Here’s another wintertime root vegetable with a history dating back to antiquity.

— They’re a relative of carrots and parsley, have a subtle nuttiness and sweetness, and can be used in a variety of ways.

— They’re even sweeter than a carrot, especially when cooked, and were used as a sweetener in parts of Europe prior to the introduction of sugar cane.

Unlike their orange cousins, parsnips are usually best when peeled — the tan skin can often add an unpleasant bitterness to a dish when cooked. They’re usually at their best when cooked, but can be eaten raw.

Small to medium parsnips are sweeter and more flavorful; larger ones often develop a tough, woody core. You can remove the core if you quarter the parsnip lengthwise and trim out the center, which is usually darker than the rest of the flesh.

If it can be done to a carrot or potato, it will work for a parsnip. They can be roasted, baked, fried, steamed, boiled, pureed and more!

Maple and miso glazes work well on them. They also make a good base on which to roast a whole chicken, and can bulk up a soup or stew. Go fresh with a citrus and herby dressing to finish some roasted parsnips; pair them with winter greens like endive, radicchio and escarole.

Mostly, parsnips are a stealth vegetable. Because they’re sweet and a little bit starchy, they’re easy to hide among better known roots and tubers for suspicious eaters of all ages. Mash them with potatoes or hide sliced parsnips in layers of scalloped potatoes. They can also be shredded on a box grater as part of homemade hash browns.