Here is a delicious alternative to your standard mashed potatoes. Creamy with the sweet flavor of parsnip and the spiciness of horseradish. A lovely side dish!
I think the first time I ever had parsnips was soon after I moved to England. They’re very popular there but not very common here in the U.S. where they were first introduced in the 19th century. Related to carrots, parsnips have a unique flavor and are very sweet. They were even used as a sweetener in Europe before the arrival of cane sugar.
Parsnips are commonly eaten roasted or mashed and are also fabulous in soups and stews. Traditionally I’ve mostly eaten them roasted in the oven but tried something different this time. Todd had been requesting parsnips for a while. He lived in England for a couple of years as a young man and fell in love with British cooking (I know, I know). And so I’ve made many of his favorite British dishes over the last few years at his request (Cornish Pasties, Beef Wellington, Bangers and Mash, Mushy Peas, Fish and Chips, etc). And so this time he wanted some parsnips. And with Christmas approaching I thought I’d make it as one of the side dishes. I was going to roast them but Todd requested them mashed, which actually worked out well logistically since I had the ham in the oven. But I didn’t want just plain mashed parsnips, so I jazzed them up a bit. The potatoes add bulk and creaminess and horseradish creates a perfect balance of sweet and spiciness.
These Creamy Mashed Parsnips and Potatoes with Horseradish is quick and easy to make. I whipped it up just before it was time to eat and it was a big hit at our family dinner table.
How do you like to prepare parsnips? Leave a comment below!
Let’s get started!
Peel the parsnips and potatoes.
Slice them into 1/4 inch rounds.
Place them in a steamer (put the parsnips in first where they’ll be closer to the hot steam with the potatoes on top since the parsnips require a little longer cooking time). Place the steamer on top of a pot of boiling water and cover with the lid. Steam for about 15 minutes or until they’re tender when pierced with a fork.
Empty the pot of water and place the vegetables in it along with the butter, salt, pepper, and horseradish. Mash them with a potato masher until smooth. Then add the heavy cream and mash some more. Add more cream if desired, one tablespoon at a time, until the desired consistency is reached.
Transfer to a warmed serving dish and serve immediately.
- 1 pound russet potatoes
- 1 pound parsnips
- 3 tablespoons butter at room temperature
- 1-2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ⅓ cup heavy cream plus more as needed
- Peel the parsnips and potatoes and slice them in ¼ inch rounds.
- Place them in a steamer (put the parsnips in first where they'll be closer to the hot steam with the potatoes on top since the parsnips require a little longer cooking time). Place the steamer on top of a pot of boiling water and cover with the lid. Steam for about 15 minutes or until they're tender when pierced with a fork.
- Drain the pot and place the veggies in it along with the butter, salt, pepper and horseradish. Mash with a potato masher until smooth, then add the heavy cream and mash some more. Add more cream if desired, one tablespoon at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. Add salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a warmed serving bowl and serve immediately.
The post Creamy Mashed Parsnips & Potatoes with Horseradish appeared first on The Daring Gourmet.
