I don’t know about you, but I am constantly tinkering with the recipe for my Thanksgiving mashed potatoes. I’ve tried garlic mashed potatoes, horseradish mashed potatoes and every other trendy version of this classic dish. (The garlic mashed potatoes went by the wayside when we began inviting a friend with a garlic allergy to our feast.) You know what I’ve discovered? Mashed potatoes are best when they are combined with another vegetable.
It’s true! Mashed potatoes are simply not that exciting on their own. But when you add another root vegetable, like celery root or today’s choice, parsnips, all of a sudden, your mashed potatoes become complex, haunting even, as your guests try to identify the other, mysterious flavor.
If you aren’t familiar with parsnips, get to know this under-appreciated relative of the ubiquitous carrot. Parsnips have an earthy, nutty sweetness that make them a favorite in Europe, particularly the U.K. Look for smaller specimens because the larger ones can sometimes have a woody core. The secret to my grandmother’s homemade chicken broth? A parsnip for sweetness.
I decided to enhance parsnips’ nutty flavor by adding brown butter to the mash. Brown butter, or as the French say, beurre noisette, is butter that has been cooked until the milk solids turn brown and the water cooks off. It has a wonderful toasty flavor that enhances all kinds of sweet and savory dishes. Try brown butter in baking sometime; it’s life-changing!
Brown butter
It’s easy to make brown butter but watch it carefully because no one wants burned butter. Simply melt butter in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan, stirring frequently. Then turn the heat to medium-low and continue to cook the butter, again stirring frequently, until you see brown flecks at the bottom and smell a toasty aroma. At that point, transfer to the butter to a bowl to stop the cooking, leaving behind in the pot as many of the brown flecks as you can.
This potato-parsnip puree is flavored with the brown butter and whole milk, not cream. But I think you will find that these are some of the creamiest, most flavorful mashed potatoes that you have ever had. A very worthy addition to your Thanksgiving table!
Ingredients
- 1 lb. parsnips, peeled and cut into pieces
- 3 lbs. waxy potatoes, such as Yukon Gold, peeled and cut into pieces
- 10 TB unsalted butter
- 1 cup whole milk
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Combine the parsnips and potatoes in a large, deep Dutch oven and cover with cold water. Season the water well with salt.
- Bring water to boil over high high. Turn down heat, crack the lid and simmer until tender, 10-15 minutes depending on the size of the pieces.
- Drain. Return the vegetables to the saucepan and cook over high heat one minute to dry out.
- Working in batches as necessary, pass the vegetables through a potato ricer or food mill and return to the saucepan. (Any tough or fibrous parts of the parsnips should be left behind in the ricer.)
- Place the butter in a small pot and melt over medium-low heat. Raise the heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring or swirling the butter, until the milk solids have turned light brown and the butter smells nutty. (Keep a close eye on the butter to prevent scorching and watch for spitting. )
- Add most of the butter to the vegetables in the pot, reserving a few tablespoons for garnish, and stir.
- Place the milk in a microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup and microwave until warmed. Gradually add the milk to the potatoes. Stir to combine over low heat.
- To serve, garnish with fresh chopped parsley and reserved brown butter.
