Roasted Vegetables

I make roasted vegetables all the time, with different combinations of veggies and seasonings. It’s such a useful dish. A good side dish for sure, but also:

• nice over polenta/mamaliga for a substantial vegetarian dinner

• cooked, then covered with shredded mozzarella cheese and baked until the cheese bubbles and melts

• placed on a pizza crust and topped with cheese (as above)

• topped with a fried egg

• served at room temperature as a salad (drizzled with olive oil and wine vinegar or Balsamic vinegar)

and so on ….

Roasted Vegetables

• 12-16 baby potatoes

• 1 large onion, peeled

• 1 medium eggplant

• 1 sweet red bell pepper, deseeded

• 1 medium zucchini

• 8 ounces mushrooms

• 5 tablespoons olive oil

• 3 cloves garlic, chopped

• salt and pepper

• 3 tablespoons mixed finely chopped fresh parsley and/or herbs such as thyme, basil, marjoram, rosemary, etc.

• Balsamic vinegar or lemon juice, optional

Preheat the oven to 400F. Wash and drain the vegetables. Slice the potatoes 1/8-inch thick. Cut the onion, eggplant, red pepper, zucchini and mushrooms into chunks. Place all the vegetables in a single layer inside a large roasting pan. Pour olive oil over vegetables and toss to coat them. Sprinkle with garlic, salt and pepper and herbs. Toss to coat the vegetables evenly. Place the vegetables in the oven. Turn the heat down to 350F and roast the vegetables for about 50 minutes, stirring them occasionally. Serve hot or at room temperature. Serve plain or sprinkled with Balsamic vinegar or lemon juice. 

Makes 8 servings

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Apples and Cranberries

I usually make mashed sweet potatoes of some sort for Thanksgiving. It’s easy (one of my recipes has 3 ingredients), I can make it ahead and I can vary the seasonings from year to year. I can serve them plain or with marshmallows on top.

But, as anyone who knows me knows — I don’t like to cook and/or eat the same food over and over again, so I always tinker a bit and add a new dish or two to a holiday menu.

This year, instead of mashed sweet potatoes I am making this sweet potato/apple combo. I’ve cooked it several times in the last few weeks, to get it right. The flavor combo is perfect: sweet vegetable, tangy fruit; and the texture is nice too: tender sweet potatoes and softened but still firm apple.

Best of all — I can still prep all of it beforehand. It’s also an easy side dish and a nice change from the usual.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Apples and Cranberries

• 3 medium sweet potatoes

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 3 tablespoons maple syrup or honey

• cinnamon, salt

• Aleppo (or cayenne) pepper, optional

• 2 apples, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces

• 1/4 cup dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Peel the sweet potatoes, cut them into bite size pieces and place on the baking sheet. Pour the vegetable oil and maple syrup or honey over the pieces and toss to coat them. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon, salt and Aleppo pepper if desired. Roast for 12-15 minutes, turning the potatoes once or twice, or until softened. Add the apples and dried cranberries, toss and continue to roast for another 12-15 minutes or until the potatoes and apples are crispy and tender.

Makes 6 servings

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pumpkin Seed Oil

I’ve done some reading about the health benefits (or potential health benefits) of pumpkin seed oil. It can (maybe) slow down hair loss. It is good (maybe) for your skin, for eye health and heart health.

But really, I got a bottle of the stuff in a fancy condiment store, so I was more interested in how and what I could cook with it.

It has an unmistakable roasted-pumpkin seed-nutty flavor. It’s expensive too.

On the other hand, a small amoiunt can make all the difference to salad dressing, on top of roasted vegetables, into vegetable or hearty meat soup and so on.

One of the best recipes I’ve tried: roasted Brussels Sprouts with a dressing that includes a bit of pumpkin seed oil. Think this dish for Sukkot or Thanksgiving.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pumpkin Seed Oil

• 2 dozen medium-large Brussels sprouts (about one pound)

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 thick scallions, chopped

• 1 large clove garlic, finely chopped

• 1/4 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (or crushed red pepper; or use a sprinkle of ground cayenne pepper)

• salt

• 1-1/2 tablespoons pumpkin seed oil

Preheat the oven to 400 degreesF. Wash the Brussels sprouts, then cut them in half (if very large, cut into quarters). Place them on a baking sheet. Pour the olive oil over the sprouts and toss the vegetable to coat all surfaces. Scatter the scallion and garlic over the sprouts. Sprinkle with Aleppo pepper and salt to taste. Roast for about 20 minutes, turning the sprouts once or twice, or until the vegetable is browned and there are some crispy leaves. Remove from the oven, spoon into a serving dish and drizzle the pumpkin seed oil over the sprouts.

Makes 4 servings

Roasted Vegetable Galette

Roasted Vegetable Galette

Everyone who knows me or has read a few Mother’s Day posts on my blog knows we don’t celebrate the usual way. We don’t go out to a restaurant or club.

We stay home and have a cookoff.

Yes, we cook and it’s work and a mess but we have the best time ever. Everyone participates (except that some years I am just in charge of the beverages).

We choose a theme, form into teams and each team chooses a recipe. I buy the ingredients a couple of days before and then, on Sunday, my two daughters, their husbands, my husband and my grandkids all get cooking.

Last year our theme was dips. I prepared a tropical salsa.

One year it was chocolate chip cookies.

We’ve done tomato sauce, eggs and so on.

This year we decided on PIE. Each team will make some sort of pie.

There are no rules. They interpret the word (pie) however they wish.

So — apple pie? Sure!

Pizza pie? Of course!

Pot pie? Yes!

The only limit: this will be a vegetarian/dairy meal. So, no beef pot pie.

But — quiche? Why not — it’s a type of open face pie, right?

How about a potato/olive/onion empanada? YUM!

Cabbage pastie? ok!

I am thinking of this though: roasted vegetable galette. I make it with pie dough so it qualifies, doesn’t it?

A good Meatless Monday (or any other day) choice.

Roasted Vegetable Galette

• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 tablespoon chopped chives or scallion tops

• 6 tablespoons butter, cut into chunks

• 2 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening

• 3-4 tablespoons milk

• 2 medium yellow squash, sliced

• 4-5 plum tomatoes, sliced

• 1 large Portobello mushroom, sliced

• 4 tablespoons olive oil

• salt to taste

• 1 bunch spinach, washed and dried

• 2 tablespoons chopped basil

• 1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Mozzarella cheese

• 2-3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

• 1 egg, beaten, optional

For the crust: mix the flour, salt and chives together in a bowl or food processor. Add the butter and shortening and cut the fat into the flour mixture with your hands or a pastry blender or by processing on pulse until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Gradually add 3 tablespoons milk and mix to form a soft dough, adding more milk as needed. Flatten the dough into a disk, wrap and let rest in the refrigerator for at least one hour. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll the dough on a lightly floured board into a circle about 12-13 inches in diameter (about 1/8-inch thick) and transfer the circle to the prepared baking sheet.

For the filling: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the squash, tomato and Portobello slices on the baking sheet and brush on both sides with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Roast for 20-22 minutes or until tender. Remove from the oven. Heat the remaining tablespoon olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the spinach and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened. Drain any liquid, chop the spinach coarsely and set aside.

Reduce the oven heat to 400 degrees. Scatter the circle of dough with 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese, leaving a border of about 1-1/2 inches. Mix the vegetables together with the basil and place over the cheese. Scatter the remaining mozzarella cheese and the Parmesan cheese on top. Fold the dough over the vegetables but not completely; leave the center open, with 7-8 inches of the vegetables showing. Pleat the dough at the edge to give the galette a rustic look. Beat the egg and brush it onto the dough for a glazed look, if desired. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

Makes 8 servings

Roasted Mushrooms and Tomatoes

My Seder menu has been more or less stable for the past few years. I change a recipe occasionally, add a new one now and then, but for the most part it's been mostly the same.

Until this year.

I changed quite a bit this Passover. I was bored with some of the old stuff.

Chicken soup with matzo balls? NEVER BORING! Of course I served that!

Also, I served turkey (like my grandma and mother before me) as well as brisket. I also made my old favorite, spinach pie with matzo crust.

But, there was a new haroset (nut-free).

And lots of new vegetable dishes. Like this one, which was incredibly easy and I set it all up in advance and just popped it into the oven minutes before it was needed.

Of course, this dish is a year 'round thing. And it was so well-loved that I know it will be on my menu throughout the year.

 

Roasted Mushrooms and Tomatoes

• 12-14 medium-large mushrooms, cut into chunks
• 16 grape, cherry or mini-Kumato tomatoes
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Place the mushrooms, tomatoes, scallions and garlic in a bowl, pour the olive oil over the vegetables and toss to coat all the pieces. Spoon the vegetables onto the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for about 20 minutes, turning the vegetables once or twice during baking, or until tender. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Makes 4-6 servings

Roasted Green Beans with Aleppo Pepper

When my kids were young, they were like most other children I knew and refused to eat most vegetables. They did say okay to carrots and winter squash and they didn’t love, but reluctantly ate, green string beans.

They were required to eat 4 string beans when I served them with dinner.

I wouldn’t exactly call that child abuse and I don’t think it damaged their psyches. But they still talk about it, that I made them eat 4.

Actually, I think in the very depths of their beings they are happy I insisted on that because when they talk about the green bean requirement they have a smile on their faces.

I usually cooked the green beans straight. Steamed or poached. Nothing on top so they could dip it in oil or butter or ketchup or whatever.

I think they ate them straight though.

We still are a green bean family. Green beans are mild and easy to eat. If you’re gonna get a child to try a vegetable this might be a good one for starters. I think they “sell” a whole lot better than, say, broccoli.

Recently I roasted the beans. We all love roasted vegetables and I’d never tried it with green beans because I was so used to making them just plain.

I sprinkled some dried Aleppo pepper on top. If you don’t know about this spice, I can tell you it is one of the milder (but still slightly hot) peppers and the dried version is vaguely smoky. I guess you could substitute smoked paprika, though I’ve never actually tried that. Anyway, this recipe is a keeper:

Roasted Green Beans with Aleppo Pepper

1 pound green string beans

1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large clove garlic, finely chopped

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

1/4 teaspoon dried Aleppo pepper

salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Wash the beans and remove the ends. Dry the beans and place them on the parchment paper. Pour the olive oil over the beans and toss to coat them. Sprinkle the beans with the garlic, thyme, Aleppo pepper and salt to taste. Roast for 12-15 minutes or until tender but still crispy.

Makes 4 servings

Carrot and Parsnip Fries

Man and woman does not live by french fries alone, although sometimes that’s all I think I want for dinner.

But french fries aren’t the healthiest thing and besides they can be messy to make if you cook them from scratch.

Long ago I tried to find an alternative because I realized I would never be able to eat as many french fries as I’d like to. Nothing really comes close. I’ve tried the baked fries, but really, they’re awful unless you put a whole lot of olive oil on them and then, what’s the point?

On the other hand, if you don’t use potatoes your expectations aren’t the same. When you make carrot “fries” or green bean “fries” you don’t expect them to taste like regular french fries so you don’t make the comparison in the first place. You can even bake them rather than fry them and it’s okay because your mind is not thinking the usual.

I make carrot and parsnip fries at least once a week. They’re roasted. It’s one of the vegetables that I DOUBLE at dinner because everyone, I mean, everyone who eats dinner at my house, loves these things.

They’re not french fries. But they’re really really good.

Try some. This is from my book, Hip Kosher.

Carrot and Parsnip Fries

• 1 pound carrots
• 1 pound parsnips
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• salt to taste
• 3 tablespoons chopped mixed fresh herbs, optional

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Peel the carrots and parsnips and cut them into strips about 4-inches long, 1/2-inch wide and place them on a baking sheet. Pour the olive oil over the vegetables and toss them to coat each piece. Sprinkle with salt and the optional herbs. Roast for about 20 minutes, turning them once or twice, or until the vegetables are tender and lightly crispy.

Makes 4 servings