Parsnip fritters with truffle cream and pear: a light winter recipe

I cobbled together this recipe one winter evening when I was craving something comforting, but not heavy. I had a jar of truffle cream (my little luxury), some parsnips lying around, and a slightly overripe pear. And then the idea came to me: to make rösti-style pancakes, but the French version, with a truffle sauce that truly takes center stage.

Parsnips are fantastic for this: they have a slightly nutty, almost vanilla flavor that becomes incredibly delicious when browned. Roasted pear adds just the right amount of sweetness and juiciness to balance the intensity of the truffle without overpowering it. And lamb's lettuce and hazelnuts are my go-to "crunchy/fresh" combination to keep the dish vibrant.

Technically speaking, there's nothing complicated: grate, drain, sauté, and whip up a quick truffle cream sauce. The only thing to watch out for is the parsnip's water content: if you drain it well, you'll get patties that hold their shape and are truly crispy.

You can easily make this your own: replace the pear with an apple, add a little lemon zest to the lamb's lettuce, or slip a touch of mustard into the dressing if you like a bit of a kick. But keep the truffle cream the star of the show: it's the key ingredient.

Pin

Print

Parsnip fritters, truffle cream and pear

Recipe by Nathalie Laplace

5.0 based on 1 vote(s)

Type of dish: main courseKitchen: FrenchDifficulty: average

Parts

4

parts

Preparation time

30

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

Total time

1

hour 

10

minutes

Crispy-on-the-outside, melt-in-your-mouth parsnip cakes, a generous truffle cream, and a roasted pear for a touch of sweet and savory. All finished with a hint of mâche and hazelnuts for a bit of crunch.

Cooking Mode

Keep your device's screen on

Ingredients

• 300g of truffle cream

• 700g of parsnips

• 1 pear (approx. 180g per fruit)

• 80g lettuce of lamb's

• 40g of hazelnuts

• 2 eggs

• 40 wheat flour

• 1 shallot

• 1 garlic clove

• 30g cheese of grated Parmesan

• 25g of butter

• 1 tablespoon of olive oil (10g per tablespoon)

• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice (15g per tablespoon)

• Fine salt, black pepper

Instructions

• Prepare the ground: roughly chop the hazelnuts. Toast them for 3 to 4 minutes in a dry pan, stirring constantly. Set aside.
• Grate the parsnips (using the large holes). Place them in a clean cloth and squeeze out as much water as possible; this is the secret to crispy pancakes.
• Finely slice the shallot, and grate or mince the garlic. In a large bowl, combine the parsnip, shallot, garlic, eggs, flour, and Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper. The mixture should be compact: it should clump together when pressed in your hand.
• Heat a large skillet with olive oil and 10g of butter over medium-high heat. Form 8 patties (2 per person): press them down firmly. Cook them for 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden brown. If necessary, cook in two batches. Keep warm (in a 90°C oven on a baking sheet).
• Meanwhile, cut the pear into 8 wedges (leave the skin on, remove the core). In the same pan, add the remaining 15g of butter. Roast the pear for 2 to 3 minutes, just until golden brown. Set aside.
• Lower the heat. In a small saucepan (or directly in the clean pan), gently heat the truffle cream with 2 to 3 tablespoons of water to loosen it. Add pepper. Taste before adding salt: depending on the cream, it may already be quite seasoned. Do not boil, or the truffle aroma will be lost.
• Season the lamb's lettuce with lemon juice, a pinch of salt, a turn of pepper and, if you want, a tiny drizzle of olive oil (optional).
• To serve: place 2 galettes on each plate, generously coat with truffle cream. Add 2 roasted pear wedges, a handful of lamb's lettuce, then the toasted hazelnuts on top.

📊 Nutritional Information

1 serving (approx. 360g)

* RDA = Recommended Daily Allowance

📝 Notes

If your truffle cream is very concentrated, thin it with a little hot water and go easy on the salt. And if you have leftover galettes: reheat them in the oven or in a dry pan, definitely not in the microwave (they'll get soggy).

💡 Chef's Tips

For perfectly crisp patties, squeeze the parsnips as if you were trying to get them to confess a secret. And for the sauce: always keep it low heat. Truffles prefer gentle warmth, not boiling.

🔄 Variations

• For a more "down-to-earth" version: replace the pear with 200g of pan-fried button mushrooms, added to the dish with the truffle cream.
• Gluten-free version: replace the wheat flour with 30g of corn starch + 10g of rice flour.

Nathalie Laplace

Food writer for the Simple & Bon website. Passionate about healthy cooking and especially salads, slow-cooked or oven-baked recipes.