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2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup chicken broth or vegetable broth (pages 126–27)

Coarse sea salt or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Balsamic vinegar

1 Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly oil a 9- by 13-inch baking dish.

2 Brush the leeks with the oil and arrange in a single layer in the prepared dish.

3 Roast for about 20 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally for even cooking. Add the broth, return to the oven, and braise for 10 minutes.

4 Transfer the leeks and their cooking liquid to a serving platter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Serve at once or at room temperature.

Just washed,

How chill

The white leeks!

— Basho (1644 –1694)

Braised Balsamic-Glazed Parsnips and Pears

Serves 4–6

Pears do well in savory dishes, as this recipe illustrates.

4 parsnips (about 1 pound), peeled and thinly sliced on the diagonal

2 firm pears, peeled, cored, and sliced

½ cup vegetable broth, chicken broth, or turkey broth (pages 126–27)

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 Combine the parsnips, pears, broth, oil, and vinegar in a large, nonreactive skillet or Dutch oven. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.

2 Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the parsnips are tender crisp, 20 to 30 minutes. The parsnips and pears will absorb the liquid and become glazed. Serve hot.

Kitchen Note: Any firm pear will work here. Anjou pears are particularly recommended.

Honey-Balsamic Roasted Parsnips

Serves 4

If parsnips are a vegetable you haven’t fully appreciated, try roasting them. Even better, try roasting them with this delicious honey and balsamic vinegar glaze. The sweetly nutty flavor of roasted parsnips is perfectly complemented by the sweet-tart glaze.

4 parsnips (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into matchsticks

1 onion, halved and slivered (sliced vertically)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary

1 Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly oil a half sheet pan (preferred) or large shallow roasting pan.

2 Mound the parsnips and onion on the prepared pan. Drizzle with the oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss gently to coat. Spread in a single layer. Roast for 15 minutes, until the parsnips are mostly tender.

3 Meanwhile, combine the vinegar, honey, garlic, and rosemary in a small bowl. Remove the vegetables from the oven. Drizzle the honey mixture over the vegetables and toss to coat evenly. Roast for 10 to 15 minutes longer, until vegetables are browned in spots and completely tender. Taste and adjust the seasoning before serving.

Variation: Honey-Balsamic Roasted Carrots

Substitute carrots for the parsnips or roast a mixture of the two vegetables.

Neeps and Tatties

Serves 4

Mashed potatoes and turnips (or rutabagas) is a classic combination, especially popular in the American South. But the Scottish name for the dish — “neeps and tatties” — sounds wonderfully exotic yet homey. This is a down-home dish, perfect with a warming wintry stew. Neeps and tatties is the traditional accompaniment to haggis (sheep’s stomach stuffed with organ meats and oatmeal), but that is another story.

1 large rutabaga (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes

2 russet (baking) potatoes (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into chunks

4 tablespoons butter

4–6 tablespoons whole milk or half-and-half

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 Cover the rutabaga and potatoes with cold water in a saucepan and generously salt the water. Bring to a boil and boil until the vegetables are very tender, 10 to 12 minutes.

2 Meanwhile, melt the butter in 4 tablespoons milk. Keep warm.

3 Drain the vegetables. Return them to the pan and cook over high heat, shaking the pan until any excess liquid is evaporated, about 30 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and add the butter mixture to the