Let your night parsnip melt the day’s worries away and lull you into the arms of Morpheus.

The humble parsnip is an underrated root vegetable. It’s essentially a carrot, except sweeter, earthier, and off-white. Parsnips are like dessert in veggie form—which is why I loved them growing up, and also why I was surprised when I learned that many of my friends had never tried one. While you can use parsnips in all kinds of ways (mashing them with carrots, puréeing them into soup, putting them in coffee cake), and even though I could write a lecture on Parsnip Appreciation, this CWB will be a short and sweet introduction to roasting them.

You will need:

• One or more parsnips
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Optional: lemon juice, garlic, fresh herbs, etc.

Instructions:

1. Begin after the sun has set. If you want to roast a parsnip during the day, that’s a day parsnip. Find another recipe.
2. Preheat your oven to 425° F.
3. Peel your parsnips (yes, we did this with a cheese slicer), cut them in half horizontally, and then cut each half lengthwise into relatively thin slices.
4. Toss the slices together with olive oil, salt, pepper, and anything else you want to add. (You can also add carrots that have been peeled and sliced for more color and flavor variety.) Spread them out in one layer on a baking sheet.
5. Transfer the baking sheet to your preheated oven. Let the parsnips roast between 20 and 35 minutes, depending on the size of your slices and how dark you want them. Flip or stir them a few times as they roast so they’re equally browned on each side.
6. You’ll know your parsnips are done when you can easily slide a fork into them. If fully roasted, they’ll be soft to the touch.
7. Enjoy!