Yesterday I bought some potatoes, turnips and parsnips and decided to roast them together to remind myself of the differences between them. After preheating the oven to 425F, I rinsed and dried them all, then cut them into large chunks. I tossed them with 1 T. of olive oil, seasoned them with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper and poured them into a baking dish. I roasted them for 30 minutes, until they were tender and the edges were brown.

Roasting vegetables caramelizes them and concentrates their flavors. Tasting them all together really enhances their individual characteristics. The potatoes had a familiar crisp outside and a creamy, earthy interior. The parsnips had a similar texture, but they complemented the simplicity of the potatoes with a Christmas spice flavor. The turnips were more complex still with their radish-like heat and bite. A forkful of each made a forkful of the other better.

They were delicious as is but could have been tossed when hot with minced garlic, chopped fresh herbs or any combination of spices. They would also play solid back-up for roasting chicken, lamb, pork or beef.

Posted by cookthink in craving, recipes | | Subscribe to this feed