Roasting Vegetable
Taste the Exotic Flavor of the Veggies

Roasting vegetable can be implemented when you want to pull water out of vegetable and concentrates its natural flavor. Roasting method uses dry heat, whether it comes from open flame, oven or other heat source. This method usually causes caramelization on the food surface, which is considered a flavor enhancement.

Basically, it is applicable to most of vegetable, even the greens. But it works best to root vegetables, such as carrots, turnips, potatoes and onions. It is also good for bulb vegetables that contain a great deal of moisture, such as tomatoes and mushrooms.

Roasting Vegetable Basic Steps

1. Preheat oven to between 375 to 475 of Fahrenheit temperature degree (or 180 on Celsius grade)

   Basically, the temperature depends on size and resilience of vegetables are roasting, and equipment is being used (i.e. oven, roasting pan). Ideally, it should be hot enough to evenly brown all the ingredients without burning them by the time the veggies perfectly tender.

   The 425-temperature degree is a good point to start roasting vegetable, but still, your experience and little experimentation will be useful to help you deciding on this oven temperature matter. Try to roasting vegetables in different cut thickness and various items, then you will find out which temperature of your oven is the “right” one. Please refer to temperature suggestion for some veggies below under baking section.

   By the way, it is important to keep an eye on the vegetables as they are being cooked. It will need some appropriate action from your side, if the veggies are getting soft without browning simply turn the oven temperature up, in the contrary, if they are browning to quickly, turn it down.

2. Coat the vegetables with oil

   In roasting vegetables, oil helps to conduct the oven’s heat and seal the flavor. Melted butter is also used for roasting vegetable, but for some reason oil is more widely used for this purpose.

   In some old days, the choice between oil and butter are primarily about flavor. Butter is obviously has better taste than oil. As people know and care about the healthiness of food they are consumed, they prefer to choose oil – canola oil or olive oil is best for roasting vegetable. Besides of the healthiness, another reason are melted butter tend to brown faster even the veggies are not tender enough yet, and also butter can solidify unattractively on vegetable’s surface when it cools.

3. Spread vegetables in a single layer on a metal roasting pan or on a heavy cookie sheet

   I do not advise you to use glass or earthenware baking dishes since they will not crisp the veggies, even may crack at the heat.

   Set up the rack up high in the oven. You may find a little extra browning on the bottom of the veggies where they touch the pan. Cook them until just done then transfer from the sheet to a room temperature platter. Do not leave them on the heated pan unless you will overcook them.

4. Sprinkling with salt and any spices for seasoning

   You can add salt and spices while you are coating the pieces with oil alternately, however, for allowing more control I suggest you to select the first option. Some veggies may not need salt to be added, such as tomato since it tend to be salty or carrots that has their own natural sugar taste to be enhanced and adding salt will just mess up the flavor.

   Do not be afraid of doing some experiments on roasting vegetable. You can always adjust the recipes or cooking directions until you find which works best for your family taste.

   Consider adding some strong herbs such as cinnamon or cloves that perfectly matched for this method and will give your food an exotic taste as well as aroma.

5. Bake until done through and nicely brown. Serve immediately

   Now, you can place in the oven and then toss the veggies every fifteen minutes and so to ensure the heat evenly browning every pieces you have on you pan. Depending on the pieces and type of vegetable is being roasted; the cooking time will vary between 30-50 minutes. Please see below of roasting vegetable time suggestion for some vegetables that common cooked by roasting.

   It is smart to spare the veggies by the time they consume until evenly cooked and brown. Roasting the items with longer roasting time first and follow them with the rest of shorter roasting time veggies when the first part are half done. This way, you will never have some parts of your vegetbles are being roasted are half done or overcooked than the others.

   The following are basic preparation including roasting time and temperature suggestion for some vegetables that common cooked by roasting:
   
   
   
   
   
   Asparagus
   Amount: 1 lb.
   Preparation: Halve and seed, place, cut side up, on pan
   Temperature: 450 F
   Roasting time: 12-15 min
   

   Beets
   Amount: 2 lbs.
   Preparation: Leave whole, scrub well
   Temperature: 400 F
   Roasting time: 60-90 min
   Remark: When it is cool enough to handle slip off the skin
   

   Green Beans
   Amount: 1 lb.
   Preparation: Trim well
   Temperature: 450 F
   Roasting time: 15 min
   Remark: Stir halfway through cooking
   

   Sweet Potatoes
   Amount: 2 pieces of medium size
   Preparation: Peel, cut into ¼ inch-thick slices, cover with foil
   Temperature: 425 F
   Roasting time: 20-25 min, uncover and roast 10 min more
   

   Acorn Squash
   Amount: 1-2 pieces of medium size
   Preparation: Halve and seed, place, cut side up, put on pan
   Temperature: 450 F
   Roasting time: 50 min
   

   Bell Peppers
   Amount: 3 pieces of medium size
   Preparation: Cut into thin strips
   Temperature: 450 F
   Roasting time: 12 min
   

   Buttercup Squash
   Amount: 1 medium size
   Preparation: Peel and cut into 1 inch-chunks, cover with foil on pan
   Temperature: 450 F
   Roasting time: 10-12 min
   

   Carrots
   Amount: 1 lb.
   Preparation: Cut into ½-inch sticks
   Temperature: 425 F
   Roasting time: 10-20 min
   

   Corn
   Amount: 4 whole ears
   Preparation: Soak in water for 1 hour, place directly on oven rack
   Temperature: 425 F
   Roasting time: 8-10 min
   

   Eggplants
   Amount: 1 medium size
   Preparation: Cut into ½-inch slices, brush with 1-tbs. Oil
   Temperature: 450 F
   Roasting time: 20 min
   

   Red Onions
   Amount: 2 medium size
   Preparation: Unpeeled, halve, place, cut side down, on pan, cover with foil
   Temperature: 450 F
   Roasting time: 25-30 min
   

   Shallots
   Amount: 1 lb.
   Preparation: Peel, leave whole
   Temperature: 450 F
   Roasting time: 20 min
   

   Tomatoes
   Amount: 2 lbs.
   Preparation: Leave whole
   Temperature: 425 F
   Roasting time: 20-25 min
   Remark: Turn halfway through cooking
   

   Zucchini
   Amount: 2 lbs.
   Preparation: Halve lengthwise and cut into 1½ inch-chunks
   Temperature: 425 F
   Roasting time: 20-25 min
   Remark: Stir halfway through cooking
   
   
   
   

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