Parsnips may appear to be only slightly fancier carrots, but these root veggies are sweet, buttery and almost butterscotchy when cooked.

Suitable for roasting, boiling, stewing or frying, the parsnip is versatile and works extremely well with spices and sweetness. It is richer in vitamins and minerals than the carrot, packed with potassium and provides dietary fibre, too.

Try these quick ideas with parsnips:

· Root vegetable fries – made from parsnip, beetroots, carrots and sweet potatoes – are easy and delicious. And definitely a tad more gourmet than normal potato chips.??
· Parsnips and beef make a great combination. Add chunks of parsnip to beef stews or oxtail to give it a more complex flavour.??
· Parsnip is a good match for watercress in a winter salad. Toss the roasted, cubed root vegetable with the leaves, crumble a stinky blue cheese over the top and dress with a vinaigrette.??
· Spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and cumin really flatter parsnips. Try this when roasting them or when making parsnip soup, in which case you need to fry the spices with onion before adding the veg.??
· For a sweeter vegetable roast, add lots of butter, thyme and maple syrup. Parsnips are heavenly with roast beef! ??
· Along with carrots and artichokes, parsnips are a good replacement for chicken in an Indian korma.??
· Good old potato bake takes an interesting turn when potato is replaced with parsnip. Pair it with thyme and gruyere.

Photograph: See-ming Lee