Ginger Maple Roasted Parsnips

Parsnips take really well to dry heat cooking, which brings out their natural sweetness. They pair well with sweet spices and seasonings. If you want to get fancy with the presentation here, you could serve these topped with a sprinkling of fleur de sel. Regardless, do add salt - it works well against the sweetness of the syrup, which gives the parsnips a nice candied texture around the edges.

2 lbs parsnips
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 1/2 Tbsp walnut or canola oil
1/2 tsp ground ginger
Salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Peel the parsnips and cut out woody cores, then cut into cubes or spears. Toss them in a bowl with the maple syrup, oil, ginger, and a sprinkling of salt. When well coated, spread on a rimmed baking sheet (you may want to use parchment paper or foil to prevent a sticky cleanup job). Roast for 20-25 minutes, turning once, until the parsnips are tender and nicely golden brown.

Serves 3-4.