Grilled Spring Vegetables with Parsnip Potato Puree
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds parsnips, peeled
- 1/2 pound potatoes, peeled
- 1/2 cup whole milk or buttermilk, optional
- any combination of Asparagus, Garlic Scapes, Spring Onions, and/or Scallions
- extra virgin olive oil
- sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Chop the parsnips into 1-inch pieces and place into a saucepan. Chop the potatoes into 3/4-inch pieces and add to the parsnips. Cover with cold water and add a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer until tender, about 20-35 minutes. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid. Puree the parsnips and potatoes using an immersion blender or by hand using a potato masher. Add enough milk, buttermilk, or reserved cooking liquid to make the mixture velvety smooth. If using an immersion blender, be careful not to over blend/process in order to avoid the mixture turning gummy. You could also pass the parsnips and potatoes through a food mill if you have one.
- Lightly coat vegetables with olive oil and a light sprinkling of salt. Grill over medium heat for 2-4 minutes, turning and rotating halfway through the cooking time. Vegetables should be tender and charred, but not overly soft.
- To serve, mound a generous portion of the parsnip potato puree onto a plate. Top with grilled vegetables, drizzle with olive oil, and season with freshly ground black pepper.