Parsnips don’t get no respect! A few years ago, we were having dinner at Hen of the Woods in Waterbury, VT. We ordered a starter that paired anise-flavored, pureed parsnips, pickled apples, and lobster meat. Wow! I’ve been hooked ever since. I adapted the recipe and substituted spicy shrimp for the lobster to compliment the creamy, licorice-flavored parsnips and tangy pickled apples. I hope you enjoy it.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 8 Cajun Shrimp (recipe below)

• Parsnip Purée (recipe below)

• 2-3 tablespoons Pickled Apples (recipe below)

• 3 tablespoons lightly toasted Panko bread crumbs.

Preparation:

1. Dice pickled apples to 1/4 inch pieces and mix into warm parsnip purée.

2. Cook the shrimp. (*Note: if you only want to cook 8 shrimp, adjust the marinade to 1/2 cup and broil the shrimp.)

3. Mound a couple of tablespoons of purée on each plate and top with 2 shrimp.

4. Sprinkle with toasted Panko.
   

1. Cajun Shrimp

Serves 4 alone as an appetizer
Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup olive oil

• 2 tablespoons Cajun or Creole seasoning

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

• 1 tablespoon honey

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

• Pinch of cayenne pepper

• 1 pound uncooked large shrimp, shelled, deveined

• Lemon wedges

• French bread

Preparation:

1. Combine the first 7 ingredients in a 9x13-inch baking dish.

2. Add shrimp and toss to coat. Refrigerate 1 hour.

3. Line a sheet pan with tinfoil and pour on the shrimp and marinade.

4. Bake in the oven preheated to 450 degrees for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. *Alternatively, preheat your broiler, and broil the shrimp for 2 minutes and stir around; return to the broiler again for about another 2 minutes; repeat until done; monitor to check that the shrimp don’t burn; don’t over-cook.

6. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve shrimp with French bread.

   Adapted from: https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/spicy-baked-shrimp

2. Parsnip Purée

Ingredients:

• 5 medium parsnips, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch-thick slices

• 3 tablespoons sour cream or crème fraîche (available in the dairy section of your market)

• 2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth (or water)

• 1-2 star anise pods

• 1/2 tablespoon fine sea salt

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

1. In a heavy large pot combine parsnips and star anise with enough chicken stock (or water) to cover.

2. Place over moderately high heat, cover, and bring to a boil. Continue boiling until tender, about 30 to 45 minutes.

3. Remove the parsnips with a slotted spoon to a food processor or blender.

4. Reduce the chicken stock with the Star Anise by a half.

5. Working in 2 batches, pureé hot parsnips sour cream or crème fraîcheuntil smooth.

6. Continue to add small amounts of the reduced anise-flavored stock to the puree until you have a creamy smooth puree.

3. Pickled Apples

Ingredients:
• 1 red apple such as Gala or Honey Crisp
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pickling spice from the market

Preparation:

1. Peel, quarter and core the apple, then cut each quarter lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick slices.

2. Boil vinegar, water, sugar, salt, and pickling spice in a saucepan, stirring, until sugar is dissolved.

3. Add apples and return to a boil. (*Alternatively, for a crunchier result, you can add the apple slices to the boiling water and remove them from heat.)

4. Transfer to a heatproof bowl and cool. Chill, uncovered, until cold, about 1 hour.