Syrup-Roast Carrots and Parsnips

I know daily diets vary considerably around the world! The major cause is the weather and geographic differences. So, it limits our adventure on looking for new food. Why do I say this? Spending X’Mas with my friends found out some interesting difference could be. For example, pickle onion is a very common food in the UK. Most British people like it and eat it as the side or in the tea time when they grow up. For me and another Asian friend, we don’t like this tasty. The Asian friend brought some red bean pancake (Dorayaki). Most of my British friends don’t like it. But, it is a very common dessert in most of Asian cities.

So, I think it is not only climate and geographic issues are the major cause, but also psychology will affect a person’s diet, right?

Oven Temperature Setting: 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6

Baking Time: 40 minutes
Serve: Around 3~4 people

 

Steps of Roast Carrot and Parsnip

(1) Add sliced carrot and parsnip into the pan. Bring to boil for 5 minutes. Then, drain them in a colander.

(2) Place it on the bake tray. Sprinkle oil over the top, and then season with salt and black pepper. Drizzle over the syrup.

(3) Roast for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn them over. Return to the oven and roast for another 20 minutes until they are tender and caramelized.

Before coming to the UK, I never thought of how tasty roast carrots and parsnips could be. Or, I never eat parsnip before. So, open our mind to enjoy new food. Try it.

Cottage Pie with Parsnips

Cottage pie is a very traditional meal that there are always fresh or frozen one sold in shops. I have eaten cottage pie on some parties. The taste varied a little. But, the essential of cottage pie is beef mince fried with some vegetable covered with mashed potato. Then, bake it. There are some beef mince, vegetable, and potato. Then, that it. My lunch is cottage pie. But, my potato is very small it will not be thick enough. I still have some parsnips so that I decide to use mashed potato and parsnips. It is cooking that there is no rules for here :D

Baking Temperature Setting: 220C/450F/Gas Mark 8

Baking Time: 20~30 minutes

Recipe: Serve 2~3 people

 

Steps of Cottage Pie

(1) Chop all potato and parsnips into small pieces. Prepare a saucepan. Place all potato and parsnips into the pan. Add 1 tea spoon of salt. Keep boiling them until it turns tender. It takes around 10~15 minutes

(2) When potato and parsnips are ready to be mashed, dry the potato and parsnips. Place them in a dish. Before mashing potato and parsnips, add butter, milk, and another 1 tea spoon of salt in. Mix them. Then, mash potato and parsnips. Set Aside.

(3) Prepare a fried pan, place onion into the pan. Stir a little

(4) Add chopped mushrooms into the pan. Stir a while. Cover the lid. Use medium heat to cook around 3 minutes

 (5) Then, add beef mince into the pan. Fried the mince until it turns golden. Then, add 1 tea spoon and 2.5~3 table spoon of soy sauce into the mince. Mix all of them. Simmer it until the gravy turns thick. Set aside

(6) Place the mince into an ovenproof dish (around 7 inch).

(7) Spoon the mashed potato and parsnips over the top of mince.

(8) Use a fork to decorate mashed potato and parsnips with lines. Send it into the pre-heat oven at 220C/450F/Gas Mark 8 until the topping is golden.

 

I like to eat cottage pie a lot. Because there is everything in one dish. Last year, I always prepared a lot for my exam season. If you don’t have lots of time to cook every day, try cook more and freeze it. When you want to eat it, just send it to the oven. Less than 40 minutes, you will have a tasty cottage pie. Enjoy it.