Parmesan-Crusted Asparagus
March 23rd, 2012 § Leave a Comment
When I first started cooking, I thought asparagus was a “fancy” vegetable that you only had on special occasions or at nice restaurants. Little did I know, when it’s in season (spring – early summer) you can find it easily at your local farmers market or grocery store. And to my joy, a recent trip to the Sprouts near my house turned up a crop of asparagus that looked too good to pass up. Not too thick and not too skinny – just right for roasting and no special occasion required.
Parmesan-Crusted Asparagus
Ingredients
2 pounds thick asparagus, ends trimmed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 450°F. Place asparagus in a shallow baking pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Drizzle oil over asparagus and roll the stalks around until coated. Sprinkle with cheese, salt and pepper.
Bake until asparagus are crisp-tender and cheese has melted and is crispy, about 10-15 minutes.
Roasted Parsnips and Carrots
February 1st, 2012 § 3 Comments
If you’re like me and have never made parsnips before, you’ll be in for a pleasant surprise. A parsnip looks like a funky white carrot and has a slightly sweet flavor like a carrot, but the texture – when cooked – is a bit starchy. Using this simple roasting recipe allows the subtle flavors of the carrots and parsnips to take center stage. So, next time you’re at the farmers market and see those strange white root vegetables, don’t be nervous; pick up a few and get your roasting on!
Roasted Parsnips and Carrots
Ingredients
2 lbs parsnips
1 lb carrots
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
Freshly cracked pepper (to taste)
Fresh dill, minced
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Peel parsnips and cut into thick pieces. For the carrots, peel or scrub clean and cut into thick pieces. Combine parsnips, carrots, olive oil, salt and pepper in a bowl and toss to coat. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 20-40 minutes depending on the thickness of the vegetables. Stir occasionally throughout. Serve sprinkled with fresh dill.
