Roasted Root Vegetables

Hunting through the fridge the other day, I found a couple of beets, a few small turnips and half a celeriac. Combined with a parsnip, carrots and some potatoes, these made a great simple dish of roasted root vegetables.

Roasting the vegetables in a covered casserole lets them steam more than blacken. The flavors blend, the olive oil, salt and pepper get absorbed, and the roots come out buttery and delectable.

Use whatever roots you have lying around. Peel (as needed) and chop enough vegetables to fill your casserole. Pieces of one inch or less are good because they cook more quickly. I always cut beets and turnips into small bite-size pieces.

Toss the vegetables in a bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper. Put them in the casserole, cover, and bake at 425°F for 30-45 minutes. The timing will depend on the size of your vegetables. They're done when they pierce easily with a knife.

Roasted Winter Vegetables

There is nothing like roasting to bring out the inherent sweet goodness of winter vegetables.

The other night I served winter squash slices baked with cumin and chiles (you can see my recipe here), alongside roasted carrots and turnips. Yum.

Roasted Carrots and Turnips
3 turnips
3 carrots
1 tbsp olive oil
salt

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Peel the turnips if necessary and cut into 1/2 inch thick circles.

Peel the carrots and cut off the stem end. Cut them in half lengthwise and then into 2-inch lengths.

Put the vegetables in a roasting pan and toss with the olive oil and a sprinkling of salt.

Roast in the oven, turning occasionally, until the vegetables are lightly browned and tender, about 30-40 minutes.

Serves 2-3

Roasted Root Vegetables

We had some totally cute root vegetables in the fridge this week: baby rutabagas, tiny turnips - I decided to roast them for dinner last night.

Usually I roast vegetables by tossing them in olive oil and salt and pepper and then cooking them in a covered casserole for 40 minutes or so until they're tender.

But last night I decided to roast them on a cookie sheet. This way they would get a little more browned in places, adding more texture.

And I think it was a success, even though I forgot to add the sprigs of fresh rosemary from the garden.

Here's what I did.

Roasted Root Vegetables
1 bunch baby rutabagas
1 bunch small turnips
1/2 a small butternut squash
4 shallots
4 medium red potatoes
2 large radishes
olive oil
salt and pepper
2 sprigs rosemary (optional)

Remove any greens and save them for another use.

Peel the rutabagas if they're hairy. Peel and chop the larger turnips, but leave the small (1 1/2 inch) ones whole. Peel and dice the butternut squash. Peel the shallots. Scrub and dice the potatoes. Peel the radishes if the skin is thick, and dice the flesh.

Toss all the roots in a bowl with about a tablespoon of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Spread on a cookie sheet, add the rosemary if using, and cook at 450°F 35-40 minutes until the vegetables are tender when poked with a small knife. (The time will depend on the size and age of your roots.)

Serves 3-4

Winter Vegetable Stew in Kabocha

We bought the prettiest kabocha squash at the market last week. It made a beautiful serving dish for a rather colorless (yet delicious) winter stew.

I washed the squash with my Planet dish soap and cold water. Then I dried it and put it in the toaster oven at 350°F for about 45 minutes, until a knife slipped in easily.

I let it rest a little to cool off, then sliced off the top, scooped out the seeds and goop, and filled it with the bean stew. Very pretty. I scooped some of the squash into our bowls along with the stew, and it added a little sweetness and color.

Winter Vegetable Stew
1/2 cup dry white lima or gigante beans
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 lb carrots, diced
1/4 lb turnips, diced
1 large onion, diced
1/2 lb potatoes, peeled and diced
3/4 lb shredded cabbage
2 cups water or stock
1 tbsp dill (opt)

Cook the beans in plenty of boiling water until tender, about 90 minutes depending on the age of your beans. This can be done a day ahead. Or use 2 15oz cans of white kidney beans or cannelini beans.

Warm the olive oil in a large pot. Add the carrots, turnips and onion. Cook, stirring, about 1 minute. Add the potatoes and cabbage and stir again. Pour in the water or stock. (I used 3/4 cup roasted vegetable stock from the freezer and 1 1/4 cups water.) Cover the pot and simmer 15 minutes. Add more liquid if necessary so it doesn't burn.

Season to taste and stir in the cooked beans (or the drained and rinsed canned beans) and the dill. Cook another 15 minutes, uncovered.

Serve over rice or in bowls or in a roast squash.

Root Vegetable Gratin

We had some whipping cream left over from the Christmas festivities, so the other night I poured it over root vegetables to make this simple yet decadent gratin.

The root vegetables became soft and creamy, and I served them  with Lemony Beet Greens to cut the richness. Altogether a satisfying meal on a dark winter night.

I used baby rutabagas, young turnips, potatoes and white-fleshed sweet potatoes because they were what I had in the house. Use whatever roots you have, including carrots and celeriac. (Beets will turn the cream pinky - not necessarily appetizing.)

The quantities will depend on the size of your dish. I put in enough of each vegetable to cover the vegetables beneath it.

Root Vegetable Gratin
4 red potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
1 bunch baby rutabagas, peeled and thinly sliced
2 white-fleshed sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 bunch young turnips, peeled and thinly sliced
1-1 1/2  cups whipping cream

Butter a shallow 2-quart baking dish. Layer half the potatoes on the bottom and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Follow with a layer of rutabagas, a layer of sweet potatoes and a layer of turnips, seasoning each layer lightly. Put the remaining potatoes on top.

Pour cream over the top, letting it drip through the layers until it comes to about halfway up the dish.

Cover with foil and bake at 350°F for 45 minutes or so, until a thin knife slides through the roots easily. Remove the foil and cook another 10 minutes until lightly browned on top.

Serves 6

Roasted Root Vegetables

One of the side dishes at Christmas lunch was this pretty assortment of roasted roots.

Who needs table decorations when the food looks this good?

Usually I add potatoes to a casserole of roasted roots, but since we were eating those in the potato torte, I was able to focus on a variety of other vegetables.

I used a bunch of baby chiogga beets, a bunch of baby turnips, a bunch of baby rutabagas, a couple of daikon radish and some carrots.

I started by deciding which casserole dish I was going to bake them in, and then adding the veg as it was scrubbed and chopped. When the dish was full, I tipped the vegetables into a bowl and tossed them with olive oil, salt and pepper, 2 bay leaves, and a couple of sprigs of rosemary.

I cut each of the vegetables in different shapes so cautious eaters could tell what they were going to put in their mouths. The turnips and beets were so small I just cut them in half. The daikon was in log-like shapes, as were the carrots. And the baby rutabagas were so tiny I left them whole (although I did peel them because they were a little hairy).

I poured a little oil in the bottom of the casserole, added the roots and herbs, covered it, and let it sit on the counter until an hour before dinner. I baked it for 45 minutes or so at 350°F. I could have put the casserole in a hotter oven, but the potato torte was in there at 350°F. I find roots are very flexible in their cooking. They came out soft and luscious with wonderful flavor, and looked very pretty on the plate.

Root Vegetable Salad

Move over cole slaw. You are being replaced with this healthy and beautiful grated root salad.

It's easy to make in the food processor and keeps well in the fridge, thus fulfilling the requirements for lazy summer dinners.

This is a great recipe to introduce your family to raw turnips and beets. The lemon juice cuts some of the earthy flavor, and the carrots make it sweet.

Turnips are cruciferous vegetables, so they have similar cancer-preventing substances to cabbages and broccoli. They are anti-inflammatory, good for the heart and circulatory system, and full of minerals and fiber. Beets are a good source of iron and fiber, and are great liver tonics.

Plus, just looking at the colors of this salad will make you happy!

Root Vegetable Salad
3 carrots
3 medium turnips
1 large beet
small wedge of cabbage (about 1 cup grated)
1 cup corn (thawed frozen is fine)
juice of 1 lemon

Grate the carrots, turnips, beet and cabbage in the food processor (or by hand). Tip into a bowl and stir in the corn and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

I find this salad great as it is, but you can serve your favorite salad dressing on the side if you like.

Serves 4-6

Braised Turnips

When I want to add a twist to a winter meal of lentils and potatoes, I braise some turnips to serve along side.

Turnips add the taste of a winter stew, yet cook quickly enough to be an easy addition.

First peel the turnips and dice in one-inch pieces. (Save the greens, if any, for another use.)

Melt some butter in a skillet. Toss the turnips in the skillet until coated with butter. Add water to the depth of about 1/4 inch. Cover the pan and cook about 10 minutes until the turnips are cooked and the water is evaporated. Listen to the sizzle - it will tell you when the water is almost gone and the butter is about to burn.

Serve warm as a simple vegetable side dish that will enhance any hearty meal.

Root vegetable soup

I made this golden soup on the Winter Solstice to remind the sun to come back after the longest night of the year. (As you can see, it worked.) I floated a slice of golden beet on each bowl as extra encouragement.

This simple root vegetable soup was inspired by the baby rutabagas and turnips and the golden beets at the Flora Bella and Finley Farms stands at the Hollywood Farmers Market. 

Because I had run out of vegetable stock, I used a base of onions and garlic cooked in olive oil and butter - similar to the way I start risotto. I usually depend on good stock for well-flavored soup, but the flavors of the roots shone through in this dish.

I added protein in the form of pinquito beans, tiny little beans native to southern California that I buy at the Hollywood Farmers Market. You could use adzuki beans instead, or any other small bean.

Don't wait until next Winter Solstice to try this yummy dish.

Solstice Root Vegetable Soup

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp unsalted butter

3/4 cup diced onion

1 clove garlic, chopped

1/2 cup dried pinquito beans

3 golden beets

5 small turnips (5 oz total)

7 very small rutabagas (8 oz total)

2 carrots

5 cups water

1 tbsp salt

Cook the beans in a large amount of boiling water until cooked, 2-3 hours. Drain and set aside.

Scrub the roots, take off the tops and ends, and chop them in 1/4 to 1/2 inch dice.

Sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil and butter until tender and fragrant. Stir in the remaining ingredients and simmer, covered, until all the roots are meltingly tender.

Serve hot with fresh pepper to add as desired.

Serves 3-5.

Vegetable Sides Day Two

Tonight we had chili for dinner, so I thought root vegetables and snap peas would complete the meal nicely.

Snap peas are quick to prepare. Unlike shelling peas, you eat the whole thing. The only prep is to top and tail them with a paring knife, and pull off the string down one side. Then I rinse them and cook them quickly (about 5 minutes depending on the size) in a covered pot with an inch of boiling water in the bottom. I eat my snap peas plain so I can enjoy the sweetness and the slight crunch, but I put butter and salt and pepper on the table in case Larry wants seasoning.

I had beautiful baby beets and turnips in the fridge. We had eaten the greens last week, so just the roots remained. The four beets were about 2" in diameter. I scrubbed them well, cut off the top and tail, and pared off any rough parts of skin. I could have peeled them, but I think the fiber in the skin is good for us. I then cut each beet into eighths.

The 10 turnips were quite tiny. I prepped them like the beets, cutting them into 1/2 to 3/4 inch pieces.

I tossed the beets and turnips separately in about a 1/2 tsp olive oil - enough to coat them - and sprinkled on some salt and pepper. I put them in a covered casserole and baked them at 400°F for 20 minutes, until they were tender when I poked them with a slender knife. Add extra salt and pepper to taste.

They were great side dishes to the chili, and I have a small container of leftovers that I will eat for lunch tomorrow. I love vegetables.

Braised Turnips

If you're looking for a simple way to add fiber to a meal, choose turnips.

Turnips are an excellent source of Vitamin C, folic acid, fiber, and some trace minerals. They have less calories than a potato, but can replace them to fill out a meal.

This is a quick way to cook them while keeping their nutrients intact. They will have a rich buttery flavor softening the slight turnip acerbity. I think they're even better this way than roasted.

Braised Turnips
9 oz turnips (three small)
1 tbsp butter
1/2 cup water

Peel turnips and cut in 1 inch chunks.

Melt butter in a heavy pot. Add the turnips and stir until well-coated with the butter. Add water and a light sprinkling of salt. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, until the turnips are almost tender, about 10 minutes. Remove lid and let any remaining water boil off before serving.

Serves 2-3

Split Pea Soup

Split peas make a wonderful smooth base for a vegetable soup. It's like a luscious cream soup with no dairy products.

I vary the vegetables depending on what I have on hand, but I think this is my favorite version. Turnips and dill are great together, and they really enliven the split peas.

They also add to the health benefits. Turnips are a good source of the insoluble fiber which helps prevent atherosclerosis. Dill is being studied for its effects on cholesterol and blood sugar. Split peas are rich in protein, fiber, and liver-supportive trace minerals.

The flavor of this soup improves as it sits, so I cooked it Sunday morning and then reheated it before dinner - adding extra water to make it soup-y. That's another bonus - because this soup thickens as it cools, you have to add water every time you heat it, increasing the number of servings you get from it. Split peas are inexpensive anyway, so this soup is a real budget stretcher as well as a yummy dinner.

Split Pea Soup
1 1/2 cups dried split peas, rinsed
6 cups water
2 onions, cut in large chunks (about 2 cups)
6 garlic cloves, peeled
1 large tbsp chopped fresh dill or 1 tsp dried
1 lb (about 3 medium) potatoes, peeled and diced
1 large carrot, diced
1/4 lb turnips (2 medium), peeled and diced
1 cup frozen corn kernels
salt and pepper and extra dill

Bring split peas and water to a boil in a large pot. Reduce the heat and skim off any foam that rises to the top. (This foam is why you should never cook split peas in a pressure cooker - the foam can block the vent.) You don't have to be obsessive about skimming - the foam isn't harmful, it's more an aesthetic thing.

Add the onions, garlic and dill. Simmer for one hour.

Remove from heat. Let it cool a little and then purée in batches in the blender until silky smooth. Return to a clean pot and add the potatoes, carrot, turnips, corn and 1 tsp salt. Simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 1 hour. The soup is very thick and will stick on the bottom, so use a low heat and a heavy-bottomed pot, and keep an eye on it.

Season with salt, pepper and more dill to taste.

Serves 6

Eat More Vegetables

When the updated U.S. Dietary Guidelines were released recently, I rejoiced in one line: Make your plate half full of fruits and vegetables.

I think that's great advice. I've been suggesting it, and trying to follow it, for years. (Although I think fruit is less important than vegetables.)

The single-most health-promoting thing we can do is eat vegetables. They are full of nutrients and fiber, relatively low in calories, and even with added salt and butter are far healthier than any processed food from a supermarket or take-out joint.

You would think that as a vegetarian it is easy for me to follow this guideline, but it's remarkably challenging. Grains and beans are so satisfying that it's easy to eat more of them and less of the vegetables.

I was thinking of this last night as I ate a bowl of lentil soup. It was full of turnips and carrots, but was it half vegetable? I don't think so. But boy it was good. Since my lunchtime plate was almost all vegetables, and I had a big bowl of fruit at breakfast, I decided the day balanced out.

I really like the fresh taste of turnips - a little sweet, a little crisp, a little cabbagey. They have half the calories of an equal amount of potatoes, but are just as satisfying. They are a good source of Vitamin C, many B vitamins, and minerals such as potassium and magnesium.

This recipe works with old or young turnips. The combination of butter and olive oil gives a rich silkiness, but use just olive oil if you prefer. I pulled a batch of vegetable stock from the freezer. Soon it will be time to make some more, because a good vegetable stock is the secret to delicious soups.

Turnip, Carrot and Lentil Soup
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup carrot in 1/3" dice (2 medium)
1 1/2 cups turnips in 1/3" dice (2-3 medium)
3/4 cup green lentils
3-5 cups vegetable stock

Sauté onion in butter and olive oil over medium heat until lightly browned. Add carrots and turnips, and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes.

Wash and drain lentils. Add to pot along with vegetable stock and stir well. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, until lentils are cooked, about 25 minutes. Add more water or stock as needed to keep a soupy consistency.

Serves 2-3 as a main course

Roasted Root Vegetables

Something magical happens to a root vegetable when you dice it, toss it in olive oil, and bake it in the oven. It gets tender and buttery - nothing like the tough gnarly thing you brought home from the market.

I like to use a variety of root vegetables in a casserole - each provides different nutrients, textures and colors. I can make a meal on this dish alone.

The ingredients vary depending on what is at the market. The recipe below is one I used last week, but vary it depending on what you like. I use roughly 1/3 potatoes and 2/3 other roots, by weight. I scrub all the roots well, and remove any hairs or nubbly parts. I always peel celeriac (celery root) and rutabagas. I sometimes peel parsnips, turnips and sweet potatoes. I never peel beets - way too messy.

Cut the vegetables in similar sizes - 3/4 inch is a good standard. Sweet potatoes cook more quickly than the others, so either cut them a little larger, or enjoy them a little soft.

What roots should you use? Start with potatoes and carrots, and add a few others. Try roots you don't think you like - you'll be amazed at the difference in flavor and texture when they're roasted.

You can use thyme or bay leaves (fresh or dried) in place of the rosemary. Sometimes I add peeled shallots or chunks of onion. Peeled garlic cloves are a good addition, as are cubes of peeled butternut squash.

This casserole is also wonderful re-warmed the next day - either as breakfast hash with a fried egg, or reheated in the oven as a side. Sometimes I make a quick root vegetable soup by puréeing them with some vegetable stock and reheating gently on the stove.

Roasted root vegetables - you'll wonder how you ever lived without them.

Roasted Root Vegetables
3/4 lb potatoes
1 celeriac (celery root)
1 sweet potato
2-3 beets
2-3 turnips
2 parsnips
1 rutabaga
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary

Scrub all the roots well. With a sharp knife, remove the peel and all nubbly parts from the celeriac - you'll probably remove about 1/4 inch of peel in total. Peel the rutabaga, and the sweet potatoes, parsnips and turnips if you like. Trim the ends off the beets and remove any hairs from the stem end. Chop all the vegetables in roughly 3/4 inch dice.

Toss them in a large bowl with the olive oil, a good seasoning of salt and fresh pepper, and the rosemary. Pour into a casserole, cover, and bake at 375°F for 45-60 minutes until they are tender.

Serves 4-6

Nibbles

Larry and I like to spend Sunday evenings by the fire with the weekend papers.

It's nice to have something to nibble on while reading. Sometimes it's cheese and crackers, or Larry's fresh-popped popcorn.

Recently I served a plate of fresh spring vegetables alongside some tangy goat's milk feta. I really liked it. Larry found it a little challenging.

The vegetables were a medley of green and white. Radish-sized turnips with their spicy tender greens attached, leftover diced and cooked kohlrabi, slivers of sweet fennel, and shelled young fava beans.

The salty richness of the feta was a great foil for the spicy, sweet and pungent flavors of the vegetables.

I like food that activates my tastebuds and offers diversity in each mouthful. This appetizer plate fits the bill.

The Sad Lack of Rutabagas

A downside of living in Southern California is the sad lack of rutabagas.

A rutabaga is a root vegetable which looks rather like a pale-orange elongated turnip. Like most roots it is a good source of minerals, especially potassium, and has traces of all essential vitamins, including a large amount of beta carotene.

Because rutabagas store well, they are traditional winter fare, and can be found in the root vegetable section of supermarkets in northern climes. (I seem to remember a small campaign to name the rutabaga the national vegetable of Canada.)

They are a delicious addition to a roasted vegetable dish of beets, turnips, carrots, parsnips and potatoes. (Peel and chop the vegetables. Toss in a little olive oil, rosemary, salt and pepper. Roast, covered, at 450° until fork-tender.)

The Scots call them neeps, and Bashed Neeps are in my family lore. I don’t remember eating any, but I’ve never forgotten the name.

Only twice this winter have I found organic rutabagas at the Hollywood Farmers Market, but what rutabagas they were: small and fresh, with the greens still attached. The first bunch I roasted as above. Delicious!

But with the second bunch in hand, I came across Bert Greene’s recipe for Bashed Neeps in his vegetable primer Greene on Greens.

It is the best rutabaga recipe ever, almost like orange mashed potatoes but with an ethereal lightness.

I share it with you in the hopes that you will find some neeps to bash.

Bashed Neeps
1 lb rutabagas, peeled and cut into cubes
1/2 lb potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
1-2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
salt and pepper

Cook the rutabagas in boiling salted water for 10 minutes. Add the potatoes. Cook until both vegetables are cooked, about 15 minutes longer. Drain.

Mash with the butter until smooth. (Use a regular potato masher.) Add the nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste.

Should serve 4 but probably won’t.