Parsnip White Chocolate Blondies

I created these Parsnip White Chocolate Blondies last week during the working week, when I came home mentally exhausted and wanted some creative outlet.  I went to the kitchen and did some baking. The idea for putting parsnips in  White Chocolate Blondies came to me a little while back, when I made Parsnip , Berry and Hazelnut Crumble, Parsnip Porridge, Sweet Parsnip Pie with Edible Flowers and Parsnip Creme Brulee, but I never had time to put it into practice.  

D was impatient and wanted to eat them warm, I had to smack him with the back of a wooden spoon on the hands to say be patient to let them cool down before removing from the baking tin. Truth is, wee were both impatient.  Then came the moment we had a piece each.  I marvelled at how white it was, often cakes on baking turn that rusty gold. Then I popped it into my mouth. These homemade Parsnip White Chocolate Blondies were not as sickly sweet as the White Chocolate Blondies I made in the past, these were just right and still sweet, soft and squidgy.  

As delicious as it was, I could only eat one piece of this Parsnip White Chocolate Brownie, D had two pieces.  He was very happy.  I asked him if he could taste the parsnips.  He said if I had not been told about it I don't think I would know, but the fact I saw you putting them in I do know they are there.  I said okay.  I will share some with my work colleagues and not tell them there is parsnips in these and see what they think? 

When I offered some of my work colleagues a Blondie, they looked at me a little dismayed. Some immediately thinking of the Band Blondie fronted by awesome Debbie Harry and some were honest, they had never even heard of a Blondie, so were surprised to note that the Chocolate Brownie had a white chocolate version.  

Well they were all pleasantly surprised when I told them these White Chocolate Blondies had grated parsnips in them.  Only one could detect a slight graininess and thought perhaps it was lentils,; and one described it to being akin to the South Asian sweet Burfi.

I think once you are made aware that there are some hidden vegetables in these Blondies and more specifically that its parsnips, you can taste it.  I wouldn't tell people at first that there are Parsnips in these White Chocolate Blondies, unless of course they truly have a real aversion to it and then see how surprised they are in themselves at how much they've enjoyed a piece - so maybe they can be converted to liking parsnips, like me.

Sweet Parsnip, Apple, Berry and Hazelnut Crumble

A couple of weeks back I made a Parsnip Pie with Edible flowers, I have also been tucking into a bowl of Parsnip Porridge for those days when I have been home alone for breakfast.

This time I am sharing with you home-made Parsnip, Apple, Blueberry and Hazelnut Crumble. On one of the evenings we had this with custard, on the other it was simply with cream.

What I love about this Root vegetable crumble recipe is its versatility.  You can easily swap some of the ingredients to reflect the seasons or your taste.
In place of the carrots you can have Swede, beetroot or carrots.
The golden caster could be demerara sugar, coconut sugar, honey, maple syrup
Nuts - walnuts, pecan, almonds 
Additional spices, nutmeg, ginger, mixed spices, 
And of course you can veganize it too.
Just experiment. 

Sweet Parsnip Pie with Edible Flower Petals

A few good years ago when I began this blog, a fellow blogger commented that they loved that I made the most of an ingredient often using it for both sweet and savoury recipes.  I am guilty of it this time too.  After making this Sweet Parsnip Pie I made a Parsnip and Oat Porridge, I  usually eat porridge with freshly grated apple stirred into the mix but decided on trying it with parsnips and it was remarkable and naturally sweet, though I did throw in a handful of golden raisins.  I also made a Parsnip Crumble with some frozen berries and wait for it - Vanilla and Parsnip Creme Brulee.  

I've not always liked parsnips.  I have often found this root vegetable too sweet for my taste so one-day - a long time ago - I had decided it would be reserved mostly for sweet cakes and bakes, the way carrots are used in carrot cake (or if your South Asian like me, gajjar ka halwa aka Carrot halwa), though I must admit parsnips still makes an appearance in occasional savoury dishes. 

Back to the Sweet Parsnip Pie or should it read Sweet Parsnip Tart?!   Its a little hard to describe too, think American Pumpkin Pie. 

The parsnip pie was wonderfully creamy white like a brides lace dress until the spices kissed the pureed parsnip turning it into a deep vanilla colour.   The pie - tart was almost mousse like, almost velvety and sliced beautifully too.  You can eat it at room temperature, but if you wish to make it more of a pleasurable experience, then nuke in the microwave for a few seconds, then top with either freshly whipped cream or Vanilla or Coconut ice-cream.

Sarah Beatties Vegan Tamarind Parsnip Curry

I'm not one for parsnips.  I find them awfully sweet, therefore better suited in my humble opinion to sweet vegetable desserts like my vegan Pomegranate Parsnip Cake, Violet and Parsnip Cake;  there is even a vegetarian version Violet and Parsnip Cake or a retro version made with hazelnuts.   But when it comes to savoury parsnip dishes you will often find a bit of trepidation on my part. D put a mound of them on my plate on my Vegetarian Roast dinner plate whilst we were at his mums for Christmas day.  I gave him a big mean look, he smiled back.  

Saying all this, I really wanted to try this savoury recipe with parsnips.  I could already imagine how the turmeric would dye the white-creamy root parsnip into golden bites.  I could already imagine how the sharp tangy tamarind sauce would infuse the sickly sweet parsnip transforming it into something very delectable with flavour and bite.  I didn't want to imagine anymore.  I wanted to try it for real.  The recipe comes from one of my new vegetarian cookbooks: Meat-Free Any Day by Sarah Beattie, bestowed upon me by my lovely husband for Christmas.  Question was, what to cook from it first? Whilst turning the pages over slowly a couple of evenings back, I finally decided on this one for Parsnip and Tamarind Curry.  

Wow, would you believe it.  I really enjoyed every mouth full.  The Tamarind Parsnip Curry was every thing I had expected it to be, but more as the spiced coconut sauce was utterly gorgeous too, I really could have licked the plate clean.  What is more surprising is that even D liked it.  I think I mentioned before on my blog that D is not overly keen on the tamarind flavour,  but he really really liked this.  He impressed me further, by picking out other spices, namely the mustard seeds.

Vegetable Palette: White Vegetables Round Up #5

The idea behind 'The Vegetable Palette: natures colours - natures goodness'' is to make something with either a fruit, vegetable or combination of both each month.  You can make absolutely anything that you wish, so long as the recipe is vegetarian and includes a vegetable/and or fruit with the chosen colour.  

The theme for November was White Winter Vegetables.   

Janet from The Taste Space shared an Indian Inspired Roasted Cauliflower and Quinoa Salad.  The flavours that enhance two ingredients that would perhaps otherwise be quite bland are roasted coconut with added sweetness from apples and raisins, as well as a dressing of curried maple tahini dressing. Now that is a bowl of goodness.   

Helen from Family - Food - Friends is a new blogger to me, so I thank her and welcome her to the Vegetable Palette and my blog.  Helen shared a Parsnip - Cheese Pasta Bake made with a couple of whopper parsnips, one that actually measured a foot long and came in her vegetable box.  Even though I am not overly a big fan of the sweet white-creamy root vegetable, even I am willing to try this and get my big fork and crack into that golden cheesy topping. 

Caroline from Caroline Makes brings to the table a Vegetable Winter Crumble.  I said this in my Eat Your Greens (previous) post and will say it again, please don't be deceived by the way it looks, as beneath that golden cheesy oaty topping you will find it loaded and bursting with vegetables, including half a head of cauliflower.  This dish is hearty and one that will warm your tummy with the cider sauce playing on your tongue.  

And finally, Galina from Chez Maximka shares with us a bowl of Parsnip and Fennel Soup with Caramelized Chestnuts.  I've never had parsnips and fennel together in a soup before, so I have to admit am a little curious about this; and what is more interesting in place of croutons we have caramelized chestnuts. So who knows, the next time I want soup this could be it. 

I would like to thank Janet, Helen , Caroline and Galina for their white vegetable contributions.  If you would like to participate in the Vegetable Palette, then please follow this link on how to participate - the theme is Christmas and Festive Vegetables.

Vegan Pomegranate and Parsnip Cake

D very rarely buys me flowers or surprises me with a box of chocolates.   I am not saying he's not romantic.  He just shows his affection for me in different ways, such as coming home with a bit of kitchenalia such as that manual flour sifter a few years back; or more recently coming home with a bottle of pomegranate syrup.  

The pomegranate syrup is designed for flavouring coffee or dousing over ice-cream, but I had other ideas for it.  I decided to add it to cake.  Pomegranate is a very Christmassy festive seasonal ingredient.   

As well as flavouring the vegetable cake with pomegranate syrup, I also decided to pick up some fresh pomegranates and painstakingly tweak out the little red seeds, so that I could top of the Pomegranate Parsnip cake with these edible shimmering precious stones and make it look visually stunning.  Not only do you get the flavour from the syrup, you get a fresh squirt of pomegranate juice when you bite into the cake too.  Yum.  

Vegan Spiced Parsnip Samosa Pies

These Parsnip Samosa Pies have appeared on my blog before, but in a slightly different guise. This time round,  I decided to add a little elephant motif to look a little more attractive to the eye.  After all they do say, people eat with their eyes first!

Vegan Violet and Parsnip Cakes with 'Cream Cheese'Frosting

As well as house-hunting, job hunting for a stable income, I have decided to continue on an ad hoc selective basis with my accidental career of vegetarian and vegan catering.  This weekend gone, I finally ventured into having my first vegan/vegetarian food stall at a Food and Crafts Market.    
I tried to make food that you wouldn't find ordinarily find at food markets and food that proved popular when I was working at the cafeteria.  I made a number of vegan pies: old favourites like the Paprika Mushroom Pies; Curried Parsnip Samosa Pies; Welsh Pie (made with leeks); and a new one Puy Lentil, Potatoes and Vegan Chorizo - all from scratch.  It was really hard work.  

I also made a number of vegan cakes: some with my homegrown produce: namely blueberries and rhubarb.  With the blueberries I made  a Blueberry and 'White Chocolate' cake; and my child friendly and popular Oreo Surprise cakes (neither pictured here).  With the sticker rock rhubarb sticks from the garden,I made Rhubarb and Rosewater Mini Loafs lightly dusted with icing sugar and studded with real rosebuds.

I also made these individual Violet and Parsnip Mini Loafs (adapted from this recipe).  In the past I've made these parsnip cakes plain and simple, maybe with the addition of some raisins and nuts.  but I've never slathered it with 'cream cheese 'frosting.  The violet not only perfumes the cake, its flavour is really delicate.  If you can't find violet syrup, you can omit it from the recipe. 

Curried Parsnip Samosa Pies

I mentioned a little while ago that I was venturing into vegan and vegetarian pie territory.  Well, here is another pie that I make now and again and it proves to be quite popular with ever one who has a bite.  You don't see this variation :  sweet root parsnip spiced up  on food stalls much at the moment, but I know you will soon!  Leave me a comment and I will tell you why?

If you want to see what the inside of this pie looks like, then please follow this link and you will be able to feast your beady eyes on the spicy filling.  

My family are not that keen on parsnips, because of its sweetness.  In fact its not a vegetable that my mother cooked much when I was a child.  The same is so of my sister in laws as my nephews and nieces do not  eat it either, but when I presented some to them, well they all agreed that it was utterly delicious.  In fact, my mother and sister in laws thought that the parsnip pie was made from sweet potatoes - the white variety (not red).  I can see why.      

 I served these with chaat masala new potatoes, chickpeas (and pepper namely for colour).

Vegan Parsnip, Raisin and Walnut Cake

This is one of those cakes that people take a peek at and snug or wrinkle their noises, and then upon tasting are immediately converted declaring their sudden liking for parsnips, or parsnip cake at least. 

This is one of those cakes that people take a peek at and snug or wrinkle their noises, and then upon tasting are immediately converted declaring their sudden liking for parsnips, or parsnip cake at least.  I too think I like this particular parsnip cake more than carrot cake now, even my mother has given it a thumbs up and she's not that keen on parsnips either.

Last month I shared a Retro Parsnip and Violet Cake with Ren at Fabulicious Food.  This  month its another parsnip cake recipe, but this one is suitable for vegans all over the world.  This February Simple and In Season it is being hosted by Caroline at Cake, Crumbs and Cooking.

Vegan Parsnip, Raisin and Walnut Cake or Mini Loaves 
Serves 8 - 10
Ingredients
2 cups self raising flour
1 cup of golden caster sugar
1/2 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp of baking soda
2 tsp of cinnamon
3 cups shredded parsnips 
3/4 cup of vegetable or sunflower oil
1/2 cup of apple juice
1/2 cup of golden raisins
1/4 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x9 inch square pan with oil or 8 - 10 mini loaf tins.
Mix together the flour, sugars, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon until thoroughly combined. Add the shredded  parsnip and the oil to the dry ingredients and mix well with a spoon.
Add the apple juice and mix again, then fold in the raisins and nut.
Put the batter into pan(s).
Bake for 45 minutes for larger version or 30 minutes for smaller versions; or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the centre.

Retro Parsnip, Hazelnut and Violet Cake

I have not been on a Parsnip Trip for a while, so that is the vegetable I chose to incorporate in my next cake made especially for my oldest niece celebrating her fourteenth birthday - a Retro Parsnip, Hazelnut and Violet Cake.

It took a while for the birthday girl, and my other two nieces to be both brave and tempted by a slice.  I don't know if it was the thought of eating parsnips in a cake frightening them or the way I had dotted the parma violet sweets on top of the cake making it look a tad tacky, rather than retro.  Regardless, I was pleased of it and knew if only they took one bite of it, they would like it - if not love it, and when they did - oh my goodness it disappeared from the cake stand as if by magic. 

When I could not find my stash of crystallised violets, I had to make do with the floral scented parma violet sweets only to serve as eye candy.  You can happily omit them if you so wish and I think I would too the next time I make this cake.  I also had some purple sugar which I scattered over the cake like fairy dust. You can easily substitute the hazelnuts with walnuts or pecans if you wish, I only used hazelnuts as they were fast approaching their best before date, and nuts are too expensive to throw away.

Just look at the soft caramel coloured texture of this cake... makes me swoon.  I am sharing a slice of this Parsnip, Hazelnut and Violet Cake into January edition of Simple and In Season, a monthly event created by Ren Behan at Fabulicious Food, who is also this months host.    

Parsnip, Hazelnut and Violet Cake
Serves 8, maybe 10
Ingredients
175g butter, plus extra for greasing
200g caster sugar
100ml violet syrup
3 medium eggs
250g self-raising flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
250g parsnips , peeled and grated
60g hazelnuts, roughly chopped
Method
Preheat oven to Gas mark 4. Grease and line with baking parchment paper 2 x 8 inch sandwich tins. Melt the butter and sugar in a pan over gentle heat, then cool slightly and stir in the violet syrup. Gently whisk the eggs into the mixture, then stir in the flour, baking powder and cinnamon. Follow this with the grated parsnips and hazelnuts. Divide the mixture between the tins, then bake for 30 - 35 minutes. Allow the cakes to cool before turning out onto a wire rack.  
For the filling
1 tablespoon violet syrup
300ml double cream
For decoration
Edible crystallized Violet petals; or Parma Violet Sweets
Purple Sugar  
Method
Whip together the double cream and the violet syrup. Spread most of it over one cake and sandwich with the other. Then spread the top with the remaining violet flavoured double cream.
Scatter over some crystallised violets, purple sugar or top with Parma Violet sweets.  Adapted from my Parsnip Cake recipe.

Festive Vegetarian Christmas Burger

Firstly may I wish all my readers a very Merry Christmas.

I have taken a few days off from work.  We will be going over to my parents later this evening, and tomorrow morning travelling to D's mothers. Having rested the last couple of days, I thought I'd play catch up with a little blogging. 

As you can imagine, over the past few months I've created a number of seasonal dishes and some of these have been for the festive season.  The one I would like to begin with today is my Festive Vegetarian Christmas Burger. 

When I began my little business venture, I had no intention of serving burgers, well not on a daily basis, but people have been asking for them and they have been featuring on the menu for the past three months.  Variations include those made with beans and vegetables, such as beetroot, parsnip, pumpkins, butternut squash, sweet potatoes and the flavours are equally diverse, from Indian, Jamaican to Mexican, oh I even featured my Haggis Burger for St Andrews day last month.

These Vegetarian Christmas Burgers are served in a large granary roll, with winter greens, a slice of mock 'turkey' and a generous spread of cranberry sauce.  I am submitting these Festive Burgers to December-January editiion of Simple and In Season,  a monthly event created by Ren Behan at Fabulicious Food. This month it is being hosted by Lavender and Lovage. 

For those of you with left overs tomorrow, yes you will be able to make these left over cooked vegetables from you Christmas Party menu. 
Vegetarian Christmas Burgers
Makes 8 burgers
A2K Ingredients
100g Fairtrade whole Quinoa
175ml vegetable stock or water
1 medium parsnips, grated (or cooked and mashed)
1 medium carrot, grated (or cooked and mashed)
4 raw Brussels sprouts, grated (or cooked and minced)
1 medium onion, grated
200g chickpea flour
40g dried cranberries
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Vegetable oil to shallow fry
A2K Method
Rinse the Quinoa in cold water. Boil in 175ml water for 10 minutes covered with a lid. Remove the saucepan from the heat, mix in a little salt and level on side for 10 minutes covered. In large bowl, add the grated vegetables, stir in the flour, cranberries, herbs and season to taste. When the Quinoa has cooled down add to the bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. 

Divide the mixture into 6 – 8 burger shapes and place on a tray. Leave to rest for a while to firm up. When ready to eat, heat oil in a wide frying pan and cook them gently, flip over and press them gently whilst cooking. Cook for about 3 - 4  minutes on each side until brown and crisp. Serve immediately.

Vegetarian Christmas Burgers with all the trimmings
To assemble into a proper Christmas Burger, you will also need
Large granary roll
a couple of slices of mock 'vegetarian or vegan turkery'
Cranberry relish
Winter Salad Leaves including some red leaves and optional pretzels in the shape of snowflakes.
Enjoy!
Updated: January 2013 - Fellow blogger Nic at Lemon and Cheese made a variation of these Burgers, follow this link to view.

Baked Carrot-Parsnip Quenelles

May I wish you all a Very Happy, happy New Year and thank those of you who left warm wishes on the previous posts. Each comment has been truly appreciated.  I personally have never looked forward to a new year as I am this one.  So to welcome the new year, new beginnings and change, I have changed my blog header that will gently lull my transition from Scotland to Wales in the next month or so.  Today though I am enjoying the company of family, playful nephews and nieces and good food.

As its a day of celebrations and one of tucking into posh looking edible morsels, I am pretentiously calling these Carrot-Parsnip Quenelles, but the homely cook in me has to admit that they are essentially just wintry oven baked fritters. 

These Carrot-Parsnip Quenelles are actually based on some Sweet Potato Falafels I made a few years back.  Although these can be reheated, I think they are best eaten fresh from the oven on the day that they are made.

I am sharing a plate full of these rooty bites with Ricki at Diet, Dessert, Dogs for her Wellness Weekend: 29th December 2011- 2nd January 2012.  
 

Carrot and Parsnip Baked Quenelles

Makes about 16 - 20
Ingredients
600g carrots and parsnip,s peeled and sliced
1 -2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 ½ teaspoons of ground cumin
½ teaspoon of ground coriander½ teaspoon cayenne
Juice of ½ lemon
120g besan, gram flour also known as chickpea flour
Olive oil to coat the baking tray

Optional 20g fresh herb, chopped
Optional: Generous sprinkling of sesame seeds
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Either roast or steam the root vegetables, until very tender.  Allow to cool.  Then put the soft root vegetables along with the garlic, and mash well.  Then add the spices, lemon juice, herb if using and chickpea flour and combine well, so this either with a spatula or your hands.  Season well, and mash lightly until you have a smooth mix with no chunks. Put the bowl into the fridge to allow the mixture to firm up for about an hour.

 

Oil a baking tray.

Turn the oven to gas mark 6.

Using a couple of large spoons, put a well heaped spoonful of mix in one spoon and use the concave side of the other to shape the sides. Or use a falafel shaper and put onto oiled tray.

Or use a falafel shaper to put onto oiled tray. 

Sprinkle the optional sesame seeds on top and bake in the oven. 

After 15 minutes, flip them over and give it another 5 minutes until golden.   

Thai Green Root Vegetable Flan

I know this sounds like an unusual recipe; and it is  - its effectively a Thai -style Green Curry in a pastry base, still I was still a little curious to try it out and see if it worked.  What's more its made with root vegetables.  This is not  an egg set flan, but a little oozy when you slice into it.

Now having made this, I am not completely convinced it works well in the pastry base, so I am not going to try and persuade you to try it, unless of course you want too.  I will say this though, it tasted okay.  I particularly liked how the Thai curry flavours infused the parsnip.  I served this flan simply with some rice and green peas. 

Recipe for the Pastry
For a 8 - 9 inch round tin
Ingredients
For the shortcrust pastry
170g plain flour
A pinch of salt
85g cold butter
2 tablespoons cold water
Method for short crust pastry
Sift the flour with the salt into a large bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add 2 tablespoons cold water to the mixture. Mix to a firm dough. It may be necessary to add more water. Chill, wrapped for at least 30 minutes before using.
Preheat oven to gas mark 6.  Roll out the pastry and use to line a 8- 9 inch round dish, then back blind.  Set aside to cool.  Now make the filling.

Thai  Green Root Vegetable Filling
Serves 4 - 6
Ingredients
2 medium parsnips, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 large onion, sliced
2 tablespoon oil
2 tablespoon plain flour
1 – 2 tablespoon Thai green curry paste
300ml vegetable stock
200ml milk
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: 2 tablespoon fresh coriander, minced
Method
Preheat oven to gas mark 6. 
Bring water to the boil and parboil the root vegetables until just tender.  Drain and set aside to cool. 
In a wide pan, heat the oil, then cook the onions until very soft.  Add the flour to make a roux, stirring well.  Add the curry paste, the stock and the milk.  Bring to a gentle boil, until the mixture begins to thicken a little.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and then stir in the vegetables and coriander if using. 

Pour this into the pastry case and bake for 30 minutes. Adapted from Another Dinner is Possible.

Parsnip-Carrot and Spring Onion Fritters

Parsnip and carrot fritters for light nibbles.

These were not binding as well as I had expected, so I decided to add some chickpea flour to the mixture.  When made these were served warm with the sweet garlic chilli sauce left over from the Spiced Sweet Potato Wonton Potstickers.

I am sharing these with Haalo for Weekend Herb Blogging #308.  WHB was the first blogging event I ever participated in, so its exciting to learn that this week WHB turns 6.  It was originally founded by Kalyn.

Parsnip - Carrot and Spring Onion Fritters
Makes about 16 x 2 inch fritters
Ingredients
300g Parsnips, peeled and shredded
200g Carrots, peeled and shredded
75g spring onions, sliced
50g plain flour
50g chickpea flour
2 teaspoons rapeseed oil, plus extra for frying
Salt and pepper to taste
 120ml water
Method
In a large bowl, combine the parsnips, carrots and spring onions. Mix well. Add the flours, oil, salt and pepper. Toss well to coat. Add the water and mix until the batter holds together when squeezed. Add more water if needed.
Preheat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to the pan to a depth of about 1/4 inch. Form about two tablespoons of batter into a ball, to form 2-inch wide pancakes. Add enough batter to the pan without crowding, leaving enough space to turn the fritters over. Cook each side for about 2 ½ to 3 minutes until both sides are golden brown.  Drain on kitchen towels and eat immediately.  Adapted from Vegan with a Vengeance  by Isa Chandra Moskowitz.

Parsnip and Quinoa Burger

Well I hope you have enjoyed my spotlight on the Parsnip this week, as these 'Parsnip and Quinoa Burgers' are the last of my parsnip recipes for now. 

I've actually enjoyed eating vegetables in burgers. For me its been a nice change from soya mince, beans, pulses and legumes. Veggie burgers such as this one also allows overlooked and under-rated vegetables play a starring role. I am willing to bet that if you were chomping on this veggie burger, you would be talking quite loudly about the inclusion of parsnips, hence its starring role. The natural sweetness of the parsnips in this burger is not particularly overwhelming, but is balanced well with the light spices and the speckled goodness of Quinoa. This is not a sloppy burger either, it holds very well on cooking and more importantly on eating. Overall, I think you will be impressed at the versatility of the humble parsnip.

The recipe for these are loosely based on the 'Beetroot and Quinoa Burgers' I made last month.  I was thinking of omitting the spelt flour, but without it the mixture was too loose, so its essential for a firm burger.  The spelt flour also adds a little nutty flavour to the burgers.

Parsnip and Quinoa Burgers
Makes 6 – 8 burgers
Ingredients
100g Fairtrade whole Quinoa
175ml vegetable stock or water
1 - 2 medium parsnips, steamed and mashed
1 medium onion, grated
80g - 100g spelt flour, chickpea flour (or wholemeal flour)
1 generous teaspoon garam masala
½ teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon fresh parsley, minced
Salt to taste
Vegetable oil to shallow fry
Method
Rinse the Quinoa in cold water. Boil in 175ml water for 10 minutes covered with a lid. Remove the saucepan from the heat, mix in a little salt and level on side for 10 minutes covered. In large bowl, add the mashed parsnips and grated onion, stir in the flour, spices, parsley and salt to taste. When the Quinoa has cooled down add to the bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Divide the mixture into 6 – 8 burger shapes and place on a tray. Leave to rest for a while to firm up. When ready to eat, heat oil in a wide frying pan and cook them gently, flip over and press them gently whilst cooking. Cook for about 4 – 5 minutes on each side until brown and crisp. Serve immediately

Parsnip and Violet Cake

I've been day dreaming and talking to some blogger friends about making this 'Parsnip and Violet Cake' for a long while.  I didn't think it was going to happen any time soon as I was waiting for an excuse to make it, such as a family get together, a party...  but nothing like that is happening around me at the moment, so with plenty of time on my hands I thought I'd just go ahead and make it for me and my husband, and maybe an unexpected guest or two.   

I'd like to call this cake a Celebratory Cake, but I've nothing to celebrate or shout loud about at the moment. Yet whilst I was making it, I was feeling rather pleased with myself - I don't know whether it was my big head feeling smug about my homely creation, or the gorgeous perfumery scent wafting from all the purple ingredients, but I was feeling rather cheery. So I am going to call this a 'A Cheer You Up Cake'. This is not a sugary, sweet cake.  The parsnips add moisture rather than flavour to the cake.  The flavour comes from the violet - all very subtle and the pecans give it that gentle crunch. 

A slice of Parsnip and Violet cake can only make you smile; and because I am feeling rather generous, I'd be happy to share some of this with you all, so if you wish your welcome to come on over, albeit virtually.

A few words on the ingredients for this Parsnip and Violet cake.  As a child I loved sucking on Parma Violets, the scent and the sherbety taste.  Over the past couple of years, I've been gathering all manner of edible violety to make sweet things such as Violet milkshake, Violet Sorbet, Violet Macaroon and Violet cake!  I got the Violet syrup from my trip to Brittany last year, the crystallised violet petals came from a supermarket, though I wish I was lucky to have some fresh violets to make my own.  Here is a link to my dear blogger friend Kaths blog The Ordinary Cook making some crystallised violet petals recently, and finally the edible cornflower petals came from a cook shop in Scotland.  When I was in Morecambe I also picked up some Sherbety Violet sweets from The Old Fashioned Sweet Shop, they are wonderfully perfumed, have a little crunch  and then melt in your mouth - sublime.

Parsnip and Violet Cake
Serves 8, maybe 12
Ingredients
175g butter, plus extra for greasing
200g caster sugar
100ml violet syrup
3 medium eggs
250g self-raising flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
250g parsnips , peeled and grated
60g pecans, roughly chopped
Optional: 1 teaspoon of crystallised violets; or Parma Violet Sherbet sweets, lightly crushed
Method
Preheat oven to Gas mark 4. Grease and line with baking parchment paper 2 x 8 inch sandwich tins. Melt the butter and sugar in a pan over gentle heat, then cool slightly and stir in the violet syrup. Gently whisk the eggs into the mixture, then stir in the flour, baking powder and cinnamon.  Follow this with the grated parsnips, pecans and violets if using. Divide the mixture between the tins, then bake for 30 - 35 minutes. Allow the cakes to cool before turning out onto a wire rack.

For the filling
1 tablespoon violet syrup
300ml double cream
For decoration
Edible crystallized Violet petals
Edible Cornflower petals

Method
Whip togehter the double cream and the violet syrup. Spread most of it over one cake and sandwich with the other. Then spread the top with the remaining violet flavoured double cream.

Scatter over some crystallised violets, fresh or dried violets, or edible cornflower petals in my case.

Enjoy a generous slice with a cup of good tea.

and marvel at the colours, flavour and textures.

Although it okay to eat a day or two later, this Parsnip and Violet cake is really best eaten on the day it is made, as the crystallised violets colour start to seep our and discolour the cream.