Pastinaksalat: Roasted Parsnip Salad, Bavarian Blue Cheese, Paprika-roasted Hazelnuts, and Wheat Beer Vinaigrette

Adapted by StarChefs.com
December 2012
Yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:

Roasted Parsnips
4 parsnips, peeled and cut into ½-inch thick coins
1 shallot, peeled and sliced
1 tablespoon grape seed oil
1 teaspoon salt
black pepper
3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves picked and left whole
Wheat Beer Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons malt vinegar
2 tablespoons wheat beer
1 tablespoon honey
1 small shallot, minced
¼ cup grape seed oil
salt
Pumpernickel Crumbs
5 slices German pumpernickel bread
butter
salt
Hazelnuts
¼ pound peeled hazelnut
1 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika
salt
To Assemble and Serve
1 small shallot, sliced
2 radishes, sliced
1 small head red oak lettuce
1 small head frisée
salt
black pepper
¼ Bavarian blue cheese
Austrian pumpkin seed oil

METHOD:

For the Roasted Parsnips:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Take the parsnips, shallot, grapeseed oil, salt, pepper, and thyme and toss in a mixing bowl until the parsnips are coated in this mixture. Place on a baking tray and place in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until easily pierced with a knife tip. Once the parsnips are cooked, remove them and let them cool to room temperature.

For the Wheat Beer Vinaigrette:
Put the vinegar, beer, honey, shallot, and salt in a mixing bowl. Whisk in the oil until it’s incorporated.

For the German Pumpernickel Crumbs:
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Take pumpernickel bread and blitz in a food processor until you get crumbs Toss with melted butter and a little salt. Bake in the oven at for 15 minutes or until nice and crunchy. Reserve in a covered container at room temperature for about 2 weeks.

For the Hazelnuts:
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Toss hazelnuts in a bowl with about a teaspoon of Spanish smoked paprika and a little salt. Place in oven for about 10 minutes. Remove and let cool.

For the Salad:
To assemble the salad, take a large mixing bowl and add Roasted Parsnips, shallots, radishes, lettuces, and Hazelnuts. Toss with some of the Wheat Beer Vinaigrette. Crumble the blue cheese and mix slightly. Season with a little salt and pepper to taste. Plate the salad and top with the Pumpernickel Crumbs. Drizzle with pumpkinseed oil and serve.