Maple Glazed Carrots and Parsnips with Fresh Thyme

Hands on time: 20 minutes
Start to finish: 35 minutes

You’ll love the maple flavored, buttery goodness of this simple, yet fabulous carrot and parsnip dish. Parsnips don’t usually get much space in our crisper drawers but try thinking of them as the carrot’s less colorful but just as tasty cousin. Naturally sweet but with a slightly more interesting profile, this duo not only tastes great but makes a colorful appearance on the table as well. Serve with any kind of meat or poultry but this dish pairs especially well with roasted pork or turkey.

It’s that easy: 1) There is simply no substitute for real maple syrup. The flavor is more complex than the pretenders, it’s much healthier and just a little bit of the real thing goes a long, long way. Save the rest of the bottle for pancakes and waffles for lazy weekend breakfasts. 2) Parsnips are often skinny on one end and very fat on the other. Try to keep slices the same size (so they cook at the same rate) by cutting the fat end in half lengthwise and then slicing them down.

Ingredients:

1 lb carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
1 lb parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch thick slices (see “It’s that easy” tip)
1 teaspoon salt plus more for sprinkling
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, minced

Preparation:

Heat 6 cups of water, the carrots, parsnips and 1 teaspoon salt in a 12-inch or larger skillet over medium-high heat. When the water boils, cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer the veggies until they are tender when pierced with the sharp tip of a knife, about 5 minutes.
Drain the carrots and return them to the skillet. Add the syrup, butter and thyme and heat over medium heat, tossing occasionally until the carrots have absorbed most of the butter and syrup, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with the parsley.

Serves 6 to 8

Make-ahead: The vegetables can be prepared up to 3 hours ahead of time kept at room temperature. Reheat over medium heat until hot.