Baked Parsnips with Fresh Truffle
Baked Parsnips with Fresh Truffle

Baked Parsnips with Fresh Truffle

  • Prep time:

  • Cook time:

  • Total time:

  • Portion/Yield:

    Serves 4 as a side dish

  • Difficulty:

    Easy

Memories, memories… ah, the smell of fresh truffles brings back so many memories for me, some good, others not quite so good.

Looking back on my life and career so far, it all looks quite rosy, but when I was really in the thick of it, grafting hard for my pennies every single day, it was sometimes difficult to see the joy or pleasure in those moments. As you get older though you realise that those times, whether good or not so good, create memories just like the ones I am writing about now.

The smell of fresh truffles does put a smile on my face as it reminds me of a wonderful time in my career when I was living and working in London. Admittedly, at the time it did not always feel so great, but on reflection now I realise that I was privileged, and through sheer hard work and determination I created many of those privileges for myself.

When buying fresh truffles the choice is yours and you can spend anything between £10 and £300 on a fresh truffle (white truffles are the best and rarest; black truffles are a little less expensive; summer truffles are the least expensive). Alternatively, you can simply just buy truffle oil, and if you do, choose a good quality one (you will pay a bit more, but if used sparingly it will go a long way).

Fresh truffle (or truffle oil) works particularly well with these baked parsnips and creates a lovely side dish, so I hope you enjoy it too!

Ingredients & Method

  • 800g parsnips
  • 2 tablespoons rapeseed oil
  • 1 teaspoon truffle oil
  • 10g fresh truffle of your choice ? see above (optional)
  • sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4.

Peel the parsnips and cut them into quarters. Place the parsnips in a roasting tin with the rapeseed oil and salt and pepper and toss to mix. Cover with foil and bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until the parsnips are softened and nearly cooked.

Remove the foil and then bake for a further 10 minutes or until cooked and golden brown.

Drizzle the truffle oil over the baked parsnips, then transfer to a serving dish and shave or grate the fresh truffle over the top (see Cook’s Note), if using. Serve.

Cook’s Note
You don’t need to invest in a special truffle slicer. A Japanese mandoline will suffice, or you can simply use a microplane grater instead (this will grate the truffle instead of shaving it). It’s important to shave or grate the truffle, as large chunks of this prized fragrant ingredient are less appetising.