A medley of root vegetables

[Henryrugal]

ome of the newly popular ones, such as golden beet, win fans because of their bright colors. A golden beet is red-orange on the outside and yellow within, gorgeous on the plate. Andean potatoes that are purple both inside and out are the underground counterparts of those "black" tomatoes everyone talks about. And how about that Red Meat? I'm not talking about the beef course, I'm talking about a variety of Chinese radish also called Beauty Heart or Watermelon. Sometimes pink on the outside, sometimes a drab off-white or greenish, it's a fireworks display when cut, suffused with magenta in a starburst pattern. Even the common beet, with its brilliant redness, would seem like a miracle to us if it were not so common.
But look, it's flavor that counts, right? Oven-roast a medley of these together in a pan with olive oil and garlic and their natural sweetness will intensify as the fibers soften and the stored sugars caramelize. There's not much to roasting roots, aside from giving them an occasional stir to coat them with the oil and make sure they don't stick to the pan.

[MadJohnShaft]

Yep, I am way on board this idea

[agent of change]

Use coconut oil instead and it's an even richer taste. My wife and I also like to throw in parsnip and sweet potato. Once we tossed in a bunch of chunks of smoked salmon and that contrasted the sweetness of the root veggies quite nicely.

[khoomeizhi]

holy shit, you want richer still - we just got gifted a jar of bear lard. extra rich flavor dimensions, yo.

[MadJohnShaft]

Cooks Illustrated had an article recently to briefly microwave the vegetables - they found it cooks the inside a bit and helps draw out water - especially on carrots.

[RAGER]

holy shit, you want richer still - we just got gifted a jar of bear lard. extra rich flavor dimensions, yo.

I have a friend who hunts avidly and I'm working on him to think more like this.  so much so much useful stuff has he been throwing out.  Last year I was greatful that he gave me a bunch of duck breasts but he had removed and tossed all the fat.   This year will be different.

[agent of change]

holy shit, you want richer still - we just got gifted a jar of bear lard. extra rich flavor dimensions, yo.

YES PLEEZ

[peoplething]

no mention of Dragon carrots???



I haven't tried roasting them, but they were awesome in a salad.

[khoomeizhi]

for roasting, i also gotta give props to celeriac, turnips, and just a bit of something bitter, like dandelion, chickory, or burdock.

also a fan of groundnut (apios americana) tubers. been growing them the last few years and got a fair amount of bigger ones this year. like a cross between chestnut and a dry potato, slightly sweet. fucking great. gotta figure out how to up my production for next year...

for that matter, roasting peeled chestnuts themselves along with the roots (and lots of whole garlic cloves) adds to the hearty-factor.

[MadJohnShaft]

Jerusalem artichokes!

[khoomeizhi]

jerusalem fartichokes.

no, they're good roasted, but they do make for the sulfur-wind, at least in everyone in my house. i hardly do anything but live-culture 'chokes anymore, but i do still occasionally roast 'em.

[RAGER]

Holy shit yes do they make you gassey.  Fucking hell.  Actually painful.  pickled yes.

[agent of change]

So do whole cloves of garlic, around this house. Whoooweeee...