Butter-roast parsnips with hazelnuts and sage

Before you start

Why these are the best parsnips
Size matters: Try to buy parsnips that don’t taper off to a thin point at the end, as they’ll shrivel and burn long before the thicker end finishes cooking. It also means you can keep them in long halves rather than chopping them up to get an even thickness – which looks more appealing at the table.

A head start: Boiling the parsnips before they go in the oven cooks them through and means less time in the oven, preventing wrinkled, leathery, burnt bits. It also means you can leave them unpeeled, which helps lock in the moisture and gives them a delightfully fudgy texture.

Hob, then oven: Using a flameproof roasting dish or pan means you can give the parsnips a quick sear over the hob, rolling and tossing them in the butter, before they go into the oven. This means they’re fully coated in fat and will cook evenly while roasting.

Aroma & crunch: Crispy sage leaves are the perfect, simple garnish for parsnips, infusing the butter with their aroma. A scattering of toasted hazelnuts provide welcome crunch, emphasising the root’s nutty sweetness while they’re at it.

Make ahead: You can boil the parsnips up to 2 days in advance and leave in the fridge until ready to finish. Just give them a few minutes longer on the hob in step 3 so they warm through before going in the oven. Pre-boiling cooks the parsnips through and means less time in the oven, preventing wrinkled, leathery, burnt bits. It also means you can leave them unpeeled, which helps lock in the moisture and gives them a delightfully fudgy texture.