Parsnip

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

(Bacon and Root Vegetable Stew)

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

These unusual and delicious gnocchi are baked rather than boiled. To make them, the chef at L'Etoile in Madison, Wisconsin, mixes mashed parsnips with a classic French dough, known as choux paste, made of eggs, butter and flour.

Carrots, parsnips, green onions and dill make the difference in these colorful pancakes. Mix some chopped dill and green onions into sour cream to pass alongside.

Many heartland cooks claim that parsnips give standard mashed potatoes a hint of sweetness. If you use the parsley root, mince the tops and add them to the dish when the instructions call for minced fresh parsley.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Makes use of the microwave oven.

This recipe originally accompanied Braised Beef Short Ribs with Root Vegetable Ragout.

Shop for smaller parsnips, which are more tender.

We recommend using the freshest watercress possible — if not at its best, it can give the sauce a slightly bitter taste. (Try hydroponic watercress; it's generally better than conventionally grown supermarket cress.) Tanis suggests skimming all the fat from the cooking liquid and serving the broth as a first-course soup, garnished with toasted slices of French bread.

This fluffy puree makes a sumptuous side dish, as well as a creamy base on which to serve pan-seared salmon or scallops.

We prefer Gorgonzola, Italy's star blue cheese, for this recipe, but if Iowa's Maytag blue — or another import — is easier to find in your area, then use it instead.