Epicurean  |  11.03.11

Root vegetables are a underrated food group. With so many similar looking and sounding roots to choose from, it’s hard to know what’s what. With Thanksgiving swiftly approaching, we’ve taken it upon ourselves to sort a few things out among these ambiguous roots so common at Thanksgiving tables, and offer a simple recipe to create a delicious root medley to go alongside any feast.

Turnip vs. Parsnip

Turnips are white in color and comparable in shape to a beet, while a parsnip looks more like a carrot. Turnips are rather bitter, though their leaves make excellent side dishes as turnip greens. Raw, parsnips taste like a carrot (though they’re much higher in potassium, dietary fibers, and other vitamins) and are excellent in soup.

Butternut Squash vs. Spaghetti Squash

You’ll know it’s spaghetti squash when it forms little ribbons when it’s cooked. Use spaghetti squash as alternative to pasta if you’re on a gluten-free/low carb kick. Butternut squash is a bit sweeter and is best when it’s pureed or made into a soup.

Sweet Potato vs. Yam

Let’s say this one together: sweet potatoes are not yams. Sweet potatoes’ yellow flesh is much lighter than that of a yam; it actually resembles your average potato. Yams are dark orange, moist in texture with a dark skin. They make a fantastic mash and are often turned into yam fries, which are like french fries 2.0.

Now that we’ve got it all sorted out, let’s peel, dice, and eat them all together with this fantastic recipe, courtesy of head chef Trevor Wilkinson of the swish Trevor Kitchen and Bar in Toronto.

 

Fall Root Hash Recipe

1. In a cast iron pan (or a similar heavy bottomed skillet) individually pan-fry each root vegetable in canola oil and butter, adding salt and pepper to taste. Pan-fry until each vegetable is tender to touch or bite and caramel in colour.
2. Fold root vegetables together and move to a baking sheet (to be reheated later before serving).