I've been playing around with the whole "fry" thing. The butternut squash fries recipe was a hit for many, and for some, well, let's just say that it didn't quite satisfy their desire for a "potato-like" fry. I too was looking for a more authentic fry fix, and as I suspected, parsley and parsnip roots fit the bill.
Parsley root and parsnip look very much alike, however they do have a subtly different taste. To me, parsley root tastes a bit more herbal and has a sweeter aroma when baking. Both have slightly more flavor, sweetness, and aroma than potatoes, in a welcoming sort of way. But what's really nice is that both have the texture of potatoes when baked.
So seasoning is important here. A good amount of sea salt, and possibly black pepper, garlic powder or fresh crushed garlic, and maybe some Parmesan cheese if you want to have garlic and/or cheese fries. The garlic cheese fries were quite delicious and had an extra crunch to them.
Note for SCDers: Parsnip is not legal but with some exceptions. I suspect it will depend more how your body handles either parsnip or parsley. Parsnip is related to the carrot, so I would think if you can handle carrots, then you can handle these.
For the roasted chutney, I roasted cherry tomatoes, red pepper, and onions according to my recipe for panzanella salad and then gave it a whirl in my food processor. Of course, the fries will also taste great with ketchup.
I hope you'll enjoy these as much as I do! And, if you want the chutney to last longer, try canning it using a sterilized jar. I just came across this great recipe for tomato chutney that includes directions on how to do so.
Root Fries
Ingredients
- 3 large parsnip or parsley roots
- 1 teaspoon oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder or crushed garlic
- pinch of black pepper optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F/200 degrees C.
- Peel the roots.
- Slice the roots in half and then the long way, into thin sticks. The thinner you make these the easier it will be to acquire the crunchy outside and soft inside. Just think thin fries and try to cut them all about the same size so they bake evenly.
- Blend the cut roots, salt, pepper, and any optional additions in a bowl until well coated.
- Spread the fries out on parchment paper (or other non-stick surface) on top of a baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes or until the edges of the fries begin to brown and the inside is no longer firm.
Nutrition
Roasted Tomato Chutney
Equipment
- Food processory or blender
Ingredients
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half or diced tomatoes
- 1 red bell pepper sliced into small strips
- ½ medium red onion
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F/175 degrees C.
- Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and blend well.
- Spread the mixture on a non-stick surface or parchment paper and bake for 35 minutes, or until the edges start to shrink and brown a bit.
- Cool and then place in a food processor or blender and pulse for a bit.
- Serve, or store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
portia says
I made these but cooked 2 POUNDS of parsnips and my husband and son barely left any for my daughter and I! The tomato chutney disappeared as well... I saw them scooping it up like it was soup. Amazing recipes here on this blog. So happy I found you!
Shauna says
I loved the parsnip fries recipe. They were more "fry like" then butternut squash and crispier. I altered the recipe and used white pepper, garlic, sea salt, and chili powder instead. Keep up the great work. Your website is fabulous!
Erica says
thanks. I like your seasoning combo!
Heather Jacobsen says
I love parsnip fries! I think if you put them under the broiler at the last few minutes, it will crisp them up. I've never heard of using parsley root before! but i'm growing some out in my garden. so maybe i'll give it a try before the leaves wilt in the houston summer heat! the tomato chutney sounds great and your pictures are lovely. 🙂
Paul says
The recipe looks great, however, correct me if I am wrong, but the original Breaking the Vicious Cycle Legal/Illegal List has parsnips listed as "illegal." Just an FYI.
Thanks for the attempts on making SCD fries!
Erica says
See my note in the post regarding whether these are SCD legal.
Ellen (Gluten Free Diva) says
These look lovely. And the pics are fantastic. Thanks for sharing! I'm a HUGE fan of anything made with root veggies. I love the way roasting them brings out the sweetness of the vegetables.
Yadsia @ShopCookMake says
This is something that I need to try asap. I always have a craving for fries, this sounds wonderful.
Comfy Belly on Facebook says
thanks. A double bake sounds like a good idea. But at a lower temperature to prevent burning.
nj says
My problem with fries is that they are not crispy.
I've read some where if you pre boil or fry twice they come out crispy but I'm still working on it. I'd rather bake.
If anyone knows about this let me know.
P.s. I've also used turnip and rutabaga, if you are scd advanced.
Erica says
thanks. the double-bake idea sounds good. just at a lower temperature to prevent burning.
Laura says
I find the best way to make sure they're crispy is to bake on a flat cookie sheet, not a rimmed roasting pan. Also, make sure you space the fries out on the pan so that they don't touch each other - if you don't give them enough room they will steam instead of brown. This works for butternut squash, but I haven't tried parsnip yet!
Erica says
Great tips! I agree. This applies in a skillet and pan as well. Spacing out the veggies or other food pieces prevents them from steaming in each other's excess moisture.