john cabrera

pmhess:

Roasted Root Vegetables with Balsamic and Thyme

Back when I could eat, I made this every year for Winter Solstice Celebration. Balsamic vinegar and thyme lend a tasty twist to this contemporary classic. Beets generally take a few minutes longer to roast than other root vegetables, so slice them into smaller pieces to ensure all vegetables reach tenderness at the same time. Prep: 15 minutes; Bake: 30 minutes.

Yield: Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup  extra-virgin olive oil
• 2  tablespoon  balsamic vinegar
• 3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1  large yam, peeled, quartered, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 1 large sweet potato quartered, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 4 potatoes of your choice quartered, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 2  small beets, peeled, quartered, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 2  carrots, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 1  turnip, peeled, quartered, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 1  small rutabaga, peeled, quartered, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• Sea Salt, to taste
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preparation

Preheat oven to 450°. Whisk together first 3 ingredients in a bowl. Add parsnip and next 4 ingredients; toss until vegetables are well coated. Add salt and pepper, and toss again. Place in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake at 450° for 15 minutes. Stir vegetables, and bake 15 more minutes or until slightly crisp and golden but tender. (I added more potatoes to the original recipe so you may have to increase cooking time.  Just keep checking every 15 minutes until veggies are roasted to your preferred level of roastedness.  I like mine cooked through and a little crispy on the corners.) I’ve been known to add more oil and balsamic during the roasting process because I like it a little less on the dry side than the recipe.  I usually use 2 Yukon Gold and 2 red potatoes.  :)