Parboiling the parsnips first speeds up the roasting and lets you use less oil. It also makes removing any tough cores easier if needed. You can easily double this recipe by adding a pound of carrots, cut the same size. The carrots do not need to be parboiled before roasting.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Peel 1 lb. Parsnips and drop them into the water. Boil for 4-6 minutes, until a knife can easily pierce the thick part of the root. Drain the parsnips and then rinse to cool.
Preheat the oven to 375.
Cut the roots in half lengthwise. If the core of any of the roots is hard to cut through, remove it using the round end of a vegetable peeler, starting at the top. If the core is not easy to remove, it’s soft enough to eat.
Cut each root into 2 inch long, french-fry sized pieces.
Toss the parsnips with 1 T. fresh rosemary leaves and 3 t. olive oil plus salt and pepper.
Arrange in a single layer on a cookie sheet and roast for 10-15 minutes, until the “fries” are nicely browned on the bottoms. Mince 1 clove of garlic and add to the pan, then stir to combine and rotate the parsnips. Roast another 8-10 minutes, until the parsnips are crunchy.