The secret to perfectly roasted vegetables- an effortless recipe

2013-12-31
  • Servings : 4-6
  • Prep Time : 10m
  • Cook Time : 1:10 h
  • Ready In : 1:30 h

Come Christmas or New Year, or for that matter any special occasion, we are always making some or the other roast. Roasts are easy.

But potatoes, and vegetables, are another story – have you mastered the perfect roast potato yet? The crispy golden exterior but soft crunchy insides.Oh I could die for the perfect roast potato- I just love it .

I think what goes with that meat is crucial. If the vegetables that are roasted alongside are not so good, the dish just does not deliver its punch.

This wonderful recipe will banish all the fears of roasting vegetables and in no time you will have the most amazing roasted vegetables you have ever made. This recipe has to be in your party food collection

Ingredients

Potatoes- 1 kg
Parsnips- 5-6
Carrots- 5-6
Garlic- 1 whole bulb
Rosemary, fresh- 2-3 sprigs (optional)
Salt, preferably coarse sea salt- to taste
Pepper powder, preferably freshly ground- to taste
Olive oil- at least half a cup, but as much as you dare

Method

Peel and cut the potatoes in half.

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Wash in running water to take away the excess starch.

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Peel and trim the carrots and parsnips, and halve the larger ones along the length.

Peel and cut the onions in half. Separate the garlic cloves, but don’t peel them. Bash them lightly once to open up the skin.

Put the potatoes in a pan of salted cold water, and bring to boil on a high heat.

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Let it boil for 6-8 minutes. Do the same for carrots, but add the parsnips about 4 minutes before the end. Drain the water, and let the vegetables dry in the steam for about 10 minutes.

Once dry, toss the half boiled potatoes around in the pan, so that the top layer of the potatoes disintegrates slightly and becomes floury. This will help it crisp up.

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The Fat: I normally use olive oil, since that’s always available in my kitchen. You can use butter (50-100g) or goose fat if you want.

Put the roasting pan you are using on to a stove, and add about half your fat in it.

Toss in the garlic, and press the onions cut site down. Once it sizzles, add in the vegetables, and arrange in a single layer. You do not want the vegetables layered… nothing will turn out crispy in that case. Throw in the sprigs of rosemary. Pour over the remaining fat coating all the vegetables. Toss lightly to coat it all up. If you are using butter, no need to melt it, just pop pieces all over.

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This goes into an oven at 200C for about an hour. Its best to put it in to the over about 40 minutes before the meat is done, in the lower shelf. This gives you the opportunity to move it up the upper shelf when the meat is out of the oven and resting. You can turn up the heat to 220 for the last 10 minutes if you want it extra crispy. But whatever you do, check up on it ten minutes before time to see if its done.

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And there you have it. Serve immediately. Not only will it taste amazing, it will look divine. Guaranteed to be a hit with your family and guests.

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