A Plate Full

Roasted vegetables are a passion of mine.  I don’t think I’ve met a roasted veggie that I didn’t like.  A really hot oven does magical, mystical things, a crisp exterior, a bit of caramelized crunch and intensified flavor.  A few minutes in the oven and you’ve got something very yummy on your plate.

I was entertaining friends and family one evening, and while they were all drinking wine and getting excited about the pasta that was cooking, I was chopping vegetables.  Bread was being piled into baskets, a warm tomato and garlic scent swirled through the air, and I was excited about the veggies on the baking sheet.  Not one whit of attention was being paid to my lovely vegetables.  I drizzled them with oil, and tossed them with spices while guests were inspecting desserts and sneaking fingers through icing.

At the end of the evening, I noticed that while the pasta bowl had a few mouthfuls left in it, and there were some bread slices left, the veggies were completely gone. Vanished as if they had never been at all.  The bowl containing them had been wiped clean, looking as pristine as when I removed it from the cabinet.  Seriously, try roasting your favorites and watch them go!

You can use any combination of vegetables and spices that float your boat.  I most often use only olive oil, salt & pepper, but I love this version.  Cauliflower and potato are used often in Indian cooking, and I find that I use these in all different ways.  You can mix the same set of spices you use to flavor the vegetables with into some plain yogurt and dress them with that.  Use them as a base for your favorite curry, mix them with chickpea batter and fry them and just eat them cold out of the container.  

Oven at 400 degrees, cut 1/2 head of cauliflower into florets and 1/2 lb. of potatoes (I use small yukon golds) into approximately the same size dice as the florets.  You want them to cook evenly.  Drizzle them with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon each of black pepper, cumin, tumeric, corriander, and garam masala.  Using clean hands, mix well and spread to a single layer on your baking sheet. Roast for approximately 20 minutes, stirring halfway through to color both sides.  Vegetables should be fork tender, so adjust your cooking time as needed.