Roasting is a great way to cook vegetables, especially root vegetables. The heat concentrates flavor as water evaporates away and the heat caramelizes the sugars.
This is a new combination that turned out to be simple, easy and really good. I liked having two different vegetables with complementary color and flavor. Dicing made it cook well and further intensified the roasting.
Roasted Squash and Beet Medley
1 butternut squash
2 beets
Prepare two plastic bags by filling with air, twisting closed and squeezing to make sure they have no leaks.
Peel vegetables and cut into 3/4-inch cubes. (Hint: Wear plastic gloves while handling beets so you don't wind up with ruby paws.) Put the beets into one bag and the squash into the other.
Add 1-1/2 tablespoons of oil and 2 teaspoons of salt to each bag along with spices or herbs. I used different but complementary herbs in each. I used 1 tsp. anise seed for the beets and 1/2 tsp. five-spice powder for the squash.
Close each bag and toss to mix, squeeze out excess air and leave while you prepare the rest of the meal (1/2 hour to several hours or overnight).
Spread on a sheet pan and roast until tender, probably 45 minutes to an hour at 400 degrees.
Or cook on the grill using a perforated metal grill basket, an hour at medium heat.
Recent Comments