Fried Parsnips

Recipe No. 608 from the U.S. Army’s WWII cookbook — Vegetables. Quantities are exactly as printed, for 100 servings; a scaled-down 8-serving version is in the notes.

Ingredients

• Parsnips — 25 pounds
• Salt — as needed
• Water, boiling — as needed
• Milk, evaporated — ¼ — 14½ ounce can
• Water (for milk) — ¼ pint (8 mess kit spoons)
• Eggs, slightly beaten — 13 eggs (⅔ No. 56 dipper)
• Salt — 1½ ounces (3 mess kit spoons)
• Bread crumbs, dry — 1¼ pounds (1¼ No. 56 dippers)
• Fat (for frying) — as needed

Directions

Key ingredients

Evaporated Milk

1. Wash parsnips; scrape to remove skins. Cut into halves or quarters.
2. Add boiling salted water to parsnips. Cover and heat to boiling point; reduce heat and simmer until tender. Drain and cool.
3. Mix milk and water; add beaten eggs. Mix well.
4. Mix salt and crumbs.
5. Dip parsnips in milk and egg mixture; drain. Dip in crumbs.
6. Fry in deep hot fat (375° F.) about 3 to 4 minutes or until brown.

Notes

SCALED TO 8 SERVINGS (the original is ÷12.5): Parsnips — 2 lb Salt — to taste Water, boiling — to taste Milk, evaporated — ½ can (14½ oz) Water (for milk) — 2 tsp Eggs, slightly beaten — 1 eggs Salt — about ¾ tsp Bread crumbs, dry — 1⅔ oz Fat (for frying) — to taste

Parsnips may be baked in moderate oven (350° F.). Place in well greased baking pans; brush with melted butter or beef fat and bake until brown.

— TM 10-412, Army Recipes (War Department, 15 August 1944), recipe No. 608, Vegetables. Army measures: 1 No. 56 dipper = 1 qt; 1 No. 55 dipper = 1¾ qt; 1 mess kit cup = 1½ pints.