Fricassee of Parsnips

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Fricassee of Parsnips

ORIGINAL RECIPE
Boil in milk till they are soft. Then cut them lengthwise into bits two or three inches long; and simmer in a white sauce, made of two spoonsful of broth, a bit of mace, half a cupful of cream, a bit of butter, and some flour, pepper, and salt.

From A New System of Domestic Cookery by Maria Eliza Rundell (1827)

SOURCE
A New System of Domestic Cookery

MODERN ADAPTATION
Equipment: Medium/large saucepan Skillet, non-stick is best Colander Whisk and spoon

Ingredients: 6 – 7 parsnips Milk enough to cover parsnips in saucepan, about 2 pints. [tip: Short on milk, thin it out a bit with water] 2 tbsp butter 1 – 1 1/2 tbsp flour 1/2 cup cream 2-3 tbsp broth or stock* of choice Mace Salt & pepper (to taste)

1. Wash, peel and trim your parsnips. Put them into a saucepan and add enough milk to cover.

2. Boil until fork-tender, stirring occasionally. [tip: Short on milk? Thin it out a bit with water]

3. Drain parsnips and set aside to cool a bit.

4. Once cool enough to handle, slice parsnips into spears 2-3” long. Set aside.

5. Start your white sauce. Melt 2tbsp butter in a skillet over medium-low heat.

6. Whisk in 1-1.5tbsp flour and simmer for 2-3 minutes to cook out the flour flavor, whisking the whole time.

7. Add 1/2 cup cream and whisk to combine for about 30 seconds. The sauce should start to thicken.

8. Add 2-3 tbsp of broth, or enough to bring it back to a smooth, creamy consistency.

9. Add 1/2 tsp of mace and salt and pepper to taste.

10. Reduce heat to low, add parsnips and stir to coat parsnips in sauce.

11. Serve hot.

*Tip from Victoria, Coordinator of Households and Foodways:

I save all the veggie scraps like onion peels, outer cabbage leaves, herb stems and the end and peels of these parsnips in a container in my freezer. When it gets full I transfer it to a stock pot, add a bay leaf, a bit of salt and water enough to cover and let it simmer for a few hours to make a yummy aromatic stock. Stock can be canned, frozen or used within the week.

INGREDIENTS
- Equipment: Medium/large saucepan Skillet, non-stick is best Colander Whisk and spoon
- Ingredients: 6 – 7 parsnips Milk enough to cover parsnips in saucepan, about 2 pints. [tip: Short on milk, thin it out a bit with water] 2 tbsp butter 1 – 1 1/2 tbsp flour 1/2 cup cream 2-3 tbsp broth or stock* of choice Mace Salt & pepper (to taste)
- 1. Wash, peel and trim your parsnips. Put them into a saucepan and add enough milk to cover.
- 2. Boil until fork-tender, stirring occasionally. [tip: Short on milk? Thin it out a bit with water]
- 3. Drain parsnips and set aside to cool a bit.
- 4. Once cool enough to handle, slice parsnips into spears 2-3” long. Set aside.
- 5. Start your white sauce. Melt 2tbsp butter in a skillet over medium-low heat.
- 6. Whisk in 1-1.5tbsp flour and simmer for 2-3 minutes to cook out the flour flavor, whisking the whole time.
- 7. Add 1/2 cup cream and whisk to combine for about 30 seconds. The sauce should start to thicken.
- 8. Add 2-3 tbsp of broth, or enough to bring it back to a smooth, creamy consistency.
- 9. Add 1/2 tsp of mace and salt and pepper to taste.
- 10. Reduce heat to low, add parsnips and stir to coat parsnips in sauce.
- 11. Serve hot.
- *Tip from Victoria, Coordinator of Households and Foodways:
- I save all the veggie scraps like onion peels, outer cabbage leaves, herb stems and the end and peels of these parsnips in a container in my freezer. When it gets full I transfer it to a stock pot, add a bay leaf, a bit of salt and water enough to cover and let it simmer for a few hours to make a yummy aromatic stock. Stock can be canned, frozen or used within the week.

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Wash, peel and trim your parsnips. Put them into a saucepan and add enough milk to cover.
2. Boil until fork-tender, stirring occasionally. [tip: Short on milk? Thin it out a bit with water]
3. Drain parsnips and set aside to cool a bit.
4. Once cool enough to handle, slice parsnips into spears 2-3” long. Set aside.
5. Start your white sauce. Melt 2tbsp butter in a skillet over medium-low heat.
6. Whisk in 1-1.5tbsp flour and simmer for 2-3 minutes to cook out the flour flavor, whisking the whole time.
7. Add 1/2 cup cream and whisk to combine for about 30 seconds. The sauce should start to thicken.
8. Add 2-3 tbsp of broth, or enough to bring it back to a smooth, creamy consistency.
9. Add 1/2 tsp of mace and salt and pepper to taste.
10. Reduce heat to low, add parsnips and stir to coat parsnips in sauce.
11. Serve hot.


Non-personal archive
pmurad
May 3, 1996 at 7:46 PM