pocket recipe; fast, easy, delicious roasted root vegetables with shallot vinaigrette

roasted root vegetables

–who says eating healthy has to be boring, time-consuming, or hard?? If you’re looking for something fast and easy and healthy to prepare for a Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow, I have a great recipe for you. I found this one on Food 52 last week and made it for a potluck dinner. It was a hit! and don’t wait til Thanksgiving to prepare it. It’s easy enough to mix up the ingredients for a quick and healthy dinner any season of the year.

((MUS•e•YUM note: I altered the recipe below by adding the following: parsnips, radishes and FENNEL, and the result was really good. With this recipe the idea of the “mix of veg” is the important thing, but the components are really up to you. Support your local farmers! Go to your nearest farmer’s market, have fun filling up your bag and experiment! ))

Autumn Vegetable Medley, by AntoniaJames (source, Food52.com)

Serves 6-12

• 2 cups of peeled and cubed winter squash, cut into ¾” dice
• 2 cups cubed thin-skinned red, white and/or Yukon gold potatoes (preferably a combination), cut into ¾” dice
• 2 cups trimmed and halved Brusslies (Brussels sprouts)(measured after cutting)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• Kosher salt
• 3 large shallots, coarsely chopped (about 1 1/2 cup)
• 3 medium cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 medium bay leaves (preferably fresh)
• 3-4 tablespoons sherry vinegar, or more, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh marjoram leaves
• 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
• Freshly ground pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss the squash cubes and diced potatoes in 2 teaspoons of oil. Put them on a baking sheet and sprinkle on a pinch of salt. Roast for 20 minutes, turning the cubes over and stirring briefly after the first 10 minutes. The vegetables should be fork tender and just starting to caramelize.
2. Toss the Brusslies (Brussels sprouts) in 1 teaspoon of oil and a tiny pinch of salt and roast for about 15 minutes. If you like them softer and browner, cook them a bit longer.
3. Heat a large skillet until fairly hot, then add the remaining tablespoon of oil and the bay leaves. Cook for about ten seconds, stirring, and then add the shallots. Cook over medium heat with a pinch of salt, stirring constantly. When the shallots are wilted and somewhat translucent, add the chopped garlic and cook for another minute or so.
4. Deglaze the pan with the vinegar and, with the heat on medium, add the squash and the potatoes. Toss very gently to combine with the shallots and garlic. Cook over medium low heat for a minute or so.
5. Add the herbs and toss again carefully and cook over medium low heat, stirring, for another minute.
6. Add the Brusslies, and test for salt and correct, if necessary. Grind on fresh pepper to taste, and carefully toss again. Remove the bay leaves before serving.
7. Enjoy!!
8. N.B. You can roast the potatoes and squash up to two days in advance. Cool thoroughly before storing in a tightly lidded container in the refrigerator. The Brusslies do much better and retain their beautiful color when they are cooked within a few hours, at most, of eating. You can trim and halve them, though, up to two days in advance, provided that you store them in cold water in the refrigerator. Drain them well, tossing a few times in the colander to get as much moisture off as possible, before roasting. They can be slid in the oven on a rack directly below another one. Feel free to make up the entire dish, except the Brusslies, three or four hours before the meal, and then toss the Brusslies in at the end. This dish is best served warm, but it doesn’t need to be too hot. It’s also tasty at room temperature, if that works out best for you.

Read more: http://www.food52.com/recipes/7836_autumn_vegetable_medley_vegetarian_style#ixzz16DrSFUb1