Root Veggie Recipes

During the winter, it is hard to come by fresh veggies in the Pacific Northwest.  Fortunately we have a great climate for storing root vegetables to eat all winter long.  Our own potatoes generally last through February (except this year when voles decimated the crop).  Provided you store them correctly, carrots, parsnips, beets and sweet potatoes can last until spring lettuce and peas come on.  Here are some of my favorite recipes featuring root veggies.  Enjoy!

Mashed Root Veggies
4 russet potatoes
3 parsnips
3 carrots

Peel and quarter all the vegetables and place in a large pot of salted cold water.  Bring to boil and cook until tender.  Drain, reserving some of the water.  Mash the veggies together, adding reserved water to desired consistency.  Mix in two pats of butter.  Sprinkle with paprika.  Makes 4 main dish or 6 side dish servings.  Note: You can substitute any root vegetables in this recipe - turnips and rutabagas are good.  .

Winter Stew
1 Tbs olive oil
1 lb soup meat, beef or lamb
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic cloves, diced
1 heaping Tbs all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 c water
3 large carrots, sliced
2 white potatoes, cubed
1 bay leaf

In a dutch over, heat oil over medium high heat.  Brown meat, along with onion and garlic for 5 minutes.  In a small bowl, mix flour, salt and pepper.  Reduce heat to medium-low.  Sprinkle flour over meat/onion; stir until moist.  Stir in water, carrots, potatoes and bay leaf.  Cover and cook for 20-30 minutes.  Discard bay leaf.  Note: This is a traditional stew that my Grandma Charlotte made in a pressure cooker for her 5 children.  My mom passed the recipe on to me.  I still make it in my pressure cooker.  If you own a pressure cooker, I highly recommend you try it - the flavor is about 10x better.  Makes 5 main dish servings.

Roasted Beets
6 beets
olive oil
sea salt
feta cheese or blue cheese

Preheat oven to 400 F.  Peel and quarter beets.  Toss with olive oil and spread on a baking sheet.  Sprinkle with sea salt.  Roast for 30-40 minutes or until fork tender.  Remove to a serving dish.  Crumble feta or blue cheese over the top.  Makes 4 side dish servings.


Rosemary Carrots
1/2 Tbs olive oil
1/2 Tbs butter
10 small carrots
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
sea salt

Use carrots that are approx. 6 inches long and will fit in a large skillet.  Peel the carrots, leaving some of the greens on the end.  Carefully cut in half, lengthwise.  Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add carrots and rosemary.  Cook until carrots are just fork tender. Discard rosemary sprigs.  Season with sea salt.  Makes 4 side dish servings.

Traditional Pot Roast
1 5 lb roast
1 Tbs olive oil
salt and pepper
1 can diced tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1 c water
3 potatoes, peeled and quartered
4 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 onion, chopped
10 button mushrooms

Trim fat off roast.  Heat olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat.  Brown roast on all sides.  Transfer roast to a dutch oven (or deep frying pan with lid).  Season with salt and pepper.  Add diced tomatoes, bay leaf and water.  Cover and bring to simmer; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 1 hour.  Add vegetables around the roast.  Cover and simmer for another 15 minutes or until potatoes and carrots are fork tender.  Remove veggies to serving dish and keep warm.  Remove roast to cutting board and let sit for 10 minutes, then slice.  Discard bay leaf.  Either serve the juices as they are or prepare a rough and make a gravy.  Buttermilk biscuits make a great addition to this meal. Make 8 main dish servings.