Ingredients
We roasted red peppers, carrots, and sweet potatoes, plus leeks, but the list of fantastic candidates for roasting includes:
Potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, onions, fennel, parsnips, squash, beets, brussels sprouts, asparagus and more!
Leek Rings
- 3 large-diameter leeks (try finding them at the Farmer’s Market.) Torpedo onions would work also.
- Olive or vegetable oil
- salt and pepper
Instructions
Roasted Veggies
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Spread foil or parchment paper on two or three baking sheets and spray them lightly with vegetable or olive oil spray.
- Wash, peel and cut fresh vegetables into equal-sized pieces (about the size of a tablespoon.) Potatoes can be cut into wedges or “fries.”
- In a large bowl, toss the veggies with a drizzle of olive oil until coated.
- Spread the veggies in a single layer on the cookie sheets.
- Roast until tender and beginning to brown, 30 minutes or more. Turn once; stir if necessary, to avoid blackening the edges of the vegetables.
- Serve warm. These also make a fantastic addition to pasta dishes (i.e., combined with cooked tortellini and pesto sauce) or to a sandwich, salad or pizza.
Leek Rings
There is magic in leeks. It is really fun to slide the rings apart with your fingers, and then scatter them on a cookie sheet. Watch as they transform into sweet, toasted circles.
I once read a similar recipe in the wonderful Moosewood Cookbook, by Mollie Katzen. Her leeks seem to be crispy; ours were soft and shiny. Both are completely delectable.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Spread foil or parchment on cookie sheets and spritz with vegetable or olive oil spray.
- Trim the dark tops and the stem ends off the leeks, leaving a cylinder. Peel off the outermost layer. Rinse under cool water.
- Parents should do the cutting: slice each stalk into 1/2 inch discs.
- Let the kids separate the leeks’ concentric inner rings by gently pushing a finger up through the middle. Rinse the rings again in a colander as sand sometimes gets inside the layers. Put the rings on a clean kitchen towel and pat dry thoroughly.
- Spread the leek circles on the cookie sheets and spray again, lightly, with oil. Sprinkle on salt and pepper to taste.
- Roast in the oven, turning the pan occasionally and gently stirring until they are cooked through, about 25-35 minutes.
- This can be a side dish or a garnish or a great sandwich component. And try these on pizza!
More Information
Please report back to this site if you have any new brainstorms for roasted veggies. 🙂
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