Glazed Parsnips and Leeks

If you want something besides potatoes to round out a meal, try parsnips, with a taste midway between hearty potatoes and sweet carrots.  Roasting brings out their sweetness, which then pairs nicely with the leek greens.    

Ingredients

Instructions

4 cups leek greens, diced to about ½” (from 3-4 leeks)

1 tsp. salt   

Boil Leeks  Fill a Dutch oven halfway with hot water, add salt, cover and bring to boil over high heat.  Add leeks to boiling water, reduce heat to medium, (just enough to keep a slow boil), and cook 3 to 5 minutes, just until leeks are crisp-tender and brightly colored.  Use a skimmer to remove promptly to colander.  Shake colander over sink to remove excess water from leeks and set aside.  Dump water from Dutch oven so it can be used to roast parsnips.

8 or 9 med. parsnips, cut into ¾ to 1” pieces (2-3 cups)  

1 Tbsp. olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Roast Parsnips  Preheat oven to 425 (F).  Pile prepared parsnips into emptied Dutch oven. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, then toss and rub with your hands to coat pieces.  Spread evenly across bottom of Dutch oven and roast, uncovered, about 20 -25 minutes until tender and sweet-tasting, stirring and flipping about halfway through the roasting time.  Remove pan from oven and place on stovetop over medium heat  

½ cup sherry wine (or more, to taste)

1 Tbsp. butter

½ tsp. powdered ginger  

Glaze Parsnips and Leeks   Being careful to use a potholder if grasping any part of hot pan, add sherry, butter and ginger powder to pan and cook and stir until butter is melted.  Stir in cooked leeks, then continue cooking, stirring frequently, until liquid is mostly evaporated and vegetables are coated with a golden glaze. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if desired.