Parsnip query (cooking + freezing)

[chris]

I picked up one of those freebie asda mags the other day, and it mentions in there that you can roast your parsnip now, then freeze. then just heat through for 20mins in the oven on the big day.

Has anyone done this before? It's my first Christmas at 'our place', so I'll be doing 100% of the cooking - thinking this might make things a bit easier? If you have, do they taste the same, or do they taste like shop bought powdery rubbish?

link is here : ASDA Magazine - Christmas parsnip and red cabbage recipes

[Shadylane]

We blanched and froze some last season because we had so many. They took longer than 20 min to cook but I didn't roast them first, just blanched for five min before freezing. They tasted fine, didn't crisp up as well but that could have been cause they were quite chunky. I would imagine that if you roasted and re-heated they wouldn't be as nice - maybe a bit soggy(?) Why don't you try one next time you use your oven, freeze it then sample next day.

[rustylady]

To be honest Chris, I don't think it's worth it. You need space in the freezer, and even then you need space in the oven for 20 minutes on the day. They don't take much longer than that from fresh. You could prep them the night before to save a bit of time on the day.

[zazen999]

If anything.....peel chop and freeze and just bung them in the pan on the day. However that usually works before they get frozen......otherwise just leave in the ground.

Shop bought - do as above......it pays dividends. Honest

[Bren In Pots]

When I do a roast I always do extra parsnips, potatoes, carrots and yorkshires freezing them until they're needed later on to have with either sausage or a pie. Mine go in the oven for maybe 10 mins and they always taste nice.

[T8Ter]

Can't imagine they'd stay crisp Chris. For the time they take just part boil them for a few minutes then straight in the the roasties....mmmm getting hungry..

[Alison]

Parsnips are a doddle to cook anyway, much less hassle than roasties etc, just peel, chop and roast so I don't think it's worth the freezer space.

[binley100]

If I want to freeze them I follow Delia...... Peel, cut up, put in a pan of cold water, bring to the boil and boil for 3 mins , drain and whilst still steaming roll in a mixture of flour and parmesan. Freeze when cold. To cook , get your fat in the roasting tin nice and hot then tip them in . Mine were in oven (180 C ) for nearly hour yesterday along with the roasties and they tasted just fine.
I've got some prepared ready for if the ground is too frozen to dig them up.......