Someone asked me recently how I roasted the vegetables for a dinner and I laughed. I thought everyone knew how to roast root vegetables to make a sweet and savory side dish, so I decided to share this one. This is a very flexible dish for fall or winter and most of the ingredients can be gathered at a local farmer's market. You can switch up the veggies and select whatever is available (focus on root vegetables). If you end up with more cut vegetables than what the recipe requires just add some extra olive oil and herbs (the herbs and garlic are key). Keep in mind that the Brussels sprouts and potatoes are the most dense and will take longer to cook, therefore make sure those are cut to an appropriate size.
Serves about 8
1 lb small Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half
1 small butternut squash, halved, cut into chunks (1 1/2 lb)
1 head cauliflower, separated into 2 inch florets (1 lb)
4 medium leeks, white parts only, trimmed and quartered lengthwise
1/2 lb baby carrots
1/2 lb parsnips, peeled and cut to about the same size as the baby carrots
24 cloves garlic, peeled (2 heads), plus 3 garlic cloves minced (1 Tbs) divided
1 Tbs chopped fresh sage, plus 24 leaves, divided
1 Tbs chopped fresh rosemary
2 red bell peppers, in chunks
Adjust oven rack so it is close to the heat source. Preheat oven to 450 deg. Bring saucepan of water to a boil. Add Brussels sprouts and cook 3 minutes, or until bright green. Drain, rinse under cold water, then pat dry.
Toss squash, cauliflower, potatoes, leeks, carrots, parsnips, garlic cloves, 3 Tbs. olive oil, chopped sage, sage leaves, and rosemary in large roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper and spread into single layer. Roast 25 minutes, tossing vegetables twice. Add bell peppers, Brussels sprouts, minced garlic, and remaining 1 Tbs oil. Roast 15 minutes more, or until vegetables are browned on edges and tender.
If you have a lot of leftover you can also make a soup. Just take vegetable stock, add the leftover vegetables and puree.