People who do not adhere to vegan diets may assume that such diets are void of taste. But vegan foods can be just as flavorful as more traditional alternatives.
Such is the case with the following recipe for “Roasted Baby Parsnips with Sherry-Maple Glaze and Chanterelles” from Tal Ronnen’s “Crossroads: Extraordinary Recipes from the Restaurant That Is Reinventing Vegan Cuisine” (Artisan). When roasted, parsnips produce a sweet flavor, while the chanterelles provide a woodsy taste to prove that vegan foods can indeed be incredibly flavorful.
Ingredients —Serves four
24 baby parsnips, trimmed, or 8 regular parsnips, root ends trimmed and peeled
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1⁄4 cup pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1⁄2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons Earth Balance butter stick
1 shallot, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1⁄2 pound chanterelles, wiped clean, quartered if large
1 Finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
1 Flaked sea salt, such as Maldon
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400° F. If using larger parsnips, peel and quarter them lengthwise so the pieces will be uniform in size and cook more evenly. Put the parsnips in a large mixing bowl, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the oil, season with kosher salt and black pepper, and toss to coat evenly. Spread the parsnips out in a single layer on a large baking sheet and roast for about 20 minutes, shaking the pan from time to time, until tender and slightly charred. Set aside. (The roasted parsnips can be prepared a couple hours in advance, covered and held at room temperature. Reheat before serving.)
Meanwhile, prepare the glaze. Combine the maple syrup, vinegar and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, swirling the pan around occasionally, until the mixture is reduced and syrupy, about 10 minutes. Cover and keep warm.
To prepare the mushrooms, put a large sauté pan over medium heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and the butter substitute. When the butter substitute has melted, add the shallot and sauté until soft but not browned, about 1 minute. Add the garlic, tossing to combine. Add the mushrooms and sauté, stirring frequently, until they lose their moisture, soften and begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. To serve, drizzle with the maple glaze and top with the mushrooms. Scatter chopped parsley on top and season with flaked sea salt.
Pairing
Vampire Chardonnay
Vampire Vineyards — California
“Hand-picked at peak ripeness, this Chardonnay was barrel fermented in French oak, aged on the yeast lees for one year, then carefully bottled with minimal handling to ensure that suble flavors remain intact. Crisp and refreshing, our Chardonnay is an ideal accompaniment to grilled seafood or poultry, and also complements mildly flavored cheeses. The wines rich texture, the result of regular stirring of the lees, further provides a big mouthfeel to this classically structured white wine.”
— Winery notes