Honey Maple Mustard Parsnips is a great dish, totally Thanksgiving worthy,

To get this gorgeous dish on your table you simply coat some peeled parsnips in a mixture of honey, maple syrup, wholegrain mustard, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper. There is one other secret ingredient that adds a subtle fruity, pine flavor. Can you guess what it is?

 

Honey Maple Mustard Parsnips by Diverse Dinners

 

Parsnips are a wonderful side dish and make a regular appearance at holiday meals in the UK. Unfortunately, most of my friends in New York have never tasted them. Imagine that! Well, they’re truly missing out because parsnips are divine. They look like a fat carrot, and have a similar consistency. The taste is quite different though, I guess they’re a touch nutty in flavor. 

Honey Maple Mustard Parsnips will add a little sophistication to your dinner table. Most importantly, their mighty fine sweet and earthy taste will bring a smile to your face.

I bet you’re still wondering what that secret ingredient is. Well I’ll spill. It’s juniper berries. Just a few crushed juniper berries really round out the flavors in this tasty side dish.

You may already know that juniper berries are the primary flavor profile in gin, giving it that clean, rather fragrant taste. Fear not, your parsnips will not taste like gin, but they will have a vibrant flavor that comes from adding juniper berries to your food.

I used a mortar and pestle to crush my juniper berries, but if you do not have one you can place the berries in a resealable plastic bag and tap them with a heavy kitchen tool till crushed.

I love this recipe because the honey maple mustard dressing captures the sweetness of the  parsnips. They look fabulous – right?

 

Honey Maple Mustard Parsnips by Diverse Dinners

 

Honey Maple Mustard Parsnips are a very attractive dish, perfect for holidays and celebrations. Give this recipe a try this holiday season and let me know what you think.

 

Print Recipe

Honey Maple Mustard Parsnips

Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 lb parsnips
  • 4 juniper berries
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
  • Drizzle olive oil

Equipment & Utensils

  • Mortar and Pestle
  • Ovenproof dish or pan
  • Basting brush

Instructions

  • Peel parsnips and cut into quarters and/or halves so that they are all approx. the same size.
  • Place peeled and cut parsnips in a bowl of cold water to avoid browning.
  • Pound juniper berries until they are all crushed into pieces and set aside.
  • Whisk together honey, maple syrup, mustard, garlic, vinegar, salt and pepper, then stir in crushed juniper berries.
  • Drain parsnips from water and dry off with paper towels.
  • Place parsnips in ovenproof dish then brush with honey maple syrup, and set balance of syrup aside.
  • Drizzle parsnips in olive oil then place parsnips in a preheated oven at 400 and cook for 15 mins.
  • Remove from oven and brush another layer of honey maple syrup over parsnips.
  • Raise oven to 425 and return to oven.
  • Cook for another 30 minutes, removing from the oven after 15 minutes to brush the parsnips with honey maple syrup another time.
  • Once you are able to easily pierce the parsnips with a fork, remove from the oven and brush with honey maple syrup one more time.
  • Serve immediately.