RECIPES Root veggies are easy and adaptable
Versatile vegetables can continue to star in dishes throughout spring
ATCO BLUE FLAME KITCHEN
When people think of vegetables, they often think of summer produce — leafy, fresh, crisp, bright, and light.
Root vegetables, on the other hand, are often seen as heavy, starchy and bland. In reality, root vegetables can be just as delicious and versatile as their aboveground counterparts.
Roasting root vegetables allows them to soften without turning them into tasteless mush. Unlike steaming or boiling, the high, dry heat helps to caramelize the vegetables’ natural sugars, bringing out their sweetness.
Our soup combines roasted onions, rutabaga, potatoes, carrots, parsnip and turnip in a flavourful broth seasoned with garlic, white wine, thyme, rosemary and bay leaves.
The starchiness of the vegetables gives the soup a rich, creamy texture without the heaviness of cream. Maple syrup and a tangy topping of Greek yogurt and grated orange peel help to highlight the sweetness in the vegetables.
While they may look similar on the outside, parsnips are not simply white carrots. They have a distinct peppery flavour a woodier texture, so are rarely eaten raw.
Our recipe for a roasted version of this interesting vegetable is sweetened up with maple syrup. The recipe can also be adapted to other root vegetables, though cooking times may vary. Calgary-based ATCO Blue Flame Kitchen has been providing advice on food, cooking, recipes and other household topics for more than 80 years. Their cookbooks include Everyday Delicious and From the Grill.