This recipe is a puree of Bosc pears and parsnips, made snappy by a little citrus zest and ginger. We love this. And you can make it a couple of days ahead.
Ingredients
- 1¾ pounds parsnips unpeeled, trimmed and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 3 bosc pears unpeeled, cored and cut in 1-inch chunks
- 3 tablespoons butter unsalted, small-diced
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 eggs extra-large, lightly beaten
- 3/4 teaspoon orange zest grated
- 3/4 teaspoon ginger ground
- kosher salt
- black pepper freshly ground
Servings:
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Place the parsnips, pears, and 2 cups of water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until the parsnips and pears are both very tender. With a slotted spoon, transfer them into a food mill fitted with the coarsest blade set over a bowl, and process.
- Meanwhile, combine the butter, sour cream, eggs, orange zest, ginger, 2½ teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Whisk in the hot purée, pour it into a 9 x 12 x 1½-inch oval gratin dish, and smooth the top. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until slightly puffed and golden on top. Serve hot.
I loved this recipe, I roasted the vegetables and added some carrots. Wow the flavors were amazing. I ran it in the Cusinart with the large blade, course texture was perfect. Next time I am adding raisins.
Great Fall dish. Gluten free!
This sounds like a great dish! Question- If I’m making it ahead a day or two in advance, should I bake in the oven before and then reheat or bake the day I’m going to serve?
Bake it the day you’re serving it, Megan, though you can prepare it ahead up to the baking part. Cheers, Faith
this recipe was a huge success on our Christmas dinner table. A great addition to the traditional flavours! I added a hint of curry – really tasty!
Liz, so happy to hear that. We all thought it was delicious when we made and ate it in the studio. Cheers! Faith
Just made this recipe. Testing it out for a dinner party. Followed to the letter, but it didn’t puff and it turned out mushy. What could I have done wrong??
Thanks so much
Toby,
I’ve made it twice now with no issues. Now I’m puzzled. Could it be the eggs? So sorry, though. Cheers, Faith
Mine also stayed like a purée. The parsnips soaked up a lot of water before hand, maybe that played a part. Guests still ate it. But I’d love to see a photo to know what the end result should look like.
Best recipe ever! Thank you
I just made this to try it out before Thanksgiving. It is very tasty. I️ am just wondering if this can be frozen. Trying to save myself the job of making it all over again.
Thanks
You can make it a day or two ahead FOR SURE. As far as freezing it goes, you’re probably good there, too, though we’ve never tried it. If you do make it a week or more ahead and freeze it, can you report back?
Hi there. I am about to make this recipe. Do the pears need to be ripe? The recipe simply says “pears”, not “ripe pears.” Thanks!
I always assume fruit in recipes should be ripe, except when overripe fruit is specifically called for, as in a banana bread recipe for example.
I have made this dish twice and it is absolutely delicious. I followed the directions perfectly. However, mine also did not puff and look like the picture in Ina’s cookbook. What am I doing wrong?
You may not have done a thing wrong. . .especially if the dish was delicious. There are a couple of comments from listeners who had similar (non-puffy) results. Eggs? Parsnips soaked up all the water? There are a couple of theories.
I was so excited to make this, I love her recipes! Question, Can I freeze this recipe and bake it at. later date?
Yes. I’d say so. Faith suggests assembling the dish and baking it the day you want to serve it.
How crucial is the dairy to this recipe? I am lactose free.
Hi Tracy. We’ve never tried making this one with substitutes for the butter and sour cream. Sorry!