Corned Beef and Cabbage was on the menu for St. Patrick’s Day dinner at my parents house. That menu is usually rounded out with potatoes, carrots and onions. I suggested roasting the veggies and my mom thought it was a great idea, especially since I was happy to do most of the cooking.
She had new potatoes, onions and carrots and I picked up parsnips and beets. I also had a loaf of corn rye bread baked on Friday from Green Gulch Farm.
Roasted Root Vegetables
Ingredients:
A combination of root vegetables – I used the following but sweet potatoes and celery root would have both been good additions.
Carrots
Parsnips
New Potatoes
Beets (I used both gold and Chioggia Beets)
Olive Oil
Salt
Rosemary (optional)
Directions:
Set oven temperature to 400 degrees.
Scrub the carrots, parsnips and potatoes. Scrub and trim the beets but don’t peel them – they will roast in foil and the skin slips off easily after roasting.
Trim off the long, thin roots from the beets. Tear off a large piece of foil and wrap one type of beets in it, crimping the sides.
I like to wrap them separately so the golden beets aren’t stained pink from the juices of the red beets. If you have more than one type, wrap others in foil. Put foil packet in a baking pan to catch drips, and put in oven.
Roast until tender. This depends on the size of the beets – the smaller beets were done in about 40 minutes, the large ones took an hour.
Cut potatoes – if small just cut in half but larger ones can be cut into quarters or sixths.
If you are cooking at your parents house, pick some fresh rosemary from the beautiful plant in the backyard. Don’t casually step from the terrace to the slippery wooden deck because you might fall. It is better to be careful and go down the stairs holding the railing.
Cover large baking sheet with parchment paper. Drizzle potatoes with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and finely chopped fresh rosemary if using, and toss together. Arrange in a single layer on the baking sheet.
We were having onions with our dinner so before putting the pan in the oven I peeled two golden onions, cut them in wedges and added them to the end of the pan.
Peel the carrots and parsnips.
Trim the ends and cut into chunky pieces. Put on parchment-covered baking sheet, drizzle with oil, sprinkle with salt and toss together. Arrange in single layer and put in oven to roast.
After 10 or 15 minutes you can turn the vegetables but they’ll be ok if you just leave them to roast until they are tender. Start checking after 20 minutes or so. They should be tender when tested with the tip of a knife. The onions were the first to come out of the oven, tender and sweet.
Take the beets out to check – carefully open foil and poke with a knife. If they’re cooked through, let cool enough to handle and slip the skins off with your fingers. Some may need a little trimming with a knife.
Next up – carrots and parsnips.
The potatoes finished last.
Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside and fragrant with rosemary. I couldn’t resist a piece.
Boiled cabbage can get overcooked and soggy so though I’d never tried roasting cabbage I decided I’d give it a go. Though it was good, I should have cooked it longer. Next time.
The finished meal: corned beef that my mom cooked surrounded by colorful and delicious roasted vegetables.
Sláinte!
dianne faw 