Wine Pairing: Roasted Veggies with a Bechamel Sauce and Marsanne Roussanne

January 06, 2015

I cannot get enough of roasted root vegetables. I could eat them every night. Roasting is one of the easiest, most magical ways to prepare vegetables.

Hot out of the oven, they are crispy salty sweet treats. Left overs? Roasted veggies are perfect for a colorful hearty salad the next day. You can't go wrong. Think of these veggies as more diversified french fries.

When cooked at a high enough temperature, the naturally occurring sugar in the root veggies will caramelize. Vinegar will amplify these flavors bringing out a slightly nutty taste. Serve alongside a cream sauce, and pair with a dry, nutty, white wine such as Unionville Vineyards’ Marsanne Roussanne and you are in for a real treat!


ROASTED ROOT VEGGIES WITH BECHAMEL SAUCE

ingredients

total time: 1 hr       yield: 4-6 servings

  • 2-3 purple potatoes; diced into cubes
  • 2 sweet potatoes; diced into cubes
  • 4 parsnips; diced into cubes
  • 3 turnips; diced into cubes
  • 4 beets, diced into cubes
  • 5 carrots; diced into cubes
  • 2 onions; quartered
  • 3 cloves of garlic; minced
  • 3 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
  • salt and pepper to taste

directions

  • preheat oven to 400F.
  • I prefer to eat the skins of my root veggies, if you do not like the skins feel free to peel them - if not just make sure you give them a good rinse and maybe a little scrub to make sure you get all the dirt off. Cut off the tops and bottoms and dice into bite sized cubes.
  • Add olive oil, vinegar, and the diced vegetables, except the onions and garlic, into a large mixing bowl. Top with a generous pinch of salt and fresh cracked pepper.
  • Toss the vegetables, sometimes this is easier to do with another bowl on top, until they are evenly coated in olive oil and seasoning
  • Place vegetables onto a roasting pan and place the pan in a preheated oven for about 30 minutes. You do not want the vegetables to be too close to one another or they will steam instead of roast. If you find that your veggies look cramped, use two pans instead of one!
  • Check the oven a few times throughout the cooking process to shake the pan and make sure no one is sticking.
  • When the vegetables look almost done - around 25-30 minutes of cooking, add the onions and garlic and shake the pan well to incorporate them. Continue cooking until the onions are nice and wilted about 15 more minutes.
  • Serve as a side dish with Honey Roasted Chicken and a glass of Unionville Vineyards’ Marsanne Roussanne.
  • If you are serving immediately, top with a bechamel sauce. If these crispy morsels stay in the bechamel sauce for too long, they will get a little soft. If in doubt, serve the sauce alongside for dipping!





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