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Cheesy smoked parsnips with fennel butter and hazelnuts
Serves 4 Starters and mains
Ingredients
- 1kg fat parsnips, peeled and cut into quarters lengthways
- 1tbsp olive oil
- 50g Italian hard cheese, freshly grated
- 50g hazelnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
- few thyme sprigs, leaves picked
For the fennel butter
- 1 heaped tbsp fennel seeds
- 75g butter, slightly softened
- 1tbsp runny honey
Method
Fire up the barbecue ready for indirect grilling. Once it’s got up to temperature, throw on some smoking wood chunks or chips and allow them to catch and smoulder.
Tip the parsnips into a fireproof roasting tin, drizzle with the olive oil, season and toss to mix. Rest the tin on the barbecue, well away from the fire. Shut the lid to allow maximum bathing in the smoke. Cook for 45-50 minutes, rotating the tin once or twice and tossing the parsnips around to ensure even cooking. Add more wood as necessary to keep a fairly constant smoke going.
Tip the fennel seeds into a small
frying pan and set over a medium-
high heat on the hob to toast for
2 minutes. Transfer to a pestle and mortar and crush to a coarse
powder. Add the softened butter
and honey and mix together, along
with a little salt and pepper. Scoop
into a bowl and set aside.
Once the parsnips are tender, remove the tin from the barbecue, shutting the lid to keep in the heat. Sprinkle over the cheese and toss to coat. Remove the parsnips one by one and rest them directly on the grill over the fire. Cook for 7-10 minutes, turning regularly, until they are deeply golden and crisp.
Put the parsnips on a serving plate. Scatter with the hazelnuts and thyme leaves. Top with some of the fennel butter, adding a few glowing coals to melt the butter, if you like. Serve immediately.
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