Oven-roasting is an especially good way of cooking winter root vegetables such as potatoes, turnips, carrots, parsnips, and celery root, as well as onions, unpeeled garlic cloves, squashes, and fennel. The crispiness and caramelization that develops in the oven brings out the vegetables’ natural sweetness and intensifies their flavors.
Recipe information
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Peel the potatoes and turnips. Cut them into pieces about the same size and about 1/2 inch thick, so they will cook evenly. Toss the vegetables with a light coating of olive oil and season with salt and fresh-ground pepper. Sprinkle with chopped herbs or sprigs of herbs such as thyme, rosemary, sage, and bay leaves. Put the vegetables on a baking sheet or in a gratin dish and roast, stirring and turning the vegetables occasionally once they begin to color, until browned here and there and tender throughout, about 30 minutes. Take care not to overcook, or they can toughen and dry out.
Notes
Step 2
Add other vegetables, such as carrots, parsnips, rutabagas, winter squash, and fennel.
Step 3
While still hot from the oven, toss the vegetables with a mixture of finely chopped garlic and parsley.
Step 4
Eggplant is delicious roasted: Cut firm, shiny globe eggplant into slices about 1/2 inch thick. Brush the slices with olive oil on both sides, season with salt and fresh-ground pepper, and place on a baking sheet. Roast the eggplant at 400°F for 15 to 20 minutes, until the slices are nicely browned on the bottom. The slices will stick to the pan at first but will lift easily with a spatula once they are browned. Flip the slices over and cook for another 10 minutes or so, until browned on the other side. Keep an eye on them; the slices will cook faster on the second side.
