Want To Convert A Veggie Hater? Roast 'Em
I recently turned a broccoli basher into a fan. My husband used to despise cauliflower, but now he loves it. My kid now begs me to make okra.
What's the secret?
They all taste like completely different creatures when they're roasted.
Cooking veggies in a 450-degree oven helps bring out the natural sugars, caramelizing the surfaces. Slimy okra gets crispy. Broccoli flowers develop a nice crunch. Cauliflower, which I toss in curry powder and olive oil, becomes golden and mellow.
This technique is hardly new. I first read about it in Barbara Kafka's outstanding Roasting: A Simple Art, which was published in 1995. (Her roast chicken is the absolute best in the world and takes just 60 minutes.)
This fall, I've been reading lots of recipes for roasted Brussels sprouts, including a report by Al Dente's Tracy Schneider. At a potluck for food writer types, I watched uber book agent Lisa Ekus rub raw garlic on split sprouts and couldn't believe how delicious those babies were when roasted. What a wonderful trend!
At the frat house where I've been working as a prep cook, the chef routinely roasts carrots, broccoli and green beans. (Those are her creations in the photo, beans wrapped in bacon.) The guys at Alpha Sigma Phi at the University of Washington love them.
One of the advantages of roasting veggies is it's so incredibly easy. Wash, chop, toss in olive oil, season with salt and pepper, then roast for 15-20 minutes (or slightly more for the bacon-wrapped beans) and they're good to go.
Take the roasted veggie challenge. See if you can turn a veggie hater into a lover.
-- Leslie Kelly
bbq on December 07, 2009 at 01:44 PM
the way to get people to like vegetables -- wrap them in bacon. That also works for most other types of food
Tom Armitage on December 08, 2009 at 08:59 AM
Two comments on roasting: (1) I vote for Judy Rogers' (Zuni Cafe, San Francisco) dry-brined roast chicken as the "best." (2) Try squeezing some lime juice on your curry-dusted roast cauliflower. It will add a wonderful sharp citric note to the warm flavor of the curry.
tom | tall clover farm on December 08, 2009 at 10:30 AM
You are so right Lesley. I started roasting veggies about a year ago, especially in the fall and winter months. Love them. I toss anything form carrots, potatoes (sweet and otherwise), turnips, parsnips, cauliflower and brussel sprouts in 2 T of olive oil with 1 T sherry or white balsamic vinegar and fresh ground pepper and sea salt. Crank the range to 425 F and toss every 15 minutes until shriveled, browned and packed with concentrated flavor.