Herbed Roasted Roots - Holiday Weekend Recipe

Traditional dishes for Thanksgiving are always fun.  So since it is fall the  root vegetable are abundant.  This dish is easy, delicious and nutritious. I do not peel any of the roots, so as to retain all those lovely minerals. Use any combination of herbs you enjoy. I usually use rosemary, sage, parsley and thyme. ♪

 

Herbed Roasted Roots

2 medium beets

2 medium potatoes

2 medium turnips or parsnips

4 or 5 medium carrots

1 medium sweet potato

1 large onion

2 -3 cloves of garlic

2 – 3 tablespoon of fresh herbs or

            2 melted herb cubes (see blog post from 10/1/2013) *

1 – 2 tablespoons of olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and get out a large baking pan. Lightly oil the bottom of the pan. Scrub all the roots real well then cut into sizes that are similar so they will cook evenly. I cut my sweet potato larger because that is one root that cooks faster. Lay them out in the baking dish. Chop up the onion, mince the garlic and herbs then sprinkle over the roots. Drizzle the olive oil over the lovely mess and toss to coat evenly. Bake for about 30 – 40 minutes or until the biggest potato is easily pierced with a fork, stirring once or twice. The house will start to fill with the best aroma ever! Take out and season with the salt and pepper. Serve hot and Enjoy! 

*If you did not make any herb ice cubes, then use 2 Tbls. fresh herbs of 3 tsp. dried herbs.  Any combo of robust herbs like sage, rosemary, thyme and savory are perfect for this dish.

Recipe for Today - Thanksgiving sides - Sweet potato

The basis for this side dish is gremolata.  Traditional gremolata is an herb condiment, made with parsley, lemon peel and garlic. In this recipe, Parmesan and walnuts add richness and crunch that enhance the potatoes and parsnips in the recipe that follows.

GREMOLATA:3/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

For gremolata, place walnuts in a food processor; cover and process until coarsely ground. Transfer to a small bowl; stir in the cheese, parsley, lemon peel and juice, oil, garlic and nutmeg. Sprinkle over vegetables

Roasted Vegetables with Gremolata RecipeIngredients
3 pounds sweet potatoes (about 4 large), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 pound parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch lengths
6 shallots, quartered
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Directions:
Place the potatoes, parsnips and shallots in a greased shallow roasting pan. Drizzle with 4 tablespoons oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 425° for 45-50 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Drizzle with lemon juice and remaining oil.

Serve witht he Gremolata on top or on the side.  Or use the Gremolata to season your main dish, like turkey or chicken.

Recipe on Monday - Apple-glazed Turkey with Herbs

Apple-glazed Turkey with Herbs

This savory herb filling will surely enhance your turkey for the holiday table. In its part sweet apple glaze is a snap to cook and has a really delicious and original taste.

1 turkey
1/2 cup butter
2 onions, chopped
1 large carrot, diced
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
8 cups bread crumbs
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

For the glaze:

1/2 cup apple jelly

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1.    Melt butter in a large saucepan. Add onion, carrot and celery and cook for about 10 minutes over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and mix well, then add thyme, parsley, sage, salt and pepper and mix the mass. Pour in broth and fluff gently.

2.    Heat oven to 400 F. Remove giblets and neck from cavity. Fill the large turkey cavity and the smaller neck cavity, if you have enough stuffing. In the case you want to cook the stuffing separately, put in the oven 40-50 minutes before the turkey will be ready.

3.    Roast turkey about 2-2 1/2 hours. Then cover it with foil and, reduce the heat and continue cooking 30-40 minutes more.

4.    Melt apple jelly in a pot. Combine with cinnamon, pepper and salt and mix thoroughly. Brush turkey with apple glaze and cook about 3-5 minutes without foil until it’s browned.

5.    Take the turkey out, cover with foil and let rest for half an hour before carving.

Leftover Turkey Recipes any one!

We are always thankful on Thanksgiving and other holidays for the people we get to share them with that enrich our lives so much.  As a result we always overcook, just in case we find out someone is alone on the holiday so we can invite without crisis.

My husband the frugal chef always buys a 15 to 20 lb. turkey for the two of us to roast on Thanksgiving.  This year was no exception.  He likes the leftovers, but he keeps every part of a turkey down to carcass from which he makes stock.  As a result I needed to find recipes that made turkey into something new if I was going to eat it for a month and a half.  So these selections from my recipe collection are kitchen-tested recipes to give you a few easy ideas to create with your leftover turkey:

Turkey Waldorf Salad

1 cup shredded roasted turkey

1 sliced celery stalk

1 cut-up apple

2 tablespoons chopped toasted walnuts

2 tablespoons sour cream

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

Salt and pepper

Salad greens

Blend together sour cream, mayonnaise, and white wine vinegar in a large bowl.  Add turkey, celery, apple, walnuts until well blended.  Season with salt and pepper.  Serve with greens.

Turkey Barley Salad

¾ cup barley

2 cups baby arugula

2 cups shredded roasted turkey

½ cup dried cranberries

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. Fines Herbs

Salt and pepper

Cook barley according to the package directions; drain and rinse under cold water. Transfer to a large bowl and toss with baby arugula, shredded roasted turkey, dried cranberries.  Mix olive oil, fresh lemon juice and herbs with a whisk.  Toss with salad.  Season with salt and pepper.

Turkey - Corn enchiladas

2 cups shredded roasted turkey

1 cup corn

1 ½ cup shredded pepper Jack cheese

8 small flour tortillas

1 cup enchilada sauce

Combine shredded roasted turkey, corn, and 1 cup of shredded pepper Jack cheese; season with salt and pepper.   Roll up in 8 small flour tortillas and place in a baking dish. Top with 1 cup enchilada sauce and remaining ½ cup shredded pepper Jack cheese.   Bake at 400° F until heated through, 15 to 20 minutes.

Day Later Turkey

4 cups roast turkey, sliced or cut into large chunks

4 Tbls. butter

2 Tbls. flour

2 cups Half and Half cream

4 egg yolks

Season with herbs of choice – savory, paprika, sage, dill or oregano

¼ cup dry Sherry or apple cider

In a large heavy saucepan, brown turkey pieces lightly in butter.  When lightly browned, sprinkle flour over the turkey.  Turn gently.  Gradually add 1 cup half and half cream, stirring gently.  Meanwhile, lightly beat the egg yolks.  And the second cup of half & half, then salt, pepper and sherry.  Add this gradually to the turkey mixture.  Stir carefully and slowly until it thickens.  Taste for seasonings.  Serve over crisp buttered toast of hot split biscuits.  Serves 4 to 6.

Turkey Dill Orozo Soup

2 cut-up carrots

½ cup orzo

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1½ cups shredded roasted turkey

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Simmer cut-up carrots and orzo in low-sodium chicken broth in a medium saucepan until tender, about 12 to 15 minutes.   Stir in shredded roasted turkey add chopped fresh dill.  Cook until heated through.

Turkey Tetrazzini  What set of leftover recipes could exist without this tried and true favorite.  But this version with a few herb seasonings, will be just a little different.
 

4 tablespoons butter
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
6 tablespoons flour
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups light cream

1 tsp. savory

½ tsp. sage
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups cooked turkey, diced
12 ounces thin spaghetti, cooked
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tablespoon sherry
Buttered bread crumbs, optional

Melt butter in a Dutch oven. Add sliced mushrooms and brown slightly. Blend in flour. Add chicken stock. Cook, stirring until thickened and smooth.   Gradually stir in cream. Season to taste. Add turkey, cooked spaghetti, grated cheese and sherry. Place in large buttered baking dish. Sprinkle with buttered bread crumbs if desired. Bake at 350 degree in the oven for 20 minutes. Serves 6 to 8.

May your holiday season be joyous and blessed!

Marcy Lautanen-Raleigh

See you on cyber Monday at www.backyardpatch.com!