Roasted Vegetable Tarte Tatin

 

Happy New Year!  I thought I'd start off 2011 by sharing an absolutely delicious creation.  To my surprise, the Food Network Magazine consistently delivers solid recipes that rarely fail to please.  This was my favorite from all of my holiday cooking.  I had never heard of a Tarte Tatin, but in doing a little research I learned that it was created in error as two French sisters attempted an apple pie gone wrong.  What you're looking at above are gorgeous roasted root vegetables: sweet potatoes, fingerling potatoes, parsnips, leeks and garlic all slow-roasted first to bring out their flavor.  As they cooked, I created a little caramel and then proceeded to assemble this dish upside-down.  The caramel went down first, followed by sage and oregano.  As the root veggies came out of the oven I positioned them in the caramel which hardened very quickly.  I was afraid at this point because the caramel wasn't perfectly covering the bottom of my baking dish - thankfully this all smooths out when you put it back into the oven.  A small sprinkling of mozzarella cheese and a final layer of puff pastry were the final toppings.  It baked for only a short time before smelling divine.  Once it came out I had to invert it.  This was the scary part - the pan had to cool for a bit but remain relatively warm for the Tarte Tatin to pop out.  I held my breath as both myself and my mom (assisting me as sous chef for this dish) had four hands working to flip it.  To my great surprise, it worked!  The picture you see is only moments after it came out of the pan.  We sliced it up immediately and it was pure heaven!  The sweetness of the caramel sauce pairs amazingly with these root vegetables.  A total winter treat in my opinion :) 

Make it again? This is sure to impress any dinner party.  In fact, it is pretty enough to place as your centerpiece.  Serve it right on your cutting board covered in parchment paper and scatter it with a few more herbs for a rustic, beautiful focal point.  I plan to use it for dinner parties and holiday gathering throughout the winter months.

Improvements?  No improvements to this recipe are needed.  It is perfect.  Variations could be fun though.  Different herb combinations as well as alternate root vegetables could be used.  I used leeks because I had them on hand even though the recipe called for a regular onion.  Purple potatoes would also add to the presentation.   

Here is the link for the recipe, enjoy!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/vegetable-tarte-tatin-recipe/index.html

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

 

Pure awesomeness based on points in both the taste and nostalgia categories.  And we roasted these seeds authentically - straight from the pumpkins as we were carving them.  I swear that made them taste even more delicious.  A dash of olive oil, a sprinkle of salt (no pepper), and that was it!!  I can't even imagine buying these in a package.  The package won't contain all the memories of fall pumpkin carvings from my childhood, nor will it bring my friends together for our annual carving contest.  I am willing to have them but once a year to ensure that they travel directly from pumpkin to pan.  

Make them again?  Same time, same place next year.

Improvements?  I wouldn't change a thing.... 

Roasted Green Beans

 

The more vegetables I roast, the more I love roasting!  I have always steamed, blanched, or sauteed green beans, but I was curious about how they would turn out after spending some quality time in my oven.  I feel as though I am unlocking the secret behind eating vegetables:  steaming or blanching often results in limp, bitter eats.  No wonder we aren't devouring them.  Roasting makes everything better.  A quick rinse, a toss in olive oil, s&p and into the oven.  These didn't take long either - just about 25 minutes and they were browned and sizzling.  I wouldn't go so far to say this brought out a sweetness in them, but they definitely became more savory.  I sat down with a platter of them and a half hour sitcom, and when 30 minutes had gone by they were gone as well!

Make them again?  Roasting is now my choice method for taking on these haricot vert.

Improvements? Perhaps more seasoning, in additional to s&p.  Or maybe drizzle a melted garlic sauce on them when they come out of the oven.  Although I must say, I am a huge fan of the beautiful simplicity that olive oil, s&p can achieve. 

Roasted Tomatoes and Potatoes

Herbs de Provence, Turnips & Potatoes

 

Williams-Sonoma released some amazing spice and salt blends this season.  The first one I picked up to try was their Herbs de Provence Sea Salt.  Just opening the jar releases this powerful, earthy scent.  The rosemary hits your nose first and you can imagine how woodsy and delicious your meal is going to be once it is sprinkled with this goodness.  When my veggie box arrived this week, I quickly searched for a palette to host these spices.  Turnips and potatoes became my canvas.  After cleaning and cubing them, I scattered them onto a baking sheet.  A good olive oil, my new seasoning, and a high roasting temperature all came into play.  After a solid roasting period (about 40 minutes), they came out beautifully caramelized and smelling heavenly.  

Make them again?  Roasted paired with this seasoning produces the ultimate in comfort for the fall season.  I discovered a bonus in adding the turnips, where I usually just roast potatoes.  Turnips are slightly sweet and they added a subtle tang to this dish that I really liked.  

Improvements?  I am excited to make this same dish again soon - and see if there are additional root vegetables I can add to the mix.  Roasting brings out the flavor of root vegetables so well ;)  And who knows?  I may have to make a trip back to good 'ol WS to try another one of their seasoning blends.....

Roasted Garbanzo Beans

In Season Ingredients: Garbanzo beans, olive oil, salt, pepper, zaatar.

I adore roasting.  It brings out such a burst of flavor in so many foods, one that often isn't achieved through other methods of cooking.  So this afternoon, I came home to a bare kitchen and went for the canned foods.  To jazz up these beans I rinsed them, tossed them in olive oil and some s&p but then thought they need a little kick.  Zaatar is a mediterranean spice containing sumac and I LOVE the its unique warmth.  I covered the beans, roasted them for roughly 25 minutes at 425 degrees.

Make them again?  Yes!  Before I knew it my snack bowl was empty :)

Improvements: I would consider trying the beans with different spices.