Mud Creek Farm Spring Parsnips Available!!!

Planted May 1st, 2011, these guys almost made it around the entire calendar. Today, St. Patrick's Day, we dug up the first of our overwintered parsnips (an experiment I tried out this year for the first time). Quite amazing to think about actually -- that anything left in the ground for over 10 months would still be edible! I roasted some up for dinner with olive oil & salt, and they are incredibly sweet! Apparently this is the way to grow/eat parsnips. And imagine the nutrients from a crop that is in that rich organic soil for that long. My father remarked that it's amazing that they haven't been eaten by bugs or something in all that time... I think they must have their own plant defense system somehow, and that's got to be good for us too.

Enjoy these photos of the harvest, and if you want to purchase some of these hearty delicacies, email erin@mudcreekfarm.com. We also have carrots left too!

Parsnip Bisque:

• 1 pound parsnips, peeled and trimmed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped coarse
• 2 celery ribs, chopped coarse
• 1 medium leek (white and pale green parts only), washed and chopped coarse
• 4 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons packed light brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F..

In a shallow baking pan toss parsnips with 1/2 tablespoon oil to coat and arrange in one layer. Roast parsnips in middle of oven, turning occasionally, 30 minutes.

In a bowl toss onion, celery, and leek with remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil and add to pan. Return pan to oven and roast vegetables, turning parsnips and stirring vegetables occasionally, 30 minutes, or until golden. Cool vegetables slightly and chop parsnips coarse.

In a large saucepan simmer broth with vegetables, covered, 20 minutes. In a blender pureé mixture in batches with cream (use caution when blending hot liquids) and transfer soup to cleaned saucepan. Stir in brown sugar and salt and pepper to taste.