Recipe from Bon Appetite magazine
Welcome to root vegetables reinvented. Sturdy parsnips soften in a warm bath of olive oil, then get seared and bejeweled with pickled currants. It’s hard to know if a parsnip will have a woody core, but generally speaking, small ones are tender throughout. Worst case scenario? Trim the tough centers before cooking.
2½ lb. parsnips, peeled, halved lengthwise, quartered if large, woody core removed if large
2 heads of garlic, halved crosswise
1 4″ piece ginger, scrubbed, sliced lengthwise into ⅛”-thick planks
3 large sprigs rosemary, divided, plus 1 Tbsp. rosemary leaves for serving
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. kosher salt
3 cups extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup dried currants
¼ cup sugar
½ cup plus 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 tsp. Aleppo-style pepper
Preheat oven to 300°. Combine parsnips, garlic, ginger, 2 rosemary sprigs, and 1 Tbsp. salt in a rectangular 3-qt. baking dish; turn garlic cut side down. Pour oil over.
Roast 35 minutes. Remove from oven; turn parsnips over. Return to oven and roast until a knife easily slides through flesh, 30–40 minutes. Let cool slightly.
Meanwhile, bring currants, sugar, ½ cup vinegar, remaining 1 tsp. salt, remaining rosemary sprig, and ¼ cup water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, swirling pan occasionally, until reduced by three-quarters. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in Aleppo-style pepper, 1 Tbsp. parsnip confit oil, and remaining 1 Tbsp. vinegar.
Remove parsnips from oil, letting excess drip back into baking dish, and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Pluck out garlic and set aside for serving. Strain oil through a fine-mesh sieve into an airtight container; discard aromatics. Cover and reserve oil for another use.
Heat a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high. Working in batches, arrange parsnips in skillet in a single layer and cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown and charred in spots, about 4 minutes per batch. (Alternatively, you can broil them, turning halfway through, 10–12 minutes.)
Transfer to a platter and spoon currant sauce over. Top with reserved garlic and rosemary leaves.
Do Ahead: Parsnips can be cooked in oil 1 week ahead. Let cool completely; cover and chill. Reheat in oil in a 300° oven before browning. Currants can be pickled 1 week ahead; cover and chill.