The Crooked Ladle

Roasted Herbed Red Potatoes & Vegetables

Nutritious & Delicious – Just Chop, Season, Roast

This hearty vegetable recipe never ceases to amaze me in that every time I serve them to someone new, they always complement their flavor. I just don’t usually expect to hear that about a recipe that is not the main event. Seriously, this affordable side dish is as good as, or better, than any fine restaurant vegetables I’ve ever had. They are incredibly versatile because they are suited for either an everyday dinner or a special occasion or Holiday meal. Furthermore, including the above, this recipe has many great elements such as having tremendous eye appeal with its beautiful colors and it pairs well with almost any entree including beef, chicken, pork and more.

Serves: 3 - 4

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 35 - 40 minutes

Suggested Tools:

· Sheet pan

· Cutting board

· Sharp knife

· Measuring cups

· Measuring spoons

· Kitchen scissors

· Vegetable peeler

· Stir spoon

Ingredients:

· 1 lb. 8 oz. baby red potatoes, washed ( or russets or Yukon Gold potatoes cut to 1 ½ inches (I prefer baby reds for this recipe as they have a sweeter flavor).

· 1 ½ cups yellow onion, peeled and cut into large chunks about 2 inches

· 1 ½ cups carrots, peeled and cut on the diagonal about 2-inches long

· 2 cups broccoli, washed, cut into 2-inch chunks including flowerets

· ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

· 8 - 10 garlic cloves, peeled (depending on size) – you may slice in half the extra-large cloves

· 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

· 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped

· 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped

· 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped

· Sea salt and pepper – to taste

Herbs Note: Combine all of the herbs into a tiny bowl until ready to use. You can also use basil or rosemary in exchange for any of the four herbs above. You can use dried herbs, though I believe fresh herbs are more flavorful. If you do use dried herbs, reduce the amount to 1 teaspoon in lieu of 1 tablespoon for each herb.

Vegetables Note: Alternative vegetables in lieu of any of those listed above could include:

califlower, peppers, mushrooms, asparagus, brussel sprouts, zucchini and more.

Note: Keep in mind that vegetables shrink when roasted. The significance here is that the amount you end up with after roasting is about 15-20 percent less than what you started with.

Directions:

1. Place all vegetables on a sheet pan and with a spoon distribute the olive oil evenly over the vegetables, moving the vegetables around with a spoon ensuring they are all well coated with the olive oil.

2. Sprinkle the combination of the herbs over the vegetables ensuring coverage over most of the veggies.

[Alternatively, you could place all the vegetables and olive oil in a bowl, coat and mix the vegetables with the oil and then toss in all of the herbs and pour all into the sheet pan, but this method makes another dirty dish].

3. Salt and pepper all (I do this liberally)

4. Place all in a pre-heated 400-degree oven and roast for 35 to 40 minutes. At about 25 minutes into the roasting, stir and check the vegetables to ensure no burning is taking place. If you do see some singeing, cover the vegetables with tin foil.