Parsnips sometimes have a sweetness that needs offsetting, and they are at their finest paired with umami (ever tried tossing your parsnips in a bit of Marmite before roasting?). This main-course crumble does that well, with the sharpness of lemon and crème fraîche and heady thyme. A filling, all-in-one vegetarian meal that’s gracing our table at least once a week this winter.

　　

Ingredients

Serves 4

　　6 medium leeks (about 1⅔ pounds), trimmed, washed, halved and cut into ¾-inch lengths

　　4 medium parsnips (about 1½ pounds), 2 peeled and roughly chopped into ¾-inch lengths, 2 coarsely grated

　　3 tablespoons olive oil

　　A small bunch of thyme, leaves picked

　　Scant 1 cup/200 ml crème fraîche or vegan oat crème fraîche

　　2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped

　　The zest of a lemon, unwaxed or organic

　　1 teaspoon cider vinegar

　　½ cup/125 ml vegetable stock

　　1 x 15-ounce can navy beans, drained and rinsed

　　

For the crumble topping:

¾ cup/75 g jumbo rolled oats

　　3 tablespoons/40 g cold butter, cubed, or olive oil

　　½ cup/60 g all-purpose flour

　　2 tablespoons/30 g pumpkins seeds

　　¼ cup vegetarian Parmesan or vegan Parmesan-style cheese, finely grated

　　

To serve:

Crusty bread

　　Lemon-dressed salad or greens

　　

Step 1

Heat the oven to 400°F/200°C. Toss the leeks and chopped parsnips with the olive oil in an 8-inch x 6-inch casserole or roasting pan (or a similar-sized round one). Sprinkle over half the thyme leaves and season well. Roast for 35 minutes or until the leeks are soft and buttery, and the parsnips are soft all the way through.

　　

Step 2

Meanwhile, mix all but ½ cup/50 g of the grated parsnips in a bowl with the crème fraîche, chopped garlic, lemon zest, cider vinegar, stock and navy beans. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed.

　　

Step 3

In a separate bowl, make the crumble topping. Using your fingertips, rub the oats, butter or olive oil, flour and pumpkin seeds together with the remaining grated parsnip and thyme leaves so that it starts to clump and looks like chunky breadcrumbs. Chill in the fridge until needed.

　　

Step 4

Once the leeks and parsnips have softened, remove from the oven, toss through the bean and crème fraîche mixture, then tip back into the pan.

　　

Step 5

Remove the crumble topping from the fridge, sprinkle it over the filling, sprinkle over the cheese and return to the oven for 30 minutes. Serve with warm, crusty bread and lemon-dressed salad or greens. Make Ahead: You can put the crumble together, cover and chill in the fridge up to 24 hours before you bake it.

　　From One: Pot, Pan, Planet: A Greener Way to Cook for You, Your Family and the Planet by Anna Jones. Copyright © 2021 by Anna Jones. Excerpted by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. Buy the book from Penguin Random House, Amazon, or Bookshop.