Episode 84: Fall Root Vegetables

Roasted Vegetable Tart with Caramelized Onions and Feta, Sheet Pan Chicken and Roasted Harvest Vegetables, and Creamy, Vegan Root Vegetable Soup

The farmer’s market is changing. Just a few last tomatoes, no more basil, but lots and lots of sweet potatoes, rutabagas, and new potatoes. Maybe not as sexy as a fresh ripe heirloom tomato, but with enough love just as tasty. We have three root vegetable recipes to get you started with the fall. A Creamy, Vegan Root Vegetable Soup surprised us with its flavor. Just as easy was Cup of Jo’s Roasted Vegetable Tart with Caramelized Onions and Feta. Which, we have to admit, even felt a little fancy with the puff pastry. Last we made a Sheet Pan Chicken and Roasted Harvest Vegetables with a secret ingredient (ok, it was bacon) that took everything over the top. Sure, it’s no longer BLT season. But these root vegetable recipes might just get us through the long winter ahead.

Roasted Vegetable Tart with Caramelized Onions and Feta: Cup of Jo

“Dump everything on a puff pastry and call it a night” is the philosophy of this recipe and we couldn't agree more. Roll out the puff pastry, spread/sprinkle some cheese on it and then pile on the veggies. Can’t go wrong!

Tips:

Betsy tried this with ricotta and still liked it.
Switch up the veggies according to your taste. We made this with par-cooked (microwave-steamed until tender) parsnips, rutabaga, potatoes, and celery root. Fantastic.
Cooking puff pastry to a burnished brown is key to getting all that buttery, crispy flavor. Undercooked puff pastry just makes everyone sad.

Sheet Pan Chicken and Roasted Harvest Vegetables: Flavour and Savor

Marinate chicken thighs, cut up root vegetables and you’re almost ready for this sheet pan dinner. Folks may have been divided by the addition of apples, but the bacon was the real star. As if we ever would have thought otherwise...

Tips:

We both thought the oil on the root vegetables, the chicken marinade, and the bacon made the dinner a little too rich. Next time we’d skip the oil on the vegetables and halve the marinade pour-over.
Kate doubled the apple and left out the zucchini for her family’s tastes. Betsy ditched the apple. Make this your own!
Thick cut bacon would be a stand out here and less likely to burn.

Creamy, Vegan Root Vegetable Soup by Sarah Jenkins on Food52

Believe it or not, this soup came through on the promise of a creamy taste. Adding potato to this blended soup smoothed out the root vegetables, including celery root, turnip, leeks, and onions. No cream or butter means you could serve this cozy soup to nearly anyone who joins you for winter lunch date.

Tips:

Simmer on the stovetop or use the Instant Pot. Use the suggested cooking time for turnips/rutabagas.
Garnish with olive oil, as suggested, or a few bacon bits, some parmesan cheese, or croutons. A splash of hot sauce isn’t half bad, either.

When we’re not reading recipes online, we’re watching cooking.

Betsy has been watching Li Ziqi cooking Facebook videos with her girls. Kate joined, too, and can’t get enough. Enjoy the beauty of the countryside while she cooks traditional Szechuan Chinese cuisine.

From the Smorgasbord:

Ever wondered if you could make Sour Patch Kids at home? Wonder no more with one of Kate’s favorite series, Gourmet Makes. Or if you’re more into fermented foods, like homemade sauerkraut or black garlic, maybe It’s Alive could be your new favorite. The host makes all sorts of things in the Bon Appetit kitchen, most of which are a little on the funky side.

Betsy is upping her cooking game with an online class from The Kitchn. She’s only a few days in, but can report she’s learning a ton. She’ll check in as she goes.

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