Description
A delicious and vibrant recipe featuring smoky sweet root vegetables, cooked to perfection with a buttery syrup, then charred on a hot griddle for a caramelized finish and enhanced smoky flavor. This dish combines baby carrots and parsnips with a hint of lemon and smoked salt for a perfect balance of sweetness and smokiness, making it an ideal side for any meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Root Vegetables
- 600g baby carrots, scrubbed with about 2cm of the tops left on, any larger ones halved lengthways
- 600g baby parsnips, scrubbed, any larger ones halved lengthways
Syrup and Seasoning
- 75g butter
- 75g caster sugar
- 500ml water
- Smoked salt, to taste
- 1 lemon, juiced
- Parsley, roughly chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the syrup: The day before serving, place the butter, caster sugar, and 500ml of water into a deep frying pan. Heat gently until the butter fully melts, then bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and continue cooking until the liquid becomes lightly syrupy.
- Cook the parsnips: Add the baby parsnips to the syrup in the pan, cover, and cook for 6-8 minutes until just tender. Using tongs, transfer the parsnips to a roasting tin.
- Cook the carrots: Repeat the cooking process with the baby carrots in the syrup. Once cooked, add them along with the syrup to the roasting tin containing the parsnips.
- Chill overnight: Allow the vegetables and syrup to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate overnight to let the flavors meld.
- Char the vegetables: On the day of serving, remove the root vegetables from the syrup and discard the remaining syrup. Heat a griddle pan or frying pan until it is searing hot. In batches, place the roots cut-side down and cook for about one minute on each side until they develop a visible char and caramelization.
- Season and garnish: Sprinkle the charred vegetables with smoked salt, drizzle with fresh lemon juice, and scatter roughly chopped parsley on top. Serve immediately to enjoy the smoky, sweet flavors.
Notes
- Using baby vegetables keeps cooking times short and ensures tenderness.
- Chilling the vegetables overnight in the butter-sugar syrup allows the flavors to deepen.
- Char the vegetables quickly on a very hot pan to achieve a smoky, caramelized exterior without overcooking.
- Adjust smoked salt amount to taste if sensitive to saltiness.
- Serve as a vibrant side dish to roasted meats or as part of a vegetarian meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: British
Keywords: smoky sweet root vegetables, baby carrots, baby parsnips, butter syrup, charred vegetables, side dish, British cuisine, roasted vegetables
