Comments | cooking: Roasted Vegetables

marimbaman in cooking

Roasted Vegetables

Oct 27, 2014 01:10

I'm a big fan of roasted vegetables (potatoes, sweet potatoes, parsnips, carrots, garlic...). I know I have made them in the past and have gotten a really nice uniform, crispy exterior. Problem is, I can never figure out how to replicate that ( Read more... )

method: roasting, vegetables: all, help: what to make

Comments 10

falnfenix October 27 2014, 10:58:43 UTC

what fat are you using to coat, and are they very dry when they go in?

marimbaman October 27 2014, 20:20:44 UTC

Olive oil. I've always wondered about the dryness thing--I pat them down with a paper towel, but that doesn't really seem to do much.

falnfenix October 29 2014, 11:07:58 UTC

someone else mentioned this, but i'd spin them (either in a salad spinner or in some pantyhose if you lack a spinner).

lizziebuffy2008 October 27 2014, 12:37:41 UTC

I roast veggies quite a lot in fall and winter. This is what works for me:

1. They must be dry going in the oven, except for the oil or butter.

2. They must be spread out on the pan, so they will not steam.

3. Start at 350 on a lower oven rack and roast until tender. Then, bump up the oven to 425-450 and move to an upper rack to brown them.

marimbaman October 27 2014, 20:21:19 UTC

Serious question: how do you dry them? I mean, wiping a potato off with a paper towel doesn't remove much moisture.

lizziebuffy2008 October 27 2014, 20:48:01 UTC

By dry, I just mean, not wet. If you like to rinse your veggies after they have been peeled/cut, then I would use a salad spinner to get excess water off.

tater1112 October 27 2014, 13:46:07 UTC

high temp, preheat the pan.

http://www.splendidtable.org/recipes/orphans-winter-oven-roasted-winter-vegetables

marimbaman October 27 2014, 20:21:49 UTC

Ooh...never thought to preheat the pan.

reservoir October 27 2014, 14:25:59 UTC

I definitely found that using more fat helped. I'd been using a very light amount of canola oil spray and switching to a good coating of olive oil helped them cook and brown more evenly.

If the fat isn't the issue, you might also consider briefly blanching before roasting.

I normally do brussels sprouts, onions and garlic and roast at 400 for 20 minutes, turning/tossing once halfway through.

whyintellectual October 27 2014, 23:13:42 UTC

I agree with adding more fat that won't burn off. Try mixing a little peanut oil or Canola oil with your olive oil.