Parsnips aren’t white carrots. All together now: parsnips are not white carrots. White carrots exist, and they taste like carrots—perhaps a tad less sweet than their orange brethren, but carrot-like nonetheless. Parsnips, by contrast, have a wonderful nutty flavor and starchier texture. Their gentle flavor would seem to be overpowered by the spice here, but the two balance each other out more than anything.

Tip: to peel younger, thinner, flexible parsnips, lay them on a cutting board or another clean work surface and peel while holding them down.

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat an oven to 350°F.

Trim and peel the parsnips. Cut in half lengthwise. Particularly large ones can be quartered; even cut out the woody core if you like. Put the parsnips in a baking dish in which they’ll more or less fit in a single layer. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the harissa and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Drizzle this thinned harissa over the parsnips, toss to coat the parsnips, and arrange in a single layer, cut-side down. Pour in the broth or wine along the edge of the pan (you don’t want to rinse off any of the harissa from the parsnips), cover with foil, and roast until tender, about 30 minutes. Raise the heat to 400°F, remove the foil, and roast until browned, about 25 minutes.