Merrily We Broil Along...

Ah, roasting. I've found there are very few vegetables that don't benefit from this treatment; a moisturizing toss with oil and spices, a gentle spreadout on a cookie sheet, half an hour toasting in the oven. Everything emerges with crispy, carmelized edges, a fluffy center, and a delicious, deeper flavor. Gotta love how sugar/starches react with heat.

There are few things that don't really work (lettuce? what else?), and some are a true revelation (broccoli, cauliflower, sunchokes). You can make all sorts of interesting combinations (onion, potatoes, parsnips, squash; cauliflower, broccoli, carrots; zucchini, eggplant; tomatoes and garlic) to use as sides or, in the case of the tom.s, puree for sauce. The oil and spices create a theme, too: basil, oregano for Italian; cumin and cinnamon for Middle Eastern; chili powder for Mexican; straight-up chili for a bit of heat. Jane's Crazy Mixed Up Salt is a good, all-purpose shake. You can even throw in some non-veg for interest: nuts, bread cubes, raisins.

I've even slipped some potatoes and onions into a roasting pan with a chicken for the last 45 min.s. Mmm, schmaltz (not so healthy, but delish).

Here's the basic gist:
1. Heat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Cut up items to roast to about the same size. Err on the thinner side, because big chunks don't always cook through.
3. Gently toss with a generous drizzle (3 T.?) of oil--olive has a nice flavor, peanut is great with spuds--and whatever spices you are using.
4. Spread this out on a cookie sheet big enough to hold everything out in a single layer.
5. Put in the oven for about 30 mins., turning everything over after about 15 mins. (softer veg cook faster, potatoes and squash the longest, so you may want to add quicker-cookers after 5 or 10 mins.).
6. Let sit for 5 mins. or so and serve alone or with an appropriate dipping sauce (ketchup? aioli? chutney? mustard? pesto?).