Rosalie’s Roasted Vegetables

8 servings.
When you're shopping for vegetables for this recipe, take your inspiration from the market. Be adventuresome. Mix colors and contrasts. Add some fruit like pineapple, peaches and figs for variety and interest. Buy enough to prepare about four cups of cut up vegetables, which will feed about eight people.

Divide your vegetables into two piles, one for the hearty ones like carrots, brussel sprouts, potatoes, turnips, and squash, and another pile for the ones that are lighter (zucchini, red onion, asparagus, a variety of bell peppers, fennel and tomatoes) and faster cooking. Clean and cut all the vegetables in a variety of ways, cutting some into quarters, others on the diagonal and others lengthwise and crosswise. Preheat your oven to 425° F.

Place each of the two piles of cut veggies into separate bowls, and sprinkle each with:

1/4 cup olive oil
About a teaspoon each of kosher salt freshly chopped thyme, sugar and freshly ground pepper.

Toss well.

Place the hearty vegetables in the oven on a shallow roasting pan with space in between. After about twenty minutes place the tender vegetables on a shallow roasting pan or pizza pan and allow these vegetables to roast for around twenty minutes. Both varieties should be tender, but firm when pierced with a fork.

Arrange the vegetables on a platter and sprinkle with a little freshly chopped flat leaf parsley. They can be served hot or at room temperature. You can also prepare these a few days before hand and they will hold nicely. Roasted veggies are a delicious accompaniment to any meal, and leftovers are great in sandwiches or soup or layered in a torte with goat cheese and cut into wedges.

By Rosalie Harrington, Food Consultant and Restranteur

Classic French Scalloped Potatoes

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Bake: 70 minutes
Serves: 8-10
8 medium Russet potatoes
2 cloves garlic
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk
About 6 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated
Salt, pepper, nutmeg for seasoning

1. Preheat oven and HearthKit to 400°F. Rub a 3-quart (about 12-inch diameter) shallow oval casserole dish with a cut clove of garlic. Set aside.

2. Peel the potatoes, without washing them. Then, slice into 1/4-inchthick pieces. Place them in the casserole dish.

3. Place the cream and milk in a small saucepan. Use a garlic press to squeeze the garlic into the cream mixture. Heat the cream until warmed. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, as desired.

4. Pour the cream mixture over the potatoes. Place the casserole on a baking sheet and place the sheet on HearthKit. Bake for about 40 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350°F and continue baking for another 30 minutes until the liquid has reduced, the potatoes are tender and the top crust of the potatoes is well browned. The potatoes may be prepared ahead and reheated before serving.

5. Before serving, sprinkle the potatoes with the cheese, then return to the oven to brown for another 10 to 15 minutes, longer if the potatoes have cooled significantly.