Parsnip fries

Chunky parsnip fries are the ultimate in deep fried, sweet and salty. Have them instead of potato chips for a healthier change.

When are fries fries?

All those fries called ‘fries’ that aren’t really fries are quite infuriating. Sweet potato fries have recipes galore to their name but not one does actually fry them. What the hell? Either fry the things or call them bakes, for chip’s sake.

I’m not saying they are not good products, those ‘fries’ – I’ve had some really delightful ones made from sweet or ordinary potatoes. But why not call them roasties if that’s what they are?

'FRIED' is a dirty word

It’s all lies and hypocrisy; we’re pretending to ourselves we’re eating something deliciously FRIED while smug in the knowledge it’s not the real thing. It’s the opposite of, say, pan-frying, pan-roasting and all those euphemistic expressions aimed at disguising the fact that the thing is, indeed, fried.

So basically we call non-fried things fried and fried things anything but. How weird is that?

Fried parsnip fries

Let me tell you: my parsnip chips are fried. FRIED. IN HOT OIL. LOTS OF IT. And that’s why I call them fries. And that’s not the end of it because they as it happens are also BAKED, so of all people frying bakes and baking fries I should be entitled to fib it a bit for Google’s sake.

But I prefer to call a fry a fry – provided it is one.

How to fry my parsnip fries

It's always a mystery to me why we're supposed to cut out the core from a parsnip - that middle, off-white centre bit. I'm pretty sure it's completely unnecessary but I never dare NOT cut it out when preparing my parsnips for roasting.

Here, let's be brave: just peel the parsnip (doesn't everyone just adore peeling parsnips or is it just me?) and cut them into stubby sticks, core and all.

Bake them before frying

Just like with my crunchy baked-fried chips, I bake the parsnip chips first. That's to soften them enough to cook relatively quickly in the deep oil. Just about twenty minutes will do the trick - just before they start to catch any colour.

Once baked, twice fried

The first dip cooks them, the second crispens and gets them ready for seasoning - and you want the seasoning to be gutsy so as suggested below, a mix of paprika, cayenne and salt should do the trick. Toss them in the seasoning mix after they leave the final oil bath - and they're ready to devour. And they keep crisp surprisingly long!