Roasting 101

Roasting is my favorite. It’s my go-to cooking method because it is easy, not very messy, healthy, and delicious. Roasting uses dry heat and is GREAT for any vegetable. Potatoes are especially great (and I happen to have 8 1/2 pounds left!) as are Brussel sprouts. I am a huge Brussel sprout fan. Not just because they are tasty, but being of the cruciferous family (which includes cabbage, broccoli, kale and cauliflower) they are one of the healthiest vegetables out there. They get a really bum rap because they are usually over cooked and waterlogged from being boiled for hours, but roasted they become almost nutty and, since roasting caramelizes the natural sugars, sweet in flavor.

Roasting:

The process of roasting anything is basically the same.

1. Preheat the oven to 375F-400F.
2. Cut up the vegetable (or meat) into similarly-sized pieces.
3. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and any other herb you have around, such as (sing it Simon/Garfunkle) parsley, sage, rosemary or thyme.
4. Place on a single layer on a baking sheet. I always use 1/2 sheet pans lined with parchment.
5. Roast, tossing occasionally until the vegetables are done. The time varies; for Brussel sprouts and potatoes it is around 40 minutes; for zucchini it would be less

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