Okay, that was my take on "Zen and the Art of
Motorcycle Maintenance" which really didn't translate all that well. Oh
well! But unlike Robert Pirsig who states in his introduction that despite the
title, there is no factual information on Zen Buddhism or motorcycles, this
article does contain pertinent information regarding vegetables and the
application of dry heat cooking.
Why dry heat? For starters, dry heat cooking removes
moisture from any food substance thus concentrating natural flavors and sugars
intensifying both sensations. Secondly, dry heat cooking allows browning to
occur or that basic organic chemistry reaction; the Maillard Reaction. You
know, when the carbonyl group of a sugar reacts with the nucleophilic amino
group of an amino acid thus creating complex molecules that create desirable
browning along with additional flavor components. Or were you sleeping in
organic chemistry class?
Anyway, oven roasted veggies are one of my favorite
cooking applications especially if I am using the oven for other applications
like baking bread or muffins or making pizza. No sense wasting that valuable
heat. And since we're now into the New Year and might have to shed a few inches
from the excesses of November and December, consuming more veggies are a good
way to accomplish those "inch" goals. Please note that I only try to
reduce inches and that I could care less about my actual weight since weight is
simply a number. I would rather be a "heavy" person with lots of bone
and muscle mass than a "light" person composed mainly of fat. Of
course at my age and genetic makeup, I trend more to the "heavy"
person composed of fat and couldn't pack on the muscle even using "the
clear" and "the cream". But I digress so let's get back to
roasted veggies.
Crucifers
I've previously mentioned that one of my favorites
veggies is oven roasted cauliflower. Simply cut into evenly sized pieces and
tossed with olive oil and minced garlic then roasted for 10 to 20 minutes or
just until the edges start browning. These morsels can then be served as is or
finished with a little more flavored olive oil, citrus zest or parsley. And
they are just as good hot or cold! Or you can even prepare cauliflower
"steaks" by slicing vertically through the whole head and roasting
then serving with your favorite dressing, pesto or sauce for a vegetarian main
course.
Or how about roasted broccoli? I know that the elder
President Bush despised broccoli but it's probably because he never had them
roasted. Most cooking applications call either for steaming, boiling or pan
frying but oven roasted broccoli takes it to another level. Simply slice
lengthwise through the floret and stalk trying to keep each piece the same
thickness for even cooking (or to prevent thinner slices from burning). In a
small food processor, pulverize 1 part bread crumbs (leftover panko is great) and 2 parts lean salami,
pepperoni or bacon with 1 or 2 cloves or raw garlic and salt and black pepper.
Brush the cut side with a little mustard then press into the bread crumb
mixture and roast with the cut side up until the crumb mixture browns. This
application kicks up your broccoli several notches!
And last but not least, the humble Brussels sprout which
made its first appearance on my Thanksgiving table several years ago and now
has a regular place on the table (as long as it's less than $3.99 per pound).
When boiled or steamed, Brussels sprout tend to give off more of those
sulfurous qualities (which is why children probably don't like them) but when
roasted in dry heat, the sweetness really emerges. Add a little flavored olive
oil and garlic and you have a perfect side dish - I even have leftovers as my
lunch!
Roots and Bulbs
I used to pack plain carrot sticks for years in my daily
brown bag lunch until I first roasted them as a side dish for Thanksgiving.
These days, carrots don't enter my lunch bag unless they're oven roasted with
flavored olive oil and smoked sea salt. Roasting really highlights the inherent
sweetness of the carrot and softens them just a bit - I never roast until they
are mushy but just until you see faint browning on the edges which still leaves
them with a "bite". I also add other root veggies depending what's in
season and what's on sale. Parsnips add a contrasting color while cubed celery
root mixes up the flavors and just for flavor contrasts, I'll often add some
fennel bulb to the party. This really enhances the licorice-like sweetness of
the bulb while also complementing the flavor profiles of the other root
veggies.
Roasting Tips
As you've already noticed, I haven't included specific
recipes when roasting veggies as oven temperatures vary from oven to oven and
also how well an individual oven retains its heat. The actual size and shape of
the veggie also is a major factor which determines how long it needs to roast.
Therefore you should try to keep the pieces about the same shape and size...
unless you have both soft and hard veggies. Obviously even a large piece of
fennel will cook faster than a small piece of carrot so try to roast the hard
veggies together and the soft veggies separately. And there is no one ideal
temperature to roast veggies because temperature is determined by how soft or
hard you want the finished product. More char and bite, use a higher temperature.
Soft and silky texture, then go low and slow. And remember that frilly parts of
the veggie like broccoli florets can burn even at low temperatures so keep an
eye on your roasted broccoli!
Be a Multi-tasker
While Baking
So the next time you're baking bread, muffins or cookies
or simply making a pot roast, take advantage of that oven heat by roasting some
veggies. You often can roast them at the same time on a shallow cake pan and
you'll be using the same amount of electricity or gas and most importantly,
you'll be able to coax a lot more flavor out of your veggies than by simply
boiling, steaming or pan frying.
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