Braised Winter Roots Recipes

ROASTED WINTER ROOT VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Place the rutabaga in a pan and cover with water. Add 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer until tender and easily pierced with a fork, about 5 minutes. Drain well, and cool completely. Repeat steps to cook the parsnips and carrots.
• Place completely cooled vegetables in resealable freezer bags. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 days, or freeze up to 1 month. To thaw the vegetables, refrigerate overnight and drain.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Pour the vegetable oil into a rimmed baking dish. Place the vegetables into a large mixing bowl and toss with the basil, salt, and pepper. Place the pan in preheated oven to heat for 5 minutes. Add the vegetables and toss to coat with the oil.
• Roast vegetables in preheated oven, turning every 10 minutes, until tender and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.

POT ROAST WITH WINTER ROOT VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix first 6 ingredients in small bowl. Rub spice blend all over beef.
• Cook bacon in heavy large ovenproof pot over medium heat until browned and lightly crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons drippings from pot. Increase heat to medium-high. Add beef and cook until browned on all sides, about 12 minutes total. Transfer beef to plate. Add red wine to pot; bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Boil until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 5 minutes. Add broth and bacon. Place beef atop bacon. Scatter onions, shallots, garlic, and bay leaves around beef.
• Cover pot, transfer to oven, and roast 1 hour. Turn beef over; stir onions. Cover and roast 1 hour longer, adding water by 1/4 cupfuls if dry. Transfer beef to plate. Add carrots, parsnips, and celery to pot; stir to coat. Place beef atop vegetables, cover, and roast until beef and vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes longer. Transfer beef to platter. Spoon off fat from surface of sauce. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over beef and serve.

POLENTA WITH BRAISED ROOT VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter or oil a 2-quart baking dish. Combine the polenta, salt and water in the baking dish. Place in the oven on a baking sheet. Bake 50 minutes. Stir in the butter, and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes until the polenta is soft and all of the liquid has been absorbed. Stir in the cheese, if using.
• While the polenta is baking, cook the vegetables. Heat the oil in a large, heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until it begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the carrots, kohlrabi and parsnip, and then season with salt. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, and stir together for about a minute until fragrant. Stir in the tomatoes with their liquid, a pinch of sugar and salt to taste. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, for 15 minutes until the tomatoes are cooked down and fragrant. Add lots of freshly ground pepper, taste and adjust salt, and remove from the heat.
• Serve the polenta with the vegetables spooned on top.

BRAISED WINTER ROOTS

Steps:

• Peel parsnips and cut into 3- by 1/4-inch sticks. Cut leeks crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds and wash well. Trim stalks flush with fennel bulb and cut each bulb lengthwise into 8 wedges.
• In a heavy saucepan melt 3 tablespoons butter over moderate heat and stir in parsnips, leeks, fennel, garlic, thyme, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. Add wine and simmer mixture, covered, stirring occasionally, 15 to 20 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Stir in remaining tablespoon butter and salt and pepper to taste.