Like many other plants, parsnip has long been famous for its useful and even healing properties. This led to the presence of many ways of its preparation. Parsnip recipes will be especially interesting for people suffering from diseases of the heart, blood vessels and organs of the digestive system. In addition, this plant acts as a diuretic and is the first assistant for colic, and some people often use it even for the prevention of baldness.
- Dried parsnips
- Parsnip frost
- Parsnip Pickle
- Soup dressing
- Parsnip Sauce
Such a variety of applications of parsnip caused the need for its proper storage in the winter, so the ways of harvesting this miracle plant we will discuss later.
Dried parsnips
In today's world there are a large number of various options for storing vegetables, fruits or berries, but the oldest and most proven is drying. Even our grandmothers were preparing for winter in this way, so when answering the question: "How to prepare a parsnip for the winter?" should start with him.
After digging up the required amount of roots in the fall, they are thoroughly washed under cold running water (even the smallest grains of sand must be removed), cut into small circles (a few millimeters thick) and laid out in one layer for drying. There are several ways of drying. Some housewives prefer to dry the parsnip in the oven, others leave it on a well-lit window sill, and still others simply place the billet in a spacious wall cabinet for long-term drying.
If you decide to perform drying in the oven or microwave, then be sure to monitor the temperature (it should not be too high), because the circles can simply burn. It is better to leave the oven door open, constantly stirring the root crop. It is not necessary to bring the process to the end, because a slightly dried parsnip can "walk" perfectly at room temperature.
The process of drying a plant without an oven will take longer but the quality of the final product may be higher. So, leaving the parsnips to dry in the sun, you will have more time to control the process.
After the plant acquires the desired form, it can be sent back into the oven and heated thoroughly, and after it cools completely, all that remains is to lay the blank in a clean glass container and put it in a dark cabinet.
If you suddenly begin to doubt as a dried parsnip, in the middle of winter you can get it out of the cans and dry it again in a preheated oven (10 minutes will be enough). So you can get rid of not only dampness and mold, but also to destroy possible pests.
The total storage time of a dried plant should not exceed one year, since over time, parsnips lose their healing properties (dried root vegetables contain vitamins, mineral salts, sugars and easily digestible carbohydrates).
Parsnip frost
Recently, the easiest and most affordable way of harvesting fruits for the winter (including parsnips) has become their freezing. At first glance, there is nothing difficult in this process, however, each culture has its own subtleties.
For example, before proceeding to freezing parsnips, it must be thoroughly washed, peeled and thoroughly dried. After that, the fruit is cut into small cubes, the size of which depends on how you plan to use the plant. If in the future soups will be prepared from it, then it is better that the cubes are 1-1.5 cm * 1-1.5 cm or the parsnip is cut into strips 0.5-1 cm thick.
In the case when frozen parsnip eventually turns into a mash, it should be frozen with castors or large pieces. If desired, you can experiment with the curly cutting of the root.
Sliced parsnips are laid in freezer bags and tightly closed, after releasing excess air from there.
Frozen vegetables can be used the next day, taking the right amount of cubes out of the bag.
Frozen parsnips are used for making soups or mashed potatoes, as well as for creating favorite sauces or as a component of salads.
Parsnip Pickle
If you are more accustomed to messing with preservation, then we suggest you pickle parsnips. To complete this task for one kilogram of root vegetables, you will need 250 grams of salt and vegetable oil without a distinct smell. First, wash and peel the root thoroughly and allow it to dry completely.
Next, cut it into small pieces or strips (as in the previous version), mix with salt and spread on sterilized jars. From above on cutting impose a piece of cloth and pour oil so that it covers the contents of the container 10-15 mm. Now it remains only to hermetically close the banks and place them in a dark cool place.
Soup dressing
Those housewives who prefer parsnip soups should like the method of harvesting the plant as a dressing for first courses. In this case, in addition to your favorite root, you also need parsley, dill and celery, which are thoroughly washed, peeled, dried and cut into pieces, 4-6 cm long. In total, for 1 kg of green you need to take 600 g of salt.
Carrot (it is also often used for gas stations),celery and parsnip should be grated on a coarse grater, add salt, mix well and put into small pasteurized jars, well condensing the contents with a spoon. Then each jar is covered with parchment paper and stored in a refrigerator.
Parsnip Sauce
Most often, housewives use one of the above methods of storing parsnips, however, it is possible to prepare a plant for the winter, by making a sauce out of it. For 500 grams of root vegetables, you will need 200 grams of tomato juice or paste, 50 ml of sunflower oil (you can use olive oil), 100 ml of vinegar and 2 teaspoons of salt. Some spices should also be prepared - a few bay leaves and carnations.
To begin with, the parsnip itself is washed out under running water, then placed in boiling water and cooked over medium heat until it becomes soft. As soon as the vegetable reaches the desired condition, it is taken out and whipped with a blender (you can use a sieve, but in this case the process will take much more time from you).After that, the resulting mass is poured into the pan, add all remaining ingredients and leave on the fire for half an hour, stirring occasionally, so that it does not burn.
After this time, the parsnips are whipped again until smooth, and the resulting sauce is poured into pasteurized jars, plugging them. Before serving, it is better to add a little sunflower oil, sour cream or broth.
Any of the above methods of preparation will provide you with enough vitamins in the winter, because such a useful parsnip will always be at hand.
