Who Needs Potatoes When You Can Make Crisp, Paleo-Friendly Parsnip Fries?

Going paleo doesn’t mean you have to forsake french fries for good—you’ve just got to think outside of the box a little. The natural buttery sweetness of these parsnip fries pairs beautifully with the bright citrus notes of a sorrel mayo. Frying them twice in lard—high in good monounsaturated fats—allows the fries to get perfectly crispy.

Parsnip Fries

Yield: 4 servings
Active Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours

2 1/2 pounds parsnips
1 quart lard
Sea salt, to garnish
Smoked paprika, to garnish

Sorrel Mayo
2 cups packed sorrel, roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 shallot, chopped
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Pinch sea salt

Begin by peeling parsnips, then cut them lengthwise into sticks. Put the fries into a large bowl of cold water and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours.

Heat the lard in a heavy bottomed pot to 325 degrees, or to when the oil bubbles around the handle of a wooden spoon, being cautious of the hot fat. Drain and pat dry the fries with a paper towel. Working in batches so as not to crowd the pot, fry parsnips until light gold in color, around 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon and drain onto a paper towel. Let cool.

When all the parsnips have been fried a first time around, increase the heat until lard reaches 375 degrees. Fry the parsnips again, in batches, for around 3 minutes until they reach a beautiful golden brown color. Remove from oil, drain onto a paper towel, and season immediately with sea salt and smoked paprika.

For the sorrel mayonnaise, place the sorrel, mustard, shallot, garlic, and mayonnaise in the small bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Season to taste with salt. Store in the fridge, or serve immediately with fries.

Photo credit: Paul Delmont