I have my friend Katia to thank for introducing me to this delicious recipe. I took a few liberties to make it my own but the bulk of it remains the same. It’s a delicious fall and winter vegetable dish that partners well with meat and vegan dishes a like. Whatever you decide to pair it with, it will no doubt be the star of the show and have people coming back for seconds!

Time: 10 minutes prep + 60-70 minutes baking

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:

5 parsnips

3 medium red onions

7 Tbsp olive oil (divided as per instructions below)

1 handful of fresh thyme chopped (approx 6 thyme sprigs)

1 handful of fresh rosemary chopped (approx 4 rosemary sprigs)

1 head of garlic halved horizontally (more if you love garlic like I do!)

1 tsp sea salt (divided as per instructions below)

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper 

2 med-large sweet potatoes

30 cherry tomatoes 

2 Tbsp lemon juice

4 Tbsp capers + 1 tsp juice

2 tsp maple syrup

1 tsp Dijon mustard

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Wash parsnips thoroughly and cut into long vertical strips about 1/2″ thick and 2-3″ long (see photo for guide). Next peel the onions and cut in half, then cut into 8 wedges. Place parsnips and onions into a large mixing bowl and add 3 Tbsp of olive oil, thyme, rosemary, garlic, 1/2 tsp salt and pepper. Toss to cover everything with oil and then spread out into a large roasting pan. Roast in the over for 20 minutes. 

2. While parsnips and onions are roasting, wash the sweet potatoes, trim off both ends and then cut them (leave skins on) widthways in half, and then cut into smaller wedges or long pieces similar size as the parsnips. Place the sweet potatoes into the large mixing bowl you used for the parsnips and onions and coat with 2 Tbsp of olive oil (You’ll use remaining 1/4 cup for the vinegrette). Toss to coat and once parsnips and onions have roasted 20 minutes, add the sweet potatoes to the pan and stir well. Return the pan to the oven and cook for a further 30-40 minutes. 

3. When all the vegetables have cooked through and golden, add the tomatoes to the pan and roast for 10 minutes more. Meanwhile to make the vinegrette whisk together the lemon juice, capers + juice, maple syrup, mustard, and remaining 2 Tbsp of olive oil and 1/2 tsp of salt. 

4. Remove the vegetables from the oven and pour the dressing over the roasted vegetables immediately. Gently toss to coat and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed and then transfer to serving dish. Enjoy!