Parsnips: Prep

Soak your parsnips for a couple of minutes in cold water then give them a scrub or peel. Cut off the top and any spindly root ends. Usually you can use the whole vegetable, though late in the season (late February) the core might start getting a little tough, in which case quarter the parsnip lengthways and cut it out. Parsnip scraps are good for the stockpot – though not too many as they can dominate other flavours.