When the Cold Winds Blow, Roast The Heartiest of Vegetables

"...We should give cold weather a chance, recognizing winter as a culinary season in its own right, one that offers ample gustatory rewards. Few pleasures are more satisfying than coming in from the cold to a warm house filled with the aromas of freshly baked bread and slowly simmered soups, or the earthy smell of oven-roasted vegetables." Darra Goldstein, The Winter Vegetarian

Minnesotans are acutely aware of winter. It is the subject of much discussion, and no small part of our cultural identity, yet we often ignore the culinary traditions of the season, opting instead for the glamorous fruits and vegetables of summer. But instead of relying only on the abundance of California during our long cold months, we need to embrace the joys of seasonal eating, and enjoy the bounty provided by our own frosty land. We need to get back to our roots (ahem...), and bask in the essential pleasures of winter vegetables.

Root vegetables and tubers are the best kind of comfort food: they're hearty without being heavy, they have a rich and soothing mouth-feel, they're familiar and satisfying, and they taste delicious. Begin to notice all the different kinds of roots and tubers available at the Wedge -you'l see a wide variety of shapes (long thin daikon radishes, round hairy celery roots), sizes (little bunched turnips, large smooth rutabagas) and beautiful colors (dark purple beets, bright orange yams, creamy ivory parsnips). This great diversity is available from local and regional sources for much of the year, including wintertime.

These vegetables can be prepared in many different ways, from homey mashed sweet potatoes to sophisticated parsnip brandades. In fact, you'd be hard pressed to find more versatile foods. They can be used in soups and stews, or pureed into dips and spreads. They can be roasted, baked or grilled. They can be sauteed in stir-fries or battered and deep-fried. They can be made into patties and fritters, or relishes and crudites. From gratins and casseroles to salads and salsas, roots and tubers will delight you.

You can find roots and tubers in every culinary tradition, their earthiness lending itself to both subtle and intense flavors: rich Japanese tempura, spicy Indian curries, pungent Korean kimchees, delicate French purees, and sweet American baked yams (with or without the marshmallows).

Roots and tubers are wonderful health foods, too. They have complex carbohydrates that give us energy without causing big swings in our blood sugar levels, so we're satisfied for long periods of time. And they're a great source of fiber - the "roughage" that moves through the digestive system. Fiber can help lower blood pressure and it also helps with weight control, because it gives us a feeling of fullness without any calories.

These vegetables are storehouses of nutrients, providing a wealth of vitamins and minerals, such as beta-carotene and vitamin C, B-vitamins, potassium, and iron. Cruciferous vegetables (including roots like turnips, rutabagas, and kohlrabi) also contain special properties that prevent cancer in the stomach, intestines and colon.

If beauty, versatility and nutrition aren't enough to convince you to eat more of them, consider how inexpensive and easy roots are to prepare. Most don't even need peeling, assuming they are organic. Just scrub them with a vegetable brush under running water. If you prefer them peeled, take off only the thinnest layer of skin. Sharp knives and peelers are essential for easy cutting, so sharpen knives and replace peelers as needed. Nothing reduces motivation to cook as much as poor kitchen tools.

Choose the freshest roots you can find. Look for smooth skin and firmness - passing up any that wobble easily (old roots are good for making vegetable broth). Store them unwashed in plastic bags, pressing as much air out of the bag as possible. They should last a few weeks in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator this way.

During the winter months I prefer to bake or roast root vegetables. It takes longer than steaming or boiling, but is worth the wait because long oven-cooking intensifies flavor and sweetness, warms the kitchen and fills the house with wonderful aromas. Perfect for a cozy winter meal.

To bake root vegetables, simply chop them into bite-size chunks and put them in a buttered or oiled baking dish. Sprinkle them with salt and add a few pats of butter (or a little drizzle of olive or coconut oil.) You can also add any herbs or garlic. Then bake them, covered, for 45 minutes (or more, as needed) at 400. Stir once, about halfway through baking.

Roasting vegetables is just as easy. As for baking, chop the vegetables into bite-size chunks and put them in a buttered or oiled baking dish. Lightly coat them with olive or coconut oil. Sprinkle with salt, and put in the oven uncovered, for 45 minutes at 400. Stir once. Roots are done when a knife or fork slides easily through the pieces.

These are some of the many simple, delicious ways to prepare your favorite roots. Don't be afraid to try new ones, either. Even people who think they don't like certain roots (like beets, for instance) may realize they've never had them freshly prepared and might change their minds. Winter doesn't have to be bleak when we have a rich array of nourishing root vegetables and tubers to warm our tummies and invigorate our palates. Enjoy!