoon about 2 tbsp of the batter into each case, so they’re about three-quarters full. Bake for 22-24 mins until risen and a skewer inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 mins before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

3 Meanwhile, make the frosting. Sift the sugar into a bowl and beat in the butter using an electric whisk. Fold in the soft cheese and maple syrup. If the frosting is too loose, whisk for a few minutes more or chill until it has stiffened up again.

4 Spoon or pipe the frosting over the cooled muffins, then drizzle over some maple syrup, dust with cinnamon and decorate each one with a whole pecan, if you like

More Ways With Parsnips

Ideas from the Good Food team

Carrot & parsnip soup Fry 2 finely chopped onions in ½ tbsp olive oil with 2 finely chopped celery sticks for 10 mins until softened. Add 2 crushed garlic cloves, the leaves from ½ small bunch of thyme and ½ tsp black pepper. Cook for 2 mins. Add 3 roughly chopped carrots, 2 roughly chopped large parsnips and 1 litre veg stock. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 20 mins. Blend with a hand blender until smooth. Add 100ml double cream and blitz again.

Hasselback parsnips Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Peel and halve 4 parsnips lengthways. Make deep cuts along them at ½cm intervals, without cutting through. Put on a baking tray lined with baking parchment in one layer, drizzle with 2 tsp olive oil and season. Roast for 20 mins. Mix the juice of ½ orange with 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, 2 tsp maple syrup and the leaves from 4 thyme sprigs. Pour over the parsnips. Roast for 15 mins, basting once or twice.

Parsnip hash browns Peel and coarsely grate 450g waxy potatoes and 350g parsnips. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible, and put in a bowl. Stir in 1 thinly sliced small onion, 1 finely chopped garlic clove and 1 beaten egg. Season. Divide and shape the mixture into six patties. Heat 2 tbsp sunflower oil in a non-stick frying pan and fry three over a low heat for 4-5 mins on each side until golden. Transfer to a sheet of kitchen paper to drain, and repeat with the remaining mixture. Serve with bacon, tomatoes and poached eggs.

…and from our readers

I remember as a student when I wanted to make carrot cake, but we only had parsnips, so I figured they were close enough and used those instead. Parsnip cake does work. Also, if you have a deep-fat fryer, parsnip chips are nice.

Jo Ramsay, Reading

We like them as part of the veg mix in borscht, and as half the mash on cottage pie with some horseradish sauce.

Barbara Rhodes, Leeds

I make parsnip jam, and add raisins and cinnamon for a warming twist.

Ellie Douglas, Poole