Roasted Country Roots

We’re crazy about this root vegetable dish at our house, even having it for breakfast with fried eggs, although we also enjoy it for dinner with baked salmon.  This dish is good with sausage, too.  Almost any kind of root vegetable will do, including, several kinds of potatoes, yams, parsnips, and carrots. (I leave the skin on the potatoes and carrots.) Baking time may vary so make this in plenty of time and keep it warm in the oven. 

Serves: 8 Serving size: 1 cup Preparation time: 20 minutes Roasting time: 90+ minutes

Ingredients 6 cups root vegetables, cubed ½ medium onion, sliced 1 or 2 bell peppers (red makes a nice contrast), coarsely chopped 3 medium garlic cloves, minced  ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar 3 tablespoons olive oil ​2 teaspoons sea salt ​1 to 2 teaspoons red chile powder ¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper 1 teaspoon paprika

Note: Include parsnips, rutabaga, potatoes, carrots, etc. if you like. Since yams and sweet potatoes cook faster than other root vegetables, you might want to add them for the last 30 minutes of roasting time.

Directions 1. Preheat oven to 425°. 2. Prepare the vegetables and place them in a large, covered bowl.  3. Combine the vinegar, oil, garlic, and spices in a small bowl, and pour over the vegetables. Shake the bowl until the vegetables are covered with the liquid. 4. Oil a 13″ x 9″ baking pan and pour vegetables into it, gently shaking to distribute equally.  5. Roast in heated oven for 60 minutes.

5. While these are roasting, prepare the onion and peppers. ​6. With a spatula, mix up the roots and add the onion and peppers. 7. Roast another 30 minutes or so until the roots are easily pieced by a fork. If all the liquid has been absorbed before the roots are fully cooked, add a little water before further roasting. 8. Serve on a platter or in a bowl, and enjoy.

I hope you enjoy this dish. Let me know if you’ve tried it and how it turned out.

Good cooking to you,

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