Creamy Parsnip & Potato Puree with Sour Cream

I used to make a parsnip puree at work every few days, where parsnips were cooked until tender in equal parts milk & heavy cream. The cooked parsnips were then blended with a small amount of the milk & cream liquid that they cooked in. I tried the same approach with some added potatoes, and folded in some butter and sour cream at the end. It tastes wonderful.

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Creamy Parsnip & Potato Puree with Sour Cream

I used to make a parsnip puree at work every few days, where parsnips were cooked until tender in equal parts milk & heavy cream. The cooked parsnips were then blended with a small amount of the milk & cream liquid that they cooked in. I tried the same approach with some added potatoes, and folded in some butter and sour cream at the end. It tastes wonderful.

Ingredients

• 2 russet potatoes, (16oz) peeled & cut into uniformly-sized ½” thick pieces
• 4 parsnips, (16oz) peeled & cut into uniformly-sized ½” thick pieces
• 16 oz whole milk
• 16 oz heavy cream
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 Tbsp salted butter
• ½ cup sour cream
• Salt and freshly-ground black pepper, (to taste)

Instructions 

• Cook potatoes and parsnips in two separate pots, covered in equal parts of whole milk & heavy cream, plus a pinch of salt.
• *The parsnips and potatoes will cook at slightly different rates. I like to start my potatoes and parsnips in separate pots, starting in cold milk and cream, and bring both to a gentle simmer and cook until tender. Using two pots helps to ensure both my potatoes and parsnips are completely tender and not overcooked.
• When the potatoes and parsnips are completely tender, blend them in small batches with a small amount of the liquid that they cooked in.
• When all of the potatoes and parsnips have been blended into a thick puree, fold in the sour cream and softened butter using a rubber spatula.
• Taste and adjust for salt.
• Add freshly-ground black pepper, if desired.
• The resulting puree will not be thick like mashed potatoes, but is instead going to be a thinner consistency.
• Serve it up with grilled or roasted meets when the weather starts getting chilly.

Notes

You won’t need to use all of your milk & cream cooking liquid to puree your potatoes and parsnips.

Try saving this liquid and using it to cook other root vegetables later in the week, such as carrots or turnips—the end result is decadent and delicious.

If you ever find yourself with an abundance of root vegetables and aren’t sure what to do with them, cook them in cream and milk and create and puree. Then freeze the puree in freezer-safe bags and defrost whenever you want a quick and easy side dish.