Glazed roasted vegetables

 I wanted to repost this recipe because it is one of my favorites and one that I am asked for often. I like adding different vegetables as this recipe works with a variety of vegetables! I often add brussels sprouts or winter squash chunks.  Just remember that if it is a softer vegetable, like brussels sprouts, mushrooms  or zucchini, you could wait to add them until half way through the cooking time. 

Glazed roasted vegetables

Four large servings

1 very large sweet potato

3 parsnips

3 carrots

1 red onion

Could add a rutabaga , Delicata squash, turnip , chopped butternut squash, brussels sprouts etc if desired

8 or so dried figs, quartered, optional 

½ -3/4 cup pecan or walnut halves, optional

Olive oil

Glaze

1 ½ TBSP molasses

1 TBSP  balsamic vinegar

3 Tsp honey

1-2 tsp mustard

2 tsp olive oil

1 tsp thyme or rosemary, crushed

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut vegetables up in small bite sized chunks. Mix in a bowl with 1 TBSP olive oil and 1 tsp balsamic vinegar.

Use a large baking sheet (about 13x18 ish). You may cover in foil for easy clean up. Oil pan with 1 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil. Place vegetables on the baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper and crushed red pepper. Do not cover. Place in 400 oven for about 20 minutes minutes, turning a once during cooking with a spatula.

Remove from oven and add quartered figs and walnuts. 

Mix molasses, honey, balsamic vinegar, mustard and olive oil

Drizzle over veggies and turn to coat.

Return to oven and bake another 10 -20 minutes

Check for doneness after it has been in about 30 minutes. It is done when vegetables are soft with a nice crispy crust. 

This photo doesn't do these glazed veggies justice

Recipe by Denise Birdsall 2011. All rights reserved

Winter Squash Risotto

 

How I LOVE this time year! The changing colors of the leaves is a brilliant backdrop to all of my favorite fall meals! I do love cooking all the fresh spring vegetables and the lovely summer of salads but my favorite things to cook are the warm pots of soup, the abundant harvest of apples with all the goodies I can make with them, slow roasted oven dishes and baking with the  spicy pumpkin flavors this time of year!

Perhaps my most anticipated fall treat is in October when all the winter squash are in season! Yay! I love some of the less well known varieties such as Kabocha or Japanese pumpkin, Buttercup, and Delicata squash. They are only available to me for a short time so I literally fill up my shopping basket with them!

     

A winter squash risotto is perfect match of flavors- creamy rice with pumpkin richness and warmth. We had this lovely dinner with a couple of delightful new friends and they loved the warm and homey fragrance of roasting root veggies which greeted them at the door.

I have a similar risotto recipe on this blog with kabocha and bacon but I wanted to make a vegetarian option which can easily be made vegan. This risotto stars either creamy kabocha pumpkin or bright butternut. Feel free to use any winter squash that has a flavorful puree. You can even make this risotto with canned pumpkin puree in a pinch!

Risotto is a rice dish made with arborio rice which is short grain and starchy. It is cooked slowly while stirring to create a lovely creamy texture.

Risotto is an easy dish to make but there are some important guidelines. Heat a good quality, lower sodium broth in one pan and keep just below a simmer. In another large pan, sauté the onions and garlic in olive oil/butter or vegan margarine and then add the rice stirring until coated to build a flavorful base. As you cook rice, add liquid and stir constantly- a figure 8 motion works well to stir everything well. Stir in the broth, a little at a time (about a half cup) and cook until it is just about absorbed. Then add a bit more liquid. Taste the rice about 15 minutes in and if it is not close to being al dente ( tender with a bit of texture in center) then add more water or broth to pan to heat it and add to rice. For this risotto I add squash puree to the broth. If you prefer you could add diced roasted squash to the risotto towards the end of the cooking process instead.  

There are a few topping ideas if you would like to up the flavor. These include tomato and onion, mushroom and kale, or roasted pepitas.

For a festival of winter squash flavors, serve this with a side of roasted Delicata and onions. Or roast a wider variety of winter vegetables with different flavors and textures such as sweet potatoes, parsnips and carrots. To make your roasted veggies extra special, see my recipe for glazed roasted vegetables.

 

Winter squash risotto

·        About 2 ½ - 3 cups kabocha squash, Or Butternut Or pumpkin puree (roasted and mashed see notes*)

·        4 cups vegetable broth or low sodium chicken broth plus extra water as needed up to one cup

·         

·        1  ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

·        1 ½ TBSP butter or vegan alt margarine or coconut oil

·        Small onion, finely diced

·        3 garlic cloves, pressed

·        ½ -1 teaspoon dried thyme

·        ½ tsp herbs de province

·        ½ tsp garlic seasoning or garlic powder  

·        ½ teaspoon salt, more to taste at the end

·        ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

·        1 ½ cup arborio rice

·        1 cup dry white wine

·        ½ cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese or vegan cheese or skip the cheese if needed

You will need a medium sauce pan and a larger dutch oven or deep wide pot. You may also need a saute pan for toppings though you could make them ahead in the dutch oven.

See optional toppings**

Place broth in a medium saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add 2 ½ cups of winter squash puree* Reduce the heat so the broth remains steaming, but is not boiling.

Heat oil and butter in a large dutch oven or deep pot over medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 3 minutes.

Add thyme, herbs, salt, pepper and cook for one minute Add rice; stir until translucent, about 2 minutes.

Add wine and stir well, until wine is almost absorbed by the rice, about 3 minutes.

Stir in broth about a 1/2 cup at a time , reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring constantly, until the liquid has been absorbed. Continue adding the broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring after each addition until all the liquid has been absorbed, and cook until the rice is tender and creamy. This usually takes about 20 minutes.

As you are coming closer to the end of the broth, taste test the rice. It should be al dente, tender with just a bit of bite in the center.  If it has a way to go, add more water to the broth pot and heat it up before adding it to the rice.

Also taste for salt and seasonings as well as if it has enough of the squash puree. Add more as needed. Remember that too much squash can make the finished risotto a bit heartier or thick, which is fine but if you are looking for light and creamy go easy on extra squash puree.

Add ¼ cup of parmesiano Reggiano, blend it in. You can skip the cheese or try a vegan alternative. If I was skipping I would add nutritional yeast for flavor.

Top finished risotto with extra parmesan.

* Roast kabocha or butternut squash

Scrub the squash. Puncture several times. Then place in microwave for 3 minutes or so to soften skin a bit. Or you could place whole squash in the oven for 8 minutes or so to soften, remove and cut in half to remove seeds.

Next, carefully cut squash in half. Take care, this is the dangerous part!

Next up, remove the seeds. I like to use a grapefruit spoon to do this. You may remove some of the stringiness after cooking.

Drizzle with olive oil and brush or rub on the squash. Place on a baking sheet , cut side down. You may line your baking sheet with foil or parchment for easy clean-up.

Bake at 400°F for 30-45 minutes for kabocha or 40-50 for butternut or until very tender. The time is dependent on the size and on how dry the squash is so keep an eye on it.  Let it cool slightly, so you can hold it. Then, use a spoon to scoop the flesh of the squash away from the skin.

Place a 2 ½ cups or so of the cooked squash in food processor or high-speed blender and blend for a minute. Add a bit of broth and blend until smooth. If your squash puree is already smooth just by mashing or if you are using canned pumpkin you may skip this step.

Optional toppings**

I like to serve this with roasted winter vegetables such as sweet potatoes, delicata squash, parsnips, carrots, and onion. Just start roasting them about 20-30 minutes before risotto starts so they are both done at the same time .Or if it is easier, you can roast the vegetables when you roast the squash for the risotto and just heat them up to serve.

In addition, you can add flavor, color, and texture by topping the finished risotto with one of these or other desired topping.

Option one

·        1 TBSPN olive oil

·        1 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half

·        1/2 c diced onion

·        2 cloves garlic , pressed or chopped

·        Splash of balsamic vinegar, optional

Saute the tomatoes, onion, garlic on medium low for 10 -15 minutes until soft and starting to brown a bit. Add more oil if it is sticking. Turn down the heat and continue cooking for 5-10 minutes. Add a splash of balsamic along with the garlic and kale if you like.

Option two

·        1 TBSPN olive oil

·        1 cup sliced mushrooms (shiitake or baby bella,or other variety)

·        1/3 c diced onion

·        2 cloves garlic, pressed or chopped

·        1 cup shredded kale or spinach

Saute mushrooms and onions for several minutes until liqu44id releases. Add garlic and kale and sauté for a few more minutes.

Option 3

Roasted pepitas and fresh parsley

Lemon Orzo Salad with arugula, tomato, olives and artichokes

 

1 cup whole wheat or regular Orzo (May substitute gluten free orzo, Israeli couscous, or other small pasta)

1/3 -1/2 cup each of Kalamata or black olive 

1/3 cup green olives. slice if desired. (May use all of one or the other olive)

One half red onion, minced

4-6 oz Jar of marinated artichoke hearts, quartered, drained

½ - ¾ up crumbled feta or goat cheese

Small red bell pepper, diced

12 or so grape tomatoes

2 cups arugula, torn

Cucumber, peeled and seeded, diced optional

½ - ¾ up crumbled feta or goat cheese

Dressing: 

Lemon, small, finely zested and juiced

1/2 cup olive oil plus  1/4 c lemon flavored olive oil or 3/4 c olive oil 

Optional- Up to quarter cup of white balsamic vinegar or rice vingar etc. if needed. 

To taste Salt, Lemon pepper, garlic powder, sugar or honey. Start with about 1/2 tsp and add more as desired.

2 TBSP mayonnaise, optional

Note: all amounts and items are flexible

Cook orzo according to package instructions. Rinse with cool water. 

In a large jar or container with lid, add zest and juice of the lemon. Shake or whisk together with olive oil and seasoning. Taste and add more of anything needed.  If dressing is too tart add water or more olive oil. If it needs more flavor, add seasoning or some white balsamic vinegar. You may not need all of the dressing on this salad so reserve some for another use. 

Place cooked, rinsed, well drained orzo in a bowl. Add dressing, a 1/4 cup at a time until orzo is coated. Add all ingredients except red pepper, arugula, cucumber. and feta cheese.   Mix well and refrigerate about a half hour. Prep cucumber by cutting in quarters lengthwise and slicing off seeds. Add the rest of the veggies and cheese.

 Add more dressing if it looks dry or lacks flavor.