Valley Bounty: Parsnip Latkes

By Abby Getman of Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA).
Parsnips are a tapered root vegetable that withstands long winters in a cold cellar, in your vegetable drawer, or over-wintered in the garden. Spring dug parsnips are my favorite—and they’re coming soon!—but I’ve been making delicious parsnip latkes for Lent, using overwintered roots. Growing up, my father always made potato pancakes for Fridays during Lent; my parsnip twist on this Eastern European family tradition makes a starchier and, in my opinion, more flavorful pancake.

Find parsnips at these winter farmers’ markets, or from these local farms.

Smitten Kitchen has my favorite recipe to follow for parsnip latkes.

The Happy Valley Locavore has a creamy parsnip & potato soup I’m looking forward to trying.