When I serve roasted vegetables, my guests often ask me, “How did you cook these vegetables? They are so delicious!” I tossed them with a bit of oil and salt and threw them in the oven, is my answer. Eyebrows rise in disbelief, but it’s true: roasting vegetables is that easy and that delicious. As vegetables roast, their flavors intensify and the brown caramelized edges they get add sweetness and texture. Very little oil is used during the cooking so they are quite light as well. Most any vegetable can be roasted, either simply with salt and olive oil or with garlic, herbs, and spices for added flavor. The critical points for roasting vegetables are: the shape in which they are cut; the seasoning and oiling; and the temperature at which they are cooked. Winter root vegetables should be peeled and cut up into smaller pieces, though the very tiny ones can be left whole. Carrots, turnips, celery root, rutabagas, parsnips, and kohlrabi are all excellent roasted. Cut the vegetables into pieces more or less the same size so they will cook evenly and be done at the same time. Avoid shapes that have thin edges, as they tend to burn before the centers are done; and don’t cut the vegetables too small or they will be mostly browned bits with very little soft flavorful vegetable left to eat. Toss the cut vegetables in a large bowl, using your hands or a spoon to coat them evenly with salt and olive oil. They only need a light coating of oil; if oil is accumulating on the bottom of the bowl you’ve used too much. Taste a piece to see if they are seasoned correctly and keep adding salt until it tastes right. Lay the vegetables out in a single layer on a baking sheet that has low sides. The sides make it much easier to stir the vegetables while they are cooking and keep them from drying out. Cook the vegetables in a hot oven preheated to 400°F. A lower temperature will dry out the vegetables while they cook, making them leathery before they are done; a higher temperature will burn them before they are cooked all the way through. Stir the vegetables a few times while they are cooking, turning those along the edges into the center. Cook them until they are tender and nicely browned here and there. Probe a piece with the tip of a knife to test for doneness, or better still, taste one (be sure to let it cool first). Don’t let them go too far: a little browning makes them sweeter, but if you let them get too dark they will taste bitter. Potatoes can be roasted whole. Use small new potatoes (fingerlings or creamer-size potatoes work really well). Wash the potatoes and peel them or not, as you prefer. Put them into a baking dish with sides as high as or slightly higher than the potatoes themselves. Sprinkle with salt and drizzle with olive oil. Add a head or more of garlic cloves, separated but not peeled, and a few sprigs of fresh herbs. Shake the pan now and then while the potatoes are cooking; turn them if they are browning too much on the top or bottom. Smaller winter squash, such as Delicata and acorn varieties, can be roasted in halves to serve right in the shell. Halve the squash and scoop out the seeds, place the halves cut side up on an oiled baking sheet, drizzle lightly with oil and sprinkle with salt, turn cut side down, and roast until soft. Unpeeled butternut or Delicata squash, once halved and seeded, can be cut into slices and laid on an oiled baking sheet to roast. The skin is so tender after roasting that it is fine to eat. Squash can be cut into cubes and roasted as well; it is wonderful with lots of fresh sage leaves tossed in before cooking. Fat asparagus—the butt ends snapped off, the spears peeled and tossed with oil and salt—roasts very well. Lemon thyme is an intriguing herb to use with asparagus. Stick to larger spears when roasting; the smaller spears tend to shrivel and dry. To roast broccoli, peel and cut the stems into thick slices and break the head into florets. O...

　　

Ingredients

4 servings

　　3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices

　　1 small celery root, peeled, quartered, and cut into 1/2-inch slices

　　2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices

　　Salt to taste

　　Olive oil, just enough to coat the vegetables

　　

Step 1

In a large bowl toss together: 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices, 1 small celery root, peeled, quartered, and cut into 1/2-inch slices, 2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices. With: Salt to taste, Olive oil, just enough to coat the vegetables.

　　

Step 2

Spread out on a low-sided baking sheet. Roast, stirring occasionally, in a 400°F to 425°F oven until tender, about 25 minutes.

　　

Variations

Step 3

Cut the vegetables into different shapes, such as 1/2-inch cubes or 2-inch-long batons.

　　

Step 4

Use other vegetables, such as rutabagas, kohlrabi, fennel, or turnips.

　　

Step 5

Toss the vegetables with leaves of fresh marjoram, thyme, or savory along with the salt and oil.

　　

Step 6

Along with the salt and oil, toss the vegetables with 1/4 teaspoon cumin or fennel seed, lightly crushed in a mortar and pestle.

　　

Step 7

While still hot from the oven, toss the vegetables with 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped fine, or 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, or both.

　　The Art of Simple Food