Each week on the farm we create seconds vegetables as we wash and sort vegetables for the weeks CSA shares and wholesale orders.  These seconds go to the food shelf in great numbers, but we are always striving to find uses for them.  This year we are trying to make a perfect roasting root vegetable medley, making it easier for our members to prepare a quick dinner.  Our roasting root medley contains various potato varieties, carrots, beets, turnips, parsnips, and kohlrabi.  These come to you raw, ready to be tossed into your roasting pan. Store in your fridge for up to three days. 

To use, simply preheat oven to 400°F.  Place vegetables on a cookie sheet or roasting pan, and then drizzle with sunflower oil, olive oil, or canola.  You can sprinkle with rosemary, thyme or another herb that compliments the rest of your meal menu or just leave them plain.  You can salt and pepper now, or later to taste.  Roast for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  You can add chopped garlic to the pan now if you wish, or just continue roasting.  Veggies are done when they are browned on edges, and easily pierced with a fork.

Butternut Squash-Parsnip Soup with Thyme

In case you still have parsnips in your veggie drawer leftover from last week (I know I didn't offer up a recipe last week).... This one is from Bon Appetit October 1997.

2 tablespoons butter
1 2-pound butternut squash, unpeeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, cut into 8 pieces
1 pound parsnips, peeled, cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces, thick end pieces cut lengthwise in half
1/4 cup water
1 onion, halved, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme or 3/4 teaspoon dried
4 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
1 cup half and half

In a pot of boiling water, simmer parsnips til tender. Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and thyme; sauté until onion is tender and golden, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

Puree onion mixture and parsnips until smooth using a food processor or a potato masher if you don't mind some lumps in your soup. Mix in broth and squash puree.

Transfer mixture to heavy large saucepan. Whisk in half and half (you can substitute whole or even low fat milk here if you lke). Bring to simmer. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm before serving.)

Apple, Parsnip and Potato Puree

A perfect recipe for this share, this one is from EatingWell September/October 1996. Sweet apples and earthy parsnips add depth to potato puree. Serves 4.

2 sweet fragrant apples, peeled, cored and sliced
2 parsnips, peeled and thinly sliced
1 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks (about 4 potatoes)
2 large cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
Freshly ground white pepper, to taste

Combine apples, parsnips, potatoes and garlic in a large saucepan. Pour in cold water to cover, add salt and bring to a boil. Partially cover the pan and simmer over medium-low heat until the vegetables are very tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and mash with a potato masher until smooth. Stir in sour cream. Season with salt and pepper.

Mediterranean Braised Lamb

This recipe is adapted from JamieOliver.com. Serve with steamed couscous, barley or wheat berries. He has many good lamb recipes up there that would work for this cut or others in the meat share. Serves 4.

1 small onion, peeled and sliced
light olive oil or sunflower oil
1 lb. shoulder of lamb, diced into small pieces
1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
1 red pepper, diced
1 teaspoon tomato puree
14 oz tomato puree from Pete's, or can whole tomatoes seeded and chopped
14 oz water
3 medium parsnips, peeled and sliced into disks
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into disks
1 TB dried, crumbled basil
salt and pepper to taste

Heat a large saucepan and gently fry the onion in a little olive oil for 10 minutes. Add the diced lamb, the garlic, red pepper and tomato puree. Stir in the tomato, water and basil. Add salt to taste cover with a lid or a couple of tight layers of foil, then simmer on a low heat for around 1 hours or transfer into a deep baking tin cover with foil and finish cooking it in the oven at 300F for about 2 hours. Add carrots and parsnips about 30 minutes before meat is finished. Remove from heat when the meat is tender.