If root vegetables were currency, I’d be a very rich man right now.

That’s because here in Chicago, it’s February. And when I receive my weekly CSA box this time of year, I’m acquiring loads of root vegetables: turnips, parsnips, onions, ginger, beets, potatoes, carrots, celery root, burdock root and more.

Even though I’ve received some items from local greenhouses recently, they’ve been limited so far to spring mix sprouts (a blend of red radish, snow pea and sunflower), rosemary sprigs, and watercress—delicious, but not exactly the bounty of July.

While it might seem easier to just throw my hands up and order a pizza, it’s definitely more satisfying to take those root vegetables and make a hearty pot of meatless goulash. Here’s a recipe my wife and I use when the root vegetables start to pile up. It’s a flexible dish that tastes great served over brown rice with a dollop of sour cream on top. (For recipe, click "Read more.")

Root Vegetable Goulash

Yields approximately 4 - 6 servings

Ingredients:?

Approximately 3 – 4 lbs of any combination of root vegetables, including but not limited to: carrots, parsnips, beets, turnips, celery root, potatoes and rutabagas  ?
Approximately 2 – 3 whole onions?
Approximately 6 cloves of garlic ?
3 tbsp of butter or olive oil?
1 ½ tbsp of smoked paprika ?
1 tsp ground cayenne pepper?
1 tsp caraway seeds
?¾ cup of sour cream (regular, reduced fat, or fat-free)?
Salt and ground black pepper to taste  ??

Method:

1. Peel all root vegetables and cut into uniform, bite-sized dice or similar shapes.
??2. Peel and dice the onions. ??
3. Add butter or olive oil (your choice) to a large sauce pan and add the onions and garlic over low heat. Cover for approximately 4 minutes.
4. Add the root vegetables, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and caraway seeds, stir, add approximately ¾ cup of water or vegetable stock, salt and pepper, then stir again. Cover, and cook over low to medium heat for approximately one hour, or until the root vegetables are fork tender. If the mixture becomes too thick, dilute with a dash of water or vegetable stock.
5. Stir in the sour cream. If you like a creamy goulash, put the entire ¾ cup (or more) into the saucepan. If you prefer the sour cream as a garnish instead, stir in just enough to add flavor.
6. Add salt and pepper if needed, and enjoy! Serve over brown rice, and garnish with chopped parsley or celery leaves, and sliced bell pepper (any color) if available.