Parsnip

Parsnip season

The parsnip, another of those forgotten vegetables, is harvested four months after it is sown from July to October.

Nutritional value of parsnips

With 75 kilocalories per 100 grammes, parsnips are a source of potassium and folic acid. Parsnips contain vitamins B, C, and E, and fibre.

Parsnip varieties

There are several varieties of parsnip, depending on their morphology:

• the round parsnip, about 15 centimetres in diameter;
• the demi-long parsnip, which has a shape similar to that of the carrot;
• the long parsnip, which grows up to 40 centimetres long.

Choosing and cooking parsnips

Parsnips must be firm, bulging and a creamy white colour, preferably of an average size: larger parsnips may be fibrous, while smaller parsnips dehydrate quickly.

Parsnips have a slightly sweet taste and are cooked in the same way as potatoes, which progressively replaced them.