Roasted Winter Vegetables

Winter is the perfect time for comfort food, and these homestyle vegetables definitely fall into that realm. The slow roasting time and simple seasonings really bring out the natural sweetness of the vegetables for a side dish that is excellent served with roasted beef, leg of lamb, roasted turkey, roasted pork, ham, roasted chicken, or any other hardy meat dish. Even sworn haters of rutabega, parsnips, and turnips will be pleasantly surprised by their flavor in this simple dish. This dish is easy on the host to prepare, and can be made up to a day in advance before serving. Simply reheat in a 450 degree oven until piping hot. If desired, you can use your favorite dried herb mixture, like Herbes de Provence, in place of the thyme, rosemary, tarragon, marjoram, and sage.

1 pound baby carrots
1 pound rutabega, peeled and cubed
1 pound parsnips, peeled and cubed
1 pound turnips, peeled and cubed
1 pound pearl onions, peeled
1 head garlic, separated into peeled cloves
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons crumbled dried thyme
2 teaspoons crumbled dried rosemary
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon crumbled dried tarragon
1 teaspoon crumbled dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease two heavy large baking sheets. Combine the carrots, rutabega, parsnips, turnips, onions, and garlic in a large bowl. In a small bowl whisk together the remaining ingredients. Pour the oil mixture over the vegetables and toss well to combine. Divide the vegetable mixture between the prepared baking sheets. Roast for 30 minutes, stirring twice. Reverse the positions of the baking sheets. Roast for 30-45 minutes more, or until the vegetables are tender and lightly browned, stirring about every 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Makes 8 servings.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes