roast vegetables

May – A New Way with Sweet Potatoes
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May – A New Way with Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite vegetables. I usually prepare them very simply, roasting them at 400 degrees for an hour or so. The timing will depend on their size. I like them best when the skin is charred and the inside meltingly soft.

Sweet potato fries or chunks are also delicious. Add a bit of cornstarch to the batch along with some seasonings and oil, you don’t need much. Pop them in a convection oven or air fryer at 400 degrees until they are done to your liking with a crispy exterior. Chunks of about 1/2 inch in size will take about 30 minutes, shake the basket every 10 minutes or so. Sticks will be a little faster, about 20 minutes. The timing depends on your brand of air fryer, they are all slightly different so you need to keep checking.

I often cook chunked butternut squash in the same way. The cornstarch (you only need a little) ensures the outside gets extra crispy.

Air fryer butternut squash

Air fryer butternut squash

But the title of this post is “a new way”, a way I hadn’t encountered before for preparing sweet potatoes.

Slow-roasted, crispy sweet potatoes

I know they look like hockey pucks, don’t let that put you off. I encountered this recipe in the book Always Add Lemon by Danielle Alvarez, she is the chef at the Sydney restaurant, Fred’s. It’s a cookbook I received as a present a year or so ago and hadn’t had a chance to examine carefully. I recently dusted and reorganized our bookcase and discovered several cookbooks that had been forgotten since they were gifted or purchased.

These take some time but most all of it is hands off. Start them the day before you want to serve them so they have time to dry out a little in the fridge.

Slow-roasted, crispy sweet potatoes (serves 2-4)

  • 2-4 sweet potatoes
  • Olive oil for rubbing and drizzling
  • Sea or kosher salt
  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F
  2. Pierce the unpeeled sweet potatoes with a fork or sharp knife and rub with olive oil to coast lightly. Sprinkle with sea or kosher salt and wrap them tightly in aluminum foil. Bake until they are completely soft. The timing will depend on their size, usually 1-2 hours.
  3. When done, unwrap the foil and cut them crosswise into several pieces, about 1 inch thick.
  4. Allow them to cool, then crush each piece to flatten it. Try to push the ‘meat’ back under the skin.
  5. Leave the potatoes, uncovered, to dry out in the fridge overnight.
  6. When ready to cook, reheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  7. Place the potatoes on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Coat each piece with a generous drizzle of olive oil on both sides and sprinkle with salt.
  8. Roast for another hour, flipping them every 15 minutes or so. After that time they should be crispy on the outside, and soft and creamy on the inside. Cook a little longer if they don’t feel super crispy.
  9. Drain on a paper towel and serve. Or cool and reheat when ready to eat them.
Slow-roasted, crispy sweet potatoes

Slow-roasted, crispy sweet potatoes

 

 

 

 

 

 

February – Sheet Pan Roasted Cauliflower with Chick Peas
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February – Sheet Pan Roasted Cauliflower with Chick Peas

Chickpeas (also called garbanzos or ceci beans) have been popular in the Middle East for many years, and are a staple ingredient in many of the region’s most well-known dishes like hummus and falafel. They are an excellent source of carbohydrate, protein, fiber, B vitamins (especially folate), and some minerals.

We frequently enjoy them tossed into a salad, a few cans are always on the pantry shelf. Have you tried them roasted? You can roast them to a crispness that will rival any nut. Simply toss them with olive oil, salt and any combination of spices you fancy. Then roast them in a 350 degree oven until crisp. Served that way they are excellent as a snack before dinner with your 5pm cocktail.

Lately I have been adding them to the sheet pan when I roast vegetables. The ones on the edge end up toasty and crunchy while the ones in the middle are softer and creamy.

Sheet Pan Roast Cauliflower with Chickpeas

Sheet Pan Roast Cauliflower with Chickpeas

This is an excellent side dish or vegetarian main with the addition of rice or flatbread.

I don’t really have a recipe for this, it’s a ‘no recipe’ recipe.

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Cut or break a head of cauliflower into pieces about 1-2 inches in size. If the stem is thick, consider peeling it as you would broccoli. Then cut into manageable pieces. Drain and rinse a can of chickpeas. Spread the cauliflower and chickpeas on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. You could add any spices at this time…cumin or baharat or zaatar. Mix it all up and spread everything out evenly. Roast for about 40 minutes until you see the edges turning toasty brown.

Serve with a scattering of chopped scallions, or cilantro, or parsley, or celery leaves, or anything green that is in your fridge or garden. Squeeze some lemon over the top.

Sheet Pan Roast Cauliflower with Chickpeas

Sheet Pan Roast Cauliflower with Chickpeas

 

November – Rice and Grilled Veggie Bowls
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November – Rice and Grilled Veggie Bowls

This dinner was inspired by a new cookbook “Bowl + Spoon” by Sara Forte from the blog Sprouted Kitchen. I enthusiastically recommend this book which is filled with wonderful photographs by Hugh Forte and delicious ideas for one bowl meals. The recipes are mostly vegetarian (some include fish), and many vegan. There is something very comforting about dinner in a single bowl you can hold it in your hand, and eat with a spoon. Don’t you think? Can you see yourself on a cold evening settled by the fire with a good book? Or, snuggled up against a pile of pillows under a down comforter in bed? And I love the simplicity of it, very minimalist.

This is a meal that will lend itself to many variations. All you need is a grain (I used brown rice), and some roast vegetables. If you would like to add a protein, a fried egg is good…the runny yolk creating a nice sauce. Add some “odd flavor sauce” for an extra punch.

If you need inspiration on roasting, I suggest taking a look at the 3 part series on roasting vegetables by Elaine from the blog Foodbod. You will find a link to her blog here. It’s the best comprehensive tutorial I’ve read on-line and she has some wonderful ideas.

You don’t need a recipe for this, so here are the informal directions. Steam some brown rice, roast some vegetables, fry an egg, eat. Oh, and if you have some Yum sauce on hand, it will definitely spice things up.

Rice bowl with roast butternut squash, Brussels sprouts and fried egg

Rice bowl with roast butternut squash, Brussels sprouts and fried egg

This type of meal lends itself to a Zen like simplicity. It’s a wonderful way to use up leftovers, especially if you have some leftover grilled veggies on hand. It’s one of my favorite lunches.

Rice bowl with a fried egg and Yum sauce

Rice bowl with a fried egg and Yum sauce

November in the kitchen – Lentils with Roast Vegetable Stacks
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November in the kitchen – Lentils with Roast Vegetable Stacks

It’s time to add a bit of healthy eating after gorging on Halloween goodies! These fall vegetable stacks fill the bill in a delicious and beautiful way. The farmer’s market last Saturday was overflowing with gorgeous produce. I was thinking of making these vegetable stacks for some vegetarian friends coming to dinner Saturday night. The celeriac I wanted was not to be found (seems it’s not in season) but I found kohlrabi and some giant thick carrots. They are a French variety and reported to be very sweet, even though they were huge. If you are not familiar with kohlrabi, it is a member of the cabbage family and means “cabbage-turnip”. Roasted they taste a bit like a cross between an artichoke and a potato, very mild.

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Layers of roast vegetables (I used cauliflower, beets, carrots, kohlrabi, and sweet potatoes) are stacked on top of a bed of lentils cooked with red wine. A horseradish vinaigrette is added to finish with some chopped parsley. You could add a bit of goat cheese or feta to top things off. In my book there isn’t much that can’t be improved with goat cheese! This main dish is vegetarian, gluten free, and vegan without the cheese.

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All of the vegetables can be roasted  ahead and reheated in a 300 degree F oven before serving.

Make a double batch of the lentils and freeze them for future pilafs or soups.

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Start the lentils first.

Lentils with Wine-Glazed Vegetables (serves 4 as a main dish)

Lentils

  • 1 1/2 cups Umbrian lentils or lentils du Puy
  • salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more
  • 2 large shallots, diced
  • 1 large carrot, diced
  • 1 garlic clove, mashed
  • 1 small dried chili
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2/3 cup of dry red wine
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 4 chopped scallions
  • 2 tablespoons of butter (optional)

Put the lentils in a saucepan with 3 cups of water, 1 teaspoon salt, the bay leaf, and dried pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a lively simmer and cook until the lentils are tender but hold some texture, about 25 minutes.

While they are cooking, heat the 2 teaspoons of oil in a large skillet. Add the shallots and carrot, season with 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cook over medium-high heat until the vegetables are browned, about 10 minutes. Stir frequently. Add the garlic and tomato paste, cook for 1 minute then add the wine. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, cover, and simmer until the liquid is syrupy and the vegetables tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the mustard and add the cooked lentils with their broth. If made ahead, stop at this point.

When you are ready to reheat, bring the contents of your pot to a boil, reduce the heat to simmer and cook until the sauce is reduced. Stir in the scallions, and optional butter, taste for salt, add freshly ground pepper.

(Recipe adapted from Debra Madison’s The New Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone and 101 Cookbooks.)

Roast Vegetables

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F

  • 4 sprigs of rosemary
  • grated rind of 1 lemon
  • 6 tablespoons of olive oil

Chop the rosemary and combine with the lemon rind and olive oil. You will brush this over your vegetables

  • 2 small fat sweet potatoes, peeled, sliced 1/2 inch thick
  • 2 very fat carrots, peeled, sliced 1/2 inch thick
  • 2 kohlrabi, peelied, sliced 1/4-1/2 inch thick
  • 2 beets, peeled, sliced 1/4-1/2 inch thick
  • 1 head of cauliflower, sliced through the core into 1 inch slices

Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit a large baking pan, lay out the slices of beet, brush with the rosemary oil and salt on both sides. Cover tightly with a piece of aluminum foil and roast for 20 minutes. Remove the cover and roast an additional 10-15 minutes.

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Roast beets

Lay the slices of kohlrabi on another sheet of parchment paper on a second baking sheet, add the carrots to the other side. Brush with rosemary oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast for 35-40 minutes. Check the kohlrabi at 30 minutes, it might be done. It should be soft and starting to brown in spots.

Roast carrots and kohlrabi

Roast carrots and kohlrabi

Roast the slices of sweet potato in the same way, brushing with oil on each side and roasting for 35-40 minutes until they are soft and brown.

Roast sweet potatoes

Roast sweet potatoes

Brush the cauliflower slices with the oil on each side and salt well. Roast for about 20-25 minutes until cooked.

Roast cauliflower

Roast cauliflower

If made a few hours ahead, set aside at room temperature until it is time to reheat them. To reheat, place the baking trays in a 300 degree F oven for about 15 minutes.

Horseradish Vinaigrette

  • 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon of pure maple syrup
  • 2 teaspoons of prepared horseradish
  • 1/2 cup of olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a small jar and shake to combine well. Check the seasoning and set aside.

When you are ready for dinner, prepare each plate as below. I usually warm the plates in my microwave for 1 -2 minutes first. There is nothing worse than a cold plate with warm food!

Put a large scoop of lentils on each plate, cover with a slice of cauliflower, then the other slices, alternating colors. Top with a drizzle of vinaigrette and some roughly chopped parsley.

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Lentils with roast vegetable stacks and horseradish vinaigrette

Just what the Dr. ordered to cure a Halloween sugar overdose!

Submitted to Mouthwatering Mondays, week 72.

Take a look to see what other wonderful dishes are on the menu.