Parsnips

Buy small to medium parsnips, firm with no soft spots or shriveling. The big ones look like a deal but they hide a woody core you'll have to cut out. Skip parsnips before the first frost if you can: cold converts their starch to sugar, which is why fall and winter parsnips taste noticeably sweeter. Store them unwashed in a bag in the crisper drawer and they'll keep 2–3 weeks. Peel before cooking and cut sticks or coins to a uniform thickness so they finish at the same time. Fork-tender with deep browning in spots means done.

Parsnips are what carrots wish they were: sweeter, nuttier, and built for roasting. High heat is the name of the game. At 425°F the natural sugars caramelize into deep golden edges, while a gentle oven just turns them pale and bland. The one prep step people skip: if your parsnips are thick (over 1.5 inches at the shoulder), quarter them lengthwise and slice out the woody core, because it stays fibrous no matter how long you cook it. Below you'll find times for roasting, air frying, boiling, and sautéing.