BF Basics: Roasting Part 1: Vegetables

Roasted Baby Carrots

~~posted by Jen

Let me start by apologizing for the delay in posting this. My plan was to post it last night after dinner, but I had some slight technical difficulty with Wi-Fi access and couldn't get back online to finish it.  This morning I had to call my good pals at Verizon to get my wireless card re-activated, but now I am back in action!! So this week's focus is on roasting.  Since it's kind of lengthy and detailed, I am splitting this week into 2 posts, Vegetables and Meats.

 I have a deep and abiding love for roasting, whether it's meats or vegetables. I totally blame Ina Garten, aka the Barefoot Contessa on Food Network. The first time I saw her roast asparagus, I fell in love with the idea, and off I went. Now that the weather is cooling off (at least in most of the country), it's finally not too hot to fire up the oven again. Yesterday I happened to be roasting a whole fresh chicken that I got from my friends the Amish on Saturday, so I'm going to tell you  all about that in the 2nd segment of this week's feature. (Wow, am I sounding all official now, or what?)

Roasting is basically a dry cooking method, typically done in a 400 degree oven.  Most vegetables take about 15 minutes or so, depending on your oven and the size of the vegetables.  Meat cooking times vary by the size cut of meat you are cooking.  If it is a less expensive (read: tougher) cut of beef or pork, roasting it low and slow (225 degrees for 8 to 10 hours) will yield a succulent, juicy, fall apart piece of deliciousness.  I typically use the low and slow method for beef brisket, london broil, and pork shoulder for barbecue.  NOM!

There are some basic tools and ingredients needed for roasting, most of these items are probably already in your kitchen.  If you have any questions or need further help, feel free to hit us up via email, or leave your question in the comments below.

Roasting Basics:


What you'll need on hand:
Olive Oil (light Olive Oil is fine, doesn't have to be Extra Virgin)
Salt
Lemons or Lemon juice
A good roasting pan for meats or poultry
A graniteware oval roaster with lid for larger cuts of meat
A jelly roll pan for seafood or vegetables


How to roast vegetables:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash your veggies and trim them if needed, then pat dry with paper towel or clean kitchen towel. If you're using zucchini or any veggie that you have to cut up, make sure to cut it into same size pieces so they will cook the same length of time.

Spread them evenly on the jelly roll pan and sprinkle liberally with olive oil to coat. Using your hands, toss the vegetables in the oil until they are completely coated, then salt them.You can add other seasonings to your taste, but I prefer just salt and lemon. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the veggies, then place the pan in your 400 degree oven.

 Most vegetables take about 15 minutes, depending on your oven. Keep a close eye on them and make sure they don't scorch. I usually let them cook for 8 minutes, then take them out of the oven and flip them over with a spatula before the last few minutes of cooking. After the first 10 minutes, check them every couple of minutes to make sure not to burn them. Squeeze the juice from the remaining lemon half over the vegetables just before serving.  They can be served hot from the oven or even at room temperature.  Baby carrots are especially good with a splash of balsamic vinegar on them instead of the lemon juice.

Some of my favorite veggies to roast are asparagus, brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, baby carrots, sweet potatoes, and zucchini, to name a few. I've made roasted asparagus for lots of my friends who didn't even think they liked asparagus until they tasted it roasted. This is a perfect party snack, you can roast several bunches, stand them up in a pretty glass and voila~~ delicious appetizer!

So, what are you waiting for? Get in the kitchen and play with your food! Let us know what creations YOU come up with! Part 2 of this segment will be posted tomorrow morning, featuring my *perfect* roast chicken!!