Boy, what a ride we’ve been on these past few weeks. Laura and I have been changing up our diets to include a lot more seafood. The issue with posting those types of recipes on this site is that they really need to be planned a lot more than regular, un-seafood, recipes. It’s not that they’re any more challenging than other dishes, it’s just that those who write seafood recipe tend to be a bit more extravagant about what they include as ingredients. Not to worry though because I’m on it. As a matter of fact, tonight I’ll be preparing a delicious looking poached salmon and dill dish that I’ll hopefully share here tomorrow.
Today, I’ve got a nice side dish for you. If you’re into really great side dishes, please take a look at my ever-growing “Side Dish” category. The list of recipes over there is getting longer and longer every day.
The Recipe
The recipe I’m about to share below is perfect for those who like fast prep and easy execution. Prepping consists of slicing up just a few ingredients and chopping some others. The cook time takes the longest about about 45 minutes. After that, put together the vinaigrette, toss everything together and serve. It’s that easy. Best of all, the dish is a delight. It’s fresh tasting and has some spring to it. I dare say it also offers some good vitamins and minerals.
Ingredients
Serves: 4
12 Ounces Medium Sized Carrots (About 8), Peeled, Trimmed, Cut in Half and Sliced into Quarters
12 Ounces Cauliflower, Cut into 2-Inch Pieces
1 Large Sweet Onion, Coarsely Chopped
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1/2 Teaspoon Regular Table Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
1/2 Cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Dried Tarragon
1/2 Cup Parsley, Chopped
1 Teaspoon Garlic, Minced
Step-by-Step Instructions
Laura found this recipe. Actually, she found all four recipes that I plan to post over the next few days. She pulled this one from one of my favorite cookbooks by Curtis Stone. It’s titled Good Food, Good Life and is absolutely awesome. Curtis has some really spectacular recipes included in this cookbook that are open to interpretation. As you may well know, I’m a big fan of substitutions and it’s easy to think in other directions when it comes to a lot of these types of recipes. For instance, if you’re interested in using heirloom carrots for this recipe, go for it. Also, if you’d like to use Romanesco as opposed to cauliflower, you can do that too. Use your imagination.
Pre-Heat Your Oven
Pre-heat your oven to 425 degrees and adjust the racks so one of them is in the center position.
Coat the Veggies
In a large bowl, add the carrots, cauliflower, onion, olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss everything well until it’s coated with the oil.
Roast the Vegetables
Next, spread the vegetables on a large baking sheet.
When the oven is to temperature, place the baking sheet on the center rack and let cook for 45 minutes or until the cauliflower begins to brown. About half way through, mix the veggies up and flip the cauliflower over. When everything is finished roasting, remove the tray from the oven.
Prepare Vinaigrette
While the vegetables are in the oven, go ahead and make the vinaigrette. In a medium sized bowl, add the vinegar, lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, tarragon, parsley and garlic. Mix with a fork until all the ingredients are combined.
Combine All Ingredients
After everything is finished cooking and being prepared, add the vegetables to a large bowl. Then, add the vinaigrette on top of them.
With a large spoon, toss the vegetables and the vinaigrette until the veggies are well coated.
Finally, divide the ingredients in the bowl among four plates and serve.
The Final Side Dish
This looks so good I can’t stand it. Everything is tender and flavorful. Go ahead and give this one a shot. It’s easy and a winner. Thanks for reading!
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