Karen Martini's roasted celeriac, parsnips and fennel

Name: Karen Martini's roasted celeriac, parsnips and fennel
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 4-6
Cuisine: Contemporary
Ingredients: 4 small parsnips, peeled, trimmed and quartered lengthways; 1 small fennel bulb, cut into 2cm slices; 1 head of celeriac; 8 garlic cloves, skin on, smashed; 4 thyme sprigs; 3 tsp anise seeds; salt flakes and freshly ground; black pepper; extra virgin olive oil; 150ml cream (35% fat); 80g grana padano, finely grated

Karen Martini

July 15, 2022

Roasted celeriac, parsnip and fennel with cream, parmesan and anise.William Meppem

easyTime:< 30 minsServes:4-6

This is a supremely luxurious take on wintery roast vegetables, with the cream and parmesan making a bubbling, caramelised sauce for the aromatic, anise-scented selection. I particularly like the way a combination of anise and fennel complements the distinctively earthy-creamy parsnip and earthy-herbal celeriac. Serve as you would any roasted vegetables: roast pork or chicken are especially good with this and just need a simply dressed salad of bitter leaves.

Ingredients

4 small parsnips, peeled, trimmed and quartered lengthways
1 small fennel bulb, cut into 2cm slices
1 head of celeriac
8 garlic cloves, skin on, smashed
4 thyme sprigs
3 tsp anise seeds
salt flakes and freshly ground
black pepper
extra virgin olive oil
150ml cream (35% fat)
80g grana padano, finely grated

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C fan-forced (200C conventional).
2. Arrange the parsnip and fennel in a large baking dish.
3. Peel the celeriac, cut into 2cm x 6cm batons and arrange in the dish (I don't recommend you do this ahead of time unless you're using acidulated water to prevent browning*).
4. Scatter the garlic, thyme and anise over the vegetables, season with salt and pepper and drizzle generously with oil. Add 100ml of water to the dish, then cover with foil and roast for 20 minutes.
5. Uncover the dish, then pour over the cream. Scatter over the cheese and stir through gently. Roast for another 20 minutes until golden and bubbling, then serve.
Note If you can only find larger parsnips, be sure to trim away their woody core.