SLOW ROASTED VEGETABLES AND HOW TO USE THEM

Posted on by admin – By

Now that the weather is a bit cooler, slow roasting vegetables is my ideal type of weekend prep – a couple of sheet trays loaded with barely prepped produce, an oven set to a low temperature and a long cooking time that leaves little room for error or need for attention. Slow roasted vegetables are luxurious in texture and intense in flavor. Almost all vegetables can be cooked this way (though maybe not the potato family) and can be used in a multitude of dishes. I’m sharing how I used four of them below.

Ingredients
Selection of vegetables

  • Small to medium zucchini, summer squash, or eggplant left whole but poked with the tines of a fork
  • Cherry tomatoes or other tomatoes sliced in half with the fresh side up
  • Sliced cabbage
  • Seeded bell peppers
  • Green beans
  • Mushrooms of all types
  • Sliced celery
  • Sliced fennel
  • Broccoli or cauliflower florets
  • Sliced onions or leeks
  • Etc.!

Generous amount of olive oil
Salt and freshly cracked pepper.
 
Method 
Preheat the oven to 300-325 and line sheet trays with parchment paper for easy clean-up. Load up as many sheet trays as you can fit into your oven with the vegetables of your choice. Douse them heavily with evoo (this is not the time to be judicious because you don’t want the veg to dry out) and season well with salt and pepper.
 
Roast until the vegetables have collapsed onto themselves, have nearly halved in size and are intensely flavorful (anywhere between 2-3+ hours depending how much you pack your oven and which vegetables you choose). Taste to help you decide if they need more time. 
 
Let the vegetables cool, then package them for later use throughout the week being sure to save all flavorful olive oil and juices released while cooking.
 
How I used them: 

  • Zucchini: Garlic-rubbed toasted ciabatta topped with a generous dollop of fresh ricotta or goat cheese, the gently smooshed zucchini, a sprinkle of sherry vinegar, crushed toasted hazelnuts and mint (pictured here!)
  • Cherry tomatoes: Tossed with pasta, fresh raw corn, shaved parmesan and plenty of fresh basil
  • Bell peppers: Used in a pepper and cherry tomato caprese with buffalo mozzarella, balsamic vinegar and torn basil
  • Sliced cabbage: As a topping for baked stuffed sweet potatoes with sliced dates, mint/scallions, toasted almonds, crumbled goat cheese, lemon juice and a drizzle of tahini

Happy cooking!