Roasted Broccoli

I have yet to find a veggie that doesn't do well in the oven. Things like this are nice because they don't require much skill, attention, preparation or time, but it's hard to mess up and it's always good. And hey- one less thing hogging the stovetop.

I love roasted broccoli because there are so many things that happen to it while roasting- it gets sweeter and richer without being bitter and there's a little bit of texture with the charred bits and the caramelized bottom. It's everything steamed and boiled broccoli want to be but can't.


Roasted Broccoli

Ingredients:

• One broccoli top, cut into medium-sized pieces.
• Enough Extra Virgin Olive Oil to lightly coat broccoli
• Salt (Kosher or Gray is best here), Fresh-Ground Pepper and garlic powder* to taste
• Juice of half a lemon (or to taste)
• Crumbled goat cheese to top (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400F
2. Drizzle oil on broccoli and mix to cover evenly
3. Sprinkle on salt, pepper and garlic as desired
4. Roast for 10 minutes or until the tops are just starting to char and the broccoli has just darkened from the super-bright green stage.
5. Drizzle with lemon and cheese
6. Serve and enjoy

Obviously, you can use whatever cheese you want. I like the bright fresh creaminess of the goat cheese, but whatever floats your boat.

*Okay. So, fresh garlic vs powdered. Fresh garlic tastes amazing, but it a situation like this, it will burn and not taste good at all. The dry stands up to the heat better and won't burn. Besides, the dried gives a more subtle flavor without overpowering the food in this circumstance.You'll thank me later.

Roasted Root Veggies

After all the richness of the holiday foods, I needed something lighter! This is an old winter standby for me.

A lot of this is done by eye, which makes putting this into a recipe somewhat of a challenge. Basically what you're looking for is equal parts of the larger veggies cut in to similar-sized bits.

Another way you can handle the garlic, aside from the medium mince in the recipe below, would be to cut the cloves in half or leave them whole. Just add more cloves if you go this route. Remember, the finer the chop, the more garlic flavor that will come out.

Roasted Root Veggies

Ingredients:

• 1-2 large carrots


• 1-2 large parsnips


• 1 large fennel bulb with the fennel leaves removed and reserved


• 1-2 red onions


• 1-4 red potatoes


• 1-3 cloves of garlic


• Herbs de Provance to taste


• Kosher Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper to taste (but, don't be shy)


• One teaspoon, finely chopped fennel leaves from the fennel bulb (optional)


• Olive Oil and Vermouth

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 400


2. Peel and chop all veggies into 1/2 to 1-inch cubes (everything should be the same size, but remember that the larger the cubes, the longer the cook time, except the garlic, which you should do a medium mince. Chop the potatoes first so they can soak while you prepare the rest of the veggies. Leave the skins on if desired (just wash them first, mkay?). For the fennel, chop the top off and only use the bulb


3. Drain the potatoes and combine all the veggies, including the garlic, in a bowl.


4. Drizzle enough olive oil and vermouth to coat everything, using more oil than vermouth. Add all seasonings.


5. Cover and allow to sit on the counter for 5-10 minutes.


6. After a quick toss, pour out the veggies onto a foil-lined cookie sheet and bake for 20-50 minutes (depends on veggie size and your oven.). Root veggies can take a while, so be patient. Turn veggies occasionally.

Lemon and Garlic Roasted Chicken

I meant to write this last week, but I'm slacking!

Anywho...




People seem to be afraid of roast chicken. It's a shame, really because they're easy, cost effective and easy to find! Not to mention a good roasted chicken knocks the socks off any frozen dinner around. Normally, I'll go to the supermarket and get a roaster, but if you have a local source for good, free-range chicken then that's even better!

I love Granova Poultry! I'd buy the heck out of their chickens if I were still in Maryland. :)

The trick for me is to soak the bird in salted water with other flavorings. It makes the meat flavorful and juicy and chicken takes to just about any flavor, so you can make it your own.

Lemon Garlic Roasted Chicken

Note: with the soaking, this takes a day or so. Once you start actively cooking the chicken, it will take about an hour in the oven.

Ingredients:

• One Roasting Chicken


• One Lemon


• One to Two cloves of Garlic, finely chopped, depending on size and personal preference


• 2-3 Bay leaves


• Water to cover


• 1/4 cup Salt (for this, I like table salt, but whatever floats your boat)


• 2-4 Tbs Butter for basting


• 2-3 medium onions, quartered

Tools:

• Roasting Pan


• Gallon zip-top bag


• Butcher's twine for trussing (if desired.)


• Meat Thermometer (I like this one, but I wouldn't leave it in the bird.

Method

1. Remove chicken from packaging, remove neck and giblets (if they're there), rinse and pat dry


2. Put chicken, garlic, lemon, bay and salt in bag and fill with water


3. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours but no more than a couple of days


4. Remove bird from bag and dry thoroughly.


5. Preheat oven to 450 degrees


6. Stuff bird with lemon and bay from soak, if desired


7. Truss if desired (I don't for chickens)


8. line the bottom of the roasting pan with the onions and place bird on top


9. Place in oven and cook for 30 minutes


10. After 30 minutes, reduce heat to 350.


11. Cook for another 10 minutes and then baste with some of the butter


12. After 15 minutes, baste one more time


13. Continue to cook until the breast meat has an internal temp of 175. The juices will run clear and the leg joints will be pliable.

Enjoy!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

I'm a BIG fan of roasting veggies. They don't go mushy on you and their flavor gets really sweet and intense. I created this dish as a Thanksgiving side on a lark 3 years ago and am hooked; I'm pretty much ruined on steaming now!

These are really easy to prepare and are a tasty way to eat a "scary" veggie. I've won over non-believers with this dish. :)

So, without further adieu:

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

• 2 Pounds Whole, fresh Brussels Sprouts, cleaned and halved
• One (or two if you'd like) small red onion, chopped to roughly the same size as the spouts.
• Couple heavy pinches of Truffle Salt (Kosher works in a pinch)
• Fresh Ground Pepper to taste
• Herbs de Provence
• 1-2 Tsp Olive Oil
• enough Vermouth to cover the bottom of the roasting pan
• Fresh Goat Cheese (optional)

1) Turn oven to 375
2) While preheating, In a 9X13 Pyrex dish, combine all the ingredients and allow to sit for 20 minutes
3) Make sure mixture is well-mixed before putting into oven
4) Bake covered for 15-20 minutes, uncover and bake until veggies have carmelized.
5) Remove from oven and top with goat cheese