Oven �Grilled� Parsnips � Could These Replace French Fries?

No chance � but that doesn�t take anything away from this simple, delicious, and quite dip-able roasted parsnips recipe. As I mention in the video, I was inspired by some grilled parsnips that showed up as a side dish at a recent meal, and I wanted that same effect without having to go out to the backyard.

The combination of a very hot oven, the generous cooking time, and a pre-roast, lemon-olive oil soak gets you pretty close to grill marks country. Also, this method seems to mellow the root�s bold flavor, and while the outside remains pleasantly fibrous, the inside gets creamy and sweet.

One note about the use of lemon here: As anyone who has ever tried to cook raw green beans in a tomato sauce will tell you, an acidic cooking liquid can toughen the surface of a vegetable. I learned why in culinary school, but that was in 1984, and I�m kind of fuzzy on anything before the Clinton administration. I�m sure one of our resident scientists will chime in with a concise explanation.

Anyway, whether you�re looking for a new and exciting side dish, or something to dip into aioli besides potatoes, I hope you give this oven �grilled� parsnips recipe a try. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 servings:

2 pounds parsnips
juice of one lemon
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
*Aleppo pepper, to taste

*Aleppo pepper is my new favorite ground chili pepper! It�s a moderately hot and fruity pepper that�s said to have �cumin-like undertones,� as Wikipedia puts it. For more information, click here.