"Pass the veggies!"
Hello followers, hope you all had a great weekend!
Before we know it Christmas will be here and the family will be gathered around the dinner table, ready for their holiday feast! The highlight of the meal is of course the succulent roasted turkey, but the feast would not be complete without a selection of wonderful side dishes. Here are three great ideas that will definitely liven your Christmas table. The best thing about these sides is that they all feature Ontario grown produce! Enjoy!
Rosemary and Garlic Roasted Ontario Potatoes
(serves 4 to 6)
1 kg (about 4 large) Yukon Gold Potatoes
1/2 tsp sea salt
freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
Preheat oven to 400.
Scrub and cube the potatoes. Place the pieces into a bowl, add the salt, pepper and oil. Toss to coat. Spread the potatoes evenly on a parchment lined tray and place in the oven for 15 mins. Remove tray, turn the potatoes over and place back in the oven for 15 to 20 mins more until golden and tender. Take the tray out, sprinkle the chopped garlic and rosemary over the potatoes and return them into the oven for another 5 mins until the garlic is cooked. Serve immediately.
Roasted Ontario Squash with Sage and Brown Butter
(serves 6 to 8)
8 cups of mixed squash (about 2 medium sized), I used butternut and acorn
1 medium red onion
4 sprigs of thyme
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
fresh ground pepper
2 tbsp butter
8 to 10 sage leaves, chopped
Preheat oven to 400.
Peel and seed the squash, cut into bite sized pieces. Peel the onion and cut it into similar sized pieces as the squash to ensure equal cooking time. In a large bowl toss together the vegetables and thyme sprigs with the oil, salt and pepper. Turn the bowl out onto a lightly greased sheet pan and spread the vegetables evenly. Roast for 25 to 30 mins until tender and lightly browned. Meanwhile make the brown butter...
In a small pot heat the butter on medium heat. The butter will splash a bit when it is fully melted, so gently swirl the pan to avoid this. When the butter begins to froth, cook it until the butter solids begin to brown (2 to 3 mins) then immediately remove the pot from the heat so the solids don't burn. Allow to cool for about 5 mins, add in the sage and set aside.
To serve, place the roasted veggies into a warmed serving bowl, spoon over the brown butter and top with a little extra ground pepper.
Ontario Two Potato Gratin
(serves 6 to 8)
3 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed well
2 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped, plus extra for garnish
1 tbsp fresh sage, chopped, plus extra for garnish
2 tsp sea salt
fresh ground pepper
1 cup 35% cream
Preheat oven to 375.
Slice the sweet potatoes into 1/2cm thick medallions, place into a large bowl. Slice the Yukon Golds in the same fashion and place into a bowl of cold water to avoid them turning brown. Drain the Yukon Golds and pat them dry and add them into the large bowl with the sweet potatoes. Combine them with the oil, garlic, both herbs, sea salt and pepper. Thoroughly toss the potatoes to make sure each piece is coated with the ingredients. In a large oven proof dish, line up the mixed potato slices into neat rows. Cover tightly with tin foil and place in the oven for 45 mins. Take out of oven, remove foil and evenly pour the cream over the potatoes. Place back into the oven, uncovered, and allow to bake for another 25 to 30 mins until the cream has thickened. Simply wipe away any splashes of baked cream off of the inside of dish with a damp cloth and serve immediately.
How's this for fresh Ontario produce! The sweet potatoes for my recipe were recently dug up from our 10 acres in Norfolk County, Ontario, by my Dad and nephew Evan! Good job, boys!
No comments:
Post a Comment