the joy of simple roasted root vegetables

i love roasted vegetables all year long, but especially in the cold, early darkness of winter. just turning on the oven to preheat makes the kitchen seem warm and productive. then, just a little chopping, a quick toss with a few generous swirls of olive oil and a cavalier sprinkling of salt and off they go. these could make a meal on their own with just a bit of cous cous on the side, or maybe a side of some terrific hearth bread and marinated goat cheese. traditionally, they make a terrific accompaniment to roasted or grilled meat, or even a simple risotto.

the mix is always slightly different in our house, whatever we have on hand really. this time i used celery root, golden beets, parsnips, sweet potatoes and russet potatoes. however turnips, rutabagas, any of the winter squashes, they all work equally well. be creative here, it's fun to experiment. i like to cut them fairly small, which maximizes the crispy browned edges and makes for quick even cooking times.

roasted root vegetables

preheat oven to 400° Fahrenheit, or if you've got a convection roast setting, 375°

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped

4 parsnips, peeled and chopped

1 celeriac bulb, peeled and chopped

2 golden beets, peeled and chopped

2 russet potatoes, peeled and chopped

couldn't be much simpler really. peel and chop your mix of vegetables. place in a medium size bowl. add several large swirls of olive oil. toss while giving a good dose of sea salt, i am really liking grey sea salt lately. slide into a roasting pan. set in your preheated oven. and forget about them for 30 to 45 minutes, depending on your oven, and your pan and how browned you like them. wonderful. and not just for restaurants. i think roasted vegetables are sadly under-represented in american cookbooks, which makes no sense because they are such a simple wonderful delicious thing to make. enjoy.