By Beth Dooley, The Minnesota Star Tribune
Roasted winter vegetables are so deliciously crunchy, salty, sweetly caramelized and tender, they (almost) feel like a guilty pleasure.
But I can assure you, the only downside to eating a whole batch may be singeing your fingers as you pluck them off the roasting pan. They are relatively low in calories, high in nutrients, minerals and fiber, immensely versatile and just plain good for you.
Winter’s roots — carrots, parsnips, beets, sweet potatoes, turnips and new potatoes — sweeten in the oven as the high heat condenses and intensifies their flavors. Tossing them with a little oil keeps them from sticking to the pan, and a sprinkle of coarse salt helps draw their juices to the surface. Coarse salt is the best choice; unlike fine salt, it sticks in spots and does not coat the vegetable. It enhances, not overwhelms, the taste.
The key to roasting dense, low-moisture winter roots is to use high heat (a 400-degree oven) and allow a little more time than with tender, moist vegetables like zucchini and eggplant. Be sure to move the vegetables around so they don’t burn and stick to the pan.
Once they’re out of the oven, roast vegetables open up a range of opportunities. Serve them as side dishes as well as dinner. Make a hearty grain bowl with barley or wild rice. Top polenta or tangle in spaghetti with aged cheese. Whir them with stock for a silky, creamless soup. Make hash and top with fried eggs, bake them into a pot pie, scatter them over a pizza or fold them into a frittata. I like to buzz the vegetables into hummus or sour cream for chip dips and sandwich spreads.
It is always a good idea to roast more than you need and feed your imagination.
Roast Vegetable Salad With Creamy Coconut Vinaigrette
Serves 4.
Tangy, sweet and creamy, this vinaigrette turns a simple vegetable toss into a wonderful side dish or, with the addition of chicken or tofu, a light meal. Just be sure to cut the vegetables into same-size pieces and spread them out on the roasting pan so they don’t touch. They’ll roast and caramelize evenly. Dress and serve the salad while still warm. From Beth Dooley.
For the vegetables:
- 2 ½ to 3 lb. root vegetables, such as carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, beets, turnips, etc., cut into 2-in. pieces
- Neutral oil (coconut, grapeseed, etc.)
- Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Creamy Coconut Vinaigrette:
- ⅓ c. unsweetened coconut cream
- 1-in. piece ginger, scrubbed and grated
- 1 tbsp. honey
- 1 tbsp. rice vinegar
- 1 tsp. soy sauce, or more to taste
- Juice of 1 lime
- Pinch of red pepper flakes, to taste
- Toasted coconut flakes, for garnish
- Chopped cilantro, for garnish
For the vegetables: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Spread the vegetables on the pan and drizzle with the oil, being sure to coat. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Roast the vegetables until they’re caramelized and tender, shaking the pan occasionally, about 40 to 45 minutes.
For the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut cream, ginger, honey, vinegar, soy sauce, lime juice and red pepper flakes, to taste.
Transfer the vegetables to a bowl and toss with just enough vinaigrette to coat the vegetables. Serve garnished with the toasted coconut flakes and chopped cilantro.
Beth Dooley is the author of “The Perennial Kitchen.” Find her at bethdooleyskitchen.com.
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