Wed, 12 November 2025
Pan-Fried White Fish with Buttered Root Veg & Parsnip Purée
A lovely bistro-style dish that’s perfect for a dinner party or a cosy date night in. I always talk to my local fishmonger about what’s best at the moment — cod, hake, haddock, sole, halibut, monkfish, or even scallops would all work beautifully. The fish is pan-fried in foaming butter until the skin is crisp, then served with a creamy parsnip purée and buttered root vegetables cooked in a chef’s-style broth.
Serves 4
Ingredients
For the fish
• 4 fillets of cod or another firm white fish, skin on and pin-boned
• 2 tbsp Kerrygold butter
• A couple of sprigs of thyme
• 2 cloves of garlic
For the parsnip purée
• 3 large parsnips (roughly 400g)
• 200ml milk
• A dash of cream
• 2 tbsp Kerrygold butter
For the buttered veg
• A selection of root vegetables such as carrots, turnips, parsnips, or Jerusalem artichokes — baby vegetables from a good greengrocer are ideal
• 400ml vegetable stock
• 3 tbsp Kerrygold butter
• A dash of cider vinegar
• 1 small bunch of chives
For seasoning
• Lemon
• Sea salt and black pepper
Method
When you’re planning a meal like this, preparation is key. A few things can be done ahead of time — the parsnip purée, for example, can easily be made the day before.
Start with the purée. Peel the parsnips and cut them into quarters lengthways, removing the hard woody core (it can make the purée grainy). Dice the parsnips into even-sized chunks. Place a saucepan on a low heat and add a tablespoon of butter, followed by the parsnips and a pinch of salt. Toss gently in the foaming butter for a minute, without letting them colour — this brings out their sweetness.
Pour in the milk and cream and simmer for about ten minutes, or until the parsnips are just tender. The trick here is gentle cooking; if they’re boiled too hard, they lose that delicate, fresh flavour. Once soft, spoon the parsnips into a blender or jug with a little of the cooking liquid and a tablespoon of butter. Blend until silky smooth, adding more liquid as needed. Set aside until needed, or chill overnight if you’re preparing in advance.
Next, the vegetables. Place the stock, a dash of cider vinegar, and the butter in a saucepan over a gentle heat. While it comes to a simmer, wash, peel, and chop the vegetables into rustic pieces, keeping them roughly the same size so they cook evenly. Add them to the simmering liquid and check after about eight minutes — you’re looking for just tender, al dente vegetables. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Keep a cup of the cooking liquid and discard the rest. Chop the chives and set them aside for finishing.
Now for the fish. Take the fillets from the fridge and place them on kitchen paper, skin side down, to dry. The drier the skin, the crispier it will be. Season the flesh side with a little sea salt.
Set a good non-stick pan over a medium heat. Add a tablespoon of butter and swirl it around the pan, then lay in the fish, skin side down. If the fish sticks at first, don’t worry — after a minute or two and a little more butter, it will release on its own. Cook for three to four minutes on the skin side until golden and crisp. Add the remaining butter, the garlic, and the thyme, then flip the fish. Baste with the foaming, garlicky butter and a squeeze of lemon for another couple of minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let the fish rest briefly.
Finish the vegetables. Warm another pan over a medium heat and add the cooked vegetables with a few spoonfuls of the reserved cooking liquid. Toss together as the liquid reduces to a glaze. Once they’re glossy and hot, stir through the chopped chives.
To plate, place a generous spoonful of parsnip purée in the centre of each plate and spread it slightly with the back of the spoon. Sit the fish neatly on top and arrange the vegetables around it. Spoon over a little of the browned butter from the fish and finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon.
Serve straight away and enjoy — rich, clean flavours, a touch of sweetness from the parsnip, and that lovely buttery edge from the fish.
