I’m happy to report that it’s time for another edition of All Whisked Up! I’ve had a lot of fun participating Wisconsin Whisk’s blog recipe swap in the past (as evidenced here and here), so I was pretty excited when the opportunity rolled around again.

I was even more excited when I found out that my assigned blog this time around was The Leek and the Carrot. I’ve been a big fan of this blog, written by Lauren (leek) about her many adventures running a real, actual CSA farm with her husband (carrot). I’ve loved learning about the ins and outs of greenhouses, the intricacies of hosting a huge dinner on the farm, and the occasional chaos that’s an inevitable part of being a CSA veggie farmer. What’s even more impressive is that in addition to all of this farming, Lauren still has time to make some pretty awesome food. With recipes like orecchiette with kale pesto, sausage, and white beans and red kuri squash cardamom cake, I definitely had a hard time whittling the list of contenders down to just one recipe to share with you.

In the end, though, I went with this winter hash, because, let’s face it, I’m a sucker for brussels sprouts. And also, I will take any excuse to make brinner (for those who are not familiar, that’s breakfast for dinner, and it is arguably the best thing to ever happen to dinner).

I also have to admit that I have very little experience cooking with parsnips, so this recipe seemed like a good gateway to the world of parsnip cookery, which I have to admit is a very wonderful world indeed. The sweet parsnips, crispy brussels sprouts, and spicy sausage mingle beautifully to create one satisfying dish. Whether eaten for breakfast, brunch, or brinner, you won’t be disappointed. And I highly recommend doing as Lauren does and serving it with a side of avocado toast. Trust me on this one.

Winter Hash

Recipe slightly adapted from The Leek and the Carrot

serves 4

As referenced by the original post, serving this dish with a side of avocado toast is highly recommended. My ideal avocado toast consists of a crisply toasted slice of bread (MSCo’s Pepitas Polenta bread is a favorite), topped with ¼ of a ripe avocado, thinly sliced. Sprinkle the whole thing liberally with some flaky sea salt, crushed red pepper flakes, and chopped chives, and you’ve got yourself some pretty amazing avocado toast.

1 lb brussels sprouts
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt, divided
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
½ lb (about 2-3 medium) parsnips, cleaned and chopped into ½” pieces
½ lb bulk italian sausage
2 Tbsp butter
1 medium onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ tsp dried sage
2 scallions, thinly sliced
poached or over-easy eggs for serving (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Cut brussels sprouts in half (or in quarters for especially large sprouts) and place in a large bowl. Add the olive oil, ½ tsp salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Toss until sprouts are evenly coated, then spread in an even layer on a baking sheet and roast until browned and crispy on the edges, about 25 minutes.

3. While brussels sprouts roast, put the chopped parsnips in a large cast iron skillet, add water until parsnips are just covered, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until parsnips are just tender, about 3-5 minutes. Drain parsnips and set aside.

4. Dry skillet of any excess water, then add the sausage and brown it over medium heat, breaking it up into small pieces as you go. Once browned, remove sausage from skillet and set aside, leaving all drippings in the pan.

5. Add the butter to the drippings, and once melted add the onion, garlic, sage, and remaining ½ teaspoon of salt. Cook until onions are soft and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes. 6. Turn heat to medium-high and add the cooked parsnips, stirring to coat with the onion mixture. Cook, stirring occasionally, until parsnips are completely tender and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.

7. Add the sausage back to the pan, along with the roasted brussels sprouts and mix to combine. Top hash with sliced scallions and serve, topped with poached or over easy eggs if desired.

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