Parsnip & Carrot Chips

I love the local root vegetables of fall in Wisconsin.  At the farmer's market I see carrots and parsnips and was excited to try this recipe from a new book I found at Anthropologie on sale for $7!  It reminds me of the strips on top of the house salad at Wasabi, a Milwaukee area Japanese restaurant. 
I didn't have carrots that were very big, as recommended but it still worked great.  They were more like shoestrings than chips.  And my husband is not a big fan of raw thyme so instead of adding at the end, I crushed the tyme over the raw chips before frying which resulted in a nice crispy seasoning.  I salted afterwards with my home made celery salt and these were a big hit in my house!

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Parsnip & Carrot Chips
by Cynthia Nims, "Salty Snacks, Make Your Own Chips, Crisps, Crackers, Pretzels, Dips and Other Savory Bites"

1 pound large carrots
1 pound large parsnips
vegetable oil, for frying
1 teaspoon kosher salt 
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced

Serves 4-6

Choose the largest and broadest carrots and parsnips among those available at the store; smaller, more slender ones won't form large enough strips to be fruitful for frying.  These have a light and delicate crunch and natural sweetness that make for an interesting change of pace from the traditional potato chip.

After peeling one of the carrots, use the vegetable peeler to peel away long strips from the whole length of the carrot, allowing the strips to drop into a large bowl.  Turn the carrot in your hand about one quarter turn after
every 4-5 strips, so you'll generally have strips of similar width and length overall.  Do the same with the remaining carrots and the parsnips, both of which have a tough core that should be discarded once you get there (the color tends to change slightly).

Pour about 2" of oil into a large heavy saucepan (the oil should not come more than halfway up the sides of the pan).  Bring to 375 F over medium heat.

While the oil is heating, combine the salt and thyme in a small dish and rub them together between your fingers for a bit to release the aromatics of the thyme.

Carefully add a handful of the vegetable strips to the oil and fry until lightly browned and crisp, about 1-2 minutes.  Use the back of a slotted spoon to gently press the strips down into the oil and spread them out a bit to help
the strips and scatter them on paper towels to drain.  Repeat with the remaining vegetable strips, allowing the oil to reheat between batches as needed.  
 
Transfer the chips to a serving bowl, sprinkle the thyme-salt mixture over them, and serve.  They will be best served shortly after frying.