Glazed Winter Root Vegetables - Cooks Illustrated

Published January 1, 2005.

Could we turn "boring" turnips, celery root, and parsnips into exciting side dishes?

The Problem

Turnips, celery root, and parsnips are usually cooked in a way that masks their naturally bitter, earthy, and sweet flavors, making them dull vegetables often passed over in the grocery store.

The Goal

We wanted to make root vegetables appealing by giving them nicely browned exteriors and tender, creamy interiors, all accented with a lightly sweetened glaze.

The Solution

We ensured even cooking by cutting the vegetables into large pieces of equal size. Then, by first caramelizing the vegetables in butter and subsequently simmering them in a combination of broth, seasonings, and a small amount of sweetener, we created tender-but-not-mushy vegetables. Once they were removed from the pan, it was easy to create a glaze by quickly reducing the remaining liquid.

list of recipes

America’s Test Kitchen is a 2,500-square-foot kitchen located just outside of Boston. It is the home of Cook’s Country and Cook’s Illustrated magazines and is the workday destination for more than three dozen test cooks, editors, and cookware specialists. Our mission is to test recipes until we understand how and why they work and arrive at the best version. We also test kitchen equipment and supermarket ingredients in search of brands that offer the best value and performance. You can watch us work by tuning in to America’s Test Kitchen (www.americastestkitchen.com) on public television.