Mashed Parsnips with Leeks

It’s been raining for weeks and I’m beginning to think someone cast a spell on us and we now live in Northern Scotland. Sooo ready for the sun to come out. In the meantime, we are all about comfort food. Always searching for variety, I was really intrigued by a recipe in the Lost Kitchen cookbook for puréed parsnips. What a healthy alternative to mashed potatoes (not dissing potatoes, but parsnips are loaded with folate, potassium, and vitamin C). The recipe is simple and calls only for parsnips, salt, butter, and cream.

I am a firm believer in adding onions for flavor but chose leeks here because they are milder and I didn’t want to overpower the sweet, nutty parsnip flavor. This is still a very simple recipe, but I used chicken broth that reduces while boiling the parsnips and adds a lot of savory flavor. We served these with a fennel and apple slaw and roasted pork, it was a perfectly balanced comforting dinner. I really hope the sun comes out soon!

What you need:

2-3 lbs of parsnips, peeled and chopped

1 leek, washed well and chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

1 quart of chicken broth

4 tbsp salted butter

Begin by washing and chopping the leek (all of the white and tender green parts) and add to a large pot with olive oil. Bring to medium heat and soften the leeks. Stir occasionally for a few minutes. When some of the leek is lightly browned add the parsnips and cover with chicken broth. If the parsnips aren’t completely covered by the broth, add a little extra until they are. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 30 minutes until most of the broth has been absorbed and reduced and the parsnips are easily mashed with a fork.

When the parsnips are mushy and there is very little broth left in the pot, turn off the heat and add butter. Use a potato masher to smooth out the parsnips. You could also add to a blender or a food processor and puree them if you want them smooth. There is less starch in parsnips than potatoes so you don’t have to worry about them turning gummy. I am a fan of using as few dishes as possible so I go with the rustic look and just use the masher. Taste and add a pinch of salt if necessary. Enjoy!

Chicken Salad

This is a classic chicken salad. A purist, traditional version. It’s really simple because it uses a store bought rotisserie chicken and has no extra frills, but its loaded with flavor. Whole Foods has really delicious rotisserie chickens that they sell cold. I Love Them. They are really good and useful for many things, but particularly chicken salad. Most of the time, they are less expensive than buying uncooked chicken parts. I don’t get it, but all the more reason to buy precooked chicken.

The secret to all of the flavor is using the chicken gelatin that forms in the bottom of the package. If you roast a chicken at home and then immediately refrigerate it, you get the same congealed juices. It’s basically really concentrated chicken stock and incorporates beautifully into a dressing. Using the “chicken jelly” as I like to call it would be the equivalent to adding a bouillon cube to a recipe for flavor. It’s already there, why not use it?

(yes, I’m talking about this stuff) ⤴️

What you need:

1 whole rotisserie chicken, cooled

1/2 cup of mayonnaise (I prefer Duke’s)

1 tbsp whole grain mustard

2 stalks celery with leaves

Handful of dry toasted slivered almonds

Handful of fresh parsley

Salt and pepper

Begin by separating the chicken jelly from the chicken. You don’t want any white fat, just the golden brown stock. Take 2-3 spoonfuls of the jelly and put it in a large mixing bowl. Quickly return the jelly to liquid form by either microwaving it for a few seconds or placing the bowl over the burner for a few seconds, it doesn’t take much to liquify it. Stir in mayonnaise and mustard until you have a smooth dressing.

Remove the skin from the chicken and discard it. Carefully pick all of the meat from the bones and roughly chop it up. I like my chicken salad to be finely chopped, it holds together better in sandwiches. Next chop up the celery. Slice it in half lengthwise and then chop it into finer pieces. If the almonds are in big pieces, give them a rough chop too. Finely chop the parsley and any celery leaves you have. Add the chicken and all other ingredients to the mixing bowl with the dressing. Stir well to combine. If its a little dry you can add more mayo (it should be enough unless its a huge chicken). Salt and pepper to taste and enjoy! It should keep in the refrigerator for a few days, but I promise it won’t last long.

Grilled Romaine with Homemade Ranch

I love a crunchy, refreshing, salad during these dog days of summer. When trying to feed the family, one thing we can all agree on is that homemade ranch dressing is delicious. I saw this beautiful romaine at the grocery store and thought it would hold up well against a heavy ranch dressing. It’s the perfect side dish for grilled meats and adds barely any time to dinner prep. Add some sliced cherry tomatoes when they are in season and creamy avocado to balance out the tangy crunch.

What you need:

1 large head of Romaine lettuce, ugly outer leaves removed

1/2 cup of homemade ranch dressing, recipe below

1/2 cup of sliced cherry tomatoes

1/2 of an avocado, diced

Freshly ground salt and pepper

Make this dish when you already have the grill going, it should be around 425°. Slice the lettuce in half but keep the stem on the end to help hold it all together. Place the romaine on the grates and let sit for about 45 seconds. When it has nice sear marks carefully turn it over. Allow to sit for another 30 seconds up to one minute. You want it to remain bright green but wilting around the edges. Cook time will vary depending on how large the lettuce is. Remove from heat and trim the stem off. Drizzle over the ranch dressing while its still warm and arrange tomatoes and avocado onto the serving plate as well. Add plenty of freshly ground salt and pepper. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Homemade Ranch

1/2 cup Dukes mayo

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tbsp champagne or white wine vinegar

1/2 tsp dried chives

1/2 tsp dried parsley

1/2 tsp dried dill

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp onion powder

pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper to taste