Root Bake

Serves 10 with other vegetables

650gram Parsnips peeled and cut into even chunks
650 grams Swede peeled and cut into same size chunks
142ml sour cream
1 rounded teaspoon hot horseradish
2tbsps fresh thyme leaves
butter for greasing
Topping
1 small onion finely chopped
50gram fresh white breadcrumbs
50grams butter
small handful fresh thyme leaves plus extra for scattering
25gram Parmesan coarsely grated

Method

Cook vegetables in boiling salted water until tender( about twenty minutes)

Drain well and mash together until smooth but with some texture. Stir in sour cream , horseradish and thyme. Season. Spoon into a buttered shallow ovenproof dish.

Make topping. Melt butter in a frying pan, add onion and cook for 5-6 minutes until golden. Mix in the breadcrumbs and stir to brown and crisp a little. Season and add thyme.

Spoon mixture over the mash and scatter over the parmesan( can be made to this stage and kept covered in the fridge for 24hrs or frozen for up to a month)

Scatter over thyme leaves and bake at 190centigrade/Gas 5/Fan 170C. for 35-40 minutes if baking from cold , 25-30 minutes if not and 1-11/2 hrs if frozen( put foil on top and remove fro last 10minutes.