Notes From Marinda
Butternut Squash Parsnip Puree and . . .
I created this recipe when my daughter was a baby and was starting to eat solid food. This was something she and everyone else could have at Thanksgiving. It has since been required at every Thanksgiving with the men especially requesting it. It’s a very simple recipe – and you get two different dishes from it, which is why I always triple the recipe.
1 medium/large butternut squash
3-4 medium-size parsnips
1/2 stick of butter (cut in slices)
salt & pepper to taste
Step one:
Roast the butternut squash. Roasting caramelizes the squash. Wash the squash and put them on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 1 and 1/2 hours. Check after 1 hour. I checked again at 1 and 1/4 hours – squeezing them with a pot holder – and felt they needed a bit more time to be soft. The size of the squash will determine how long they need to bake.
Step two:
Set aside to cool. I usually do this step the day before. I put the squash in the garage where it was cool till I was ready to make the puree the next morning, or you can put them in the refrigerator.
Step three:
Cut the ends off and peel the butternut squash.
Remove the seeds scraping the cavity with a spoon to remove the strings.
Cut into chunks and put in a glass bowl. I put the squash in two glass bowls so I could heat in the microwave.
Step four:
Peel and cut up parsnips into chunks and place in pot. Cover with water and simmer on the stove until soft. Drain, keep in pot and put a lid on for the parsnips to stay warm.
Step five:
Heat the squash in the microwave. You may also put the squash chunks in a roasting pan, cover with foil and reheat in a low oven (250-275) until warm.
Step six:
With the warm squash and parsnips, add some of both to the food processor with 1/2 teaspoon of salt, some freshly ground pepper and some of the butter. Puree for a couple minutes, scraping down the sides a few times. Pour into a large bowl and do another batch. When I triple the recipe, it takes 5 to 6 batches to puree it all.
Mix all together in the bowl. I filled a large covered serving dish with puree and took it to our Thanksgiving dinner – and gave the leftovers to my host. I also had a good size container of puree at home, which allows me to make my second recipe.
Recipe #2:
Butternut Squash Parsnip Soup
Put leftover butternut squash parsnip puree in a pot. Add an equal amount of chicken stock. Bring to a low simmer. If soup is still too thick add some more chicken stock. Adjust seasonings – salt & pepper. Serve with a garnish of fresh chives. Cut chives with scissors over each serving. I love to serve this as an hors d’oeuvre in cups or mugs.
