Ingredients

Step by step

1. Heat the oven to 200°C, fan 180°C, gas 6. Heat 1½ tablespoons of the oil in a large pan. Add the shallots and the celery. Cover and sweat for 5-7 minutes until they begin to soften. Season, add the garlic and cook slowly over a medium heat for 7-10 minutes.
2. Coarsely grate the parsnips and add to the pan. Stir to combine, cover and allow the parsnip to soften for a few minutes: if it begins to stick, add a splash of water.
3. Finely chop half the sage and add to the parsnip mix. Season, cover and cook for a further 5 minutes.
4. Put the bread in a food processor with the rosemary and remaining sage. Season and pulse until it forms coarse breadcrumbs.
5. Add the herby crumbs to the parsnip pan, stir, and cook over a medium heat for 1-2 minutes, then add the margarine. Once the mixture starts to thicken and become a little tacky, stir through the pecans, remove from the heat and leave to cool for a few minutes.
6. Grease and line the base of a 900g (2lb) loaf tin and tumble in the parsnip mixture. Press down firmly with the back of a spoon. Cover with greased kitchen foil.
7. Bake for 40 minutes before removing the foil and baking for a further 15 minutes.
8. Remove from the oven and let it cool for at least 10 minutes before gently tipping it out of the tin and onto a serving plate.
9. Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a pan. When hot, add a few sage leaves and rosemary needles and fry for a few seconds until crisp. Salt lightly then tip onto the loaf for decoration.