Stuffed Aubergines with Romanesco Sauce.

There are multiple ways of cooking Vegetables: Roasting or/and Baking them for exemple. From my childhood there are two main dishes I do remember with fondness which I carry on doing nowadays. They staid with me as per say. One is the summery Stuffed Tomatoes, the other is the more wintery Endives wrapped in Ham Bake.

Stuffed Tomatoes out of the Oven. They are very indulgent. Those were stuffed with a Ragu made of Minced Beef. However the stuffing can also be made with Rice, Ricotta and Peas for a Vegetarian option.

Vegetables are versatile enough so much so that a lot of them can be eaten raw, however some of them must be prepared before being consumed. Hence cooking them is part of our history, with archaeological new evidence showing that cooking date to 780 000 years ago. So let us just say a while. Now when it comes to tubers and roots, it just makes sense to process them in some way.

  Our Garden Mooli/Daikon, unwashed. They are a type of Radish also called the White Radish. As a Root Veg there are multiple ways to deal with them and prepare them. They can be fried, braised or roasted.

At face value I would say that in general Root Vegetables benefit the most to be roasted. I assume that just for the fact that they tend to be harder to the core than their conterparts that grows above the ground. They also take the longest time to roast. I am thinking of Potatoes, Parsnips, Carrots, Turnips, Celeriac... Part boiling the Root Veg before the Roasting can help to achieve the right tenderness to not have too Al Dente Vegetables. We certainly don't want to see the dentist after a Meal when a Parsnip was too hard to chew or swallow. But the Roasting part is the one which can impart the most flavours.

The pairing of two Root Vegetables on the same Roasting tray 'trip' to the Oven can be an efficient idea, cost effective energy wise. The choice of small varieties of Root Veg does help as well. Above are Chantenay Carrots with diced Baby new Potatoes almost ready to go in the Oven. Then comes the bit that make everything sing together: the Seasoning. The Combo is up to you, but for the above cracked Black Peppercorn, Cumin Seeds, some Thyme Leaves either dried or fresh, either some Olive Oil a good drizzle or/and Salted Butter, a good knob, then topped with Honey or Mapple Syrup the entire Veg for a good Glaze are all good additions. One or two crushed Garlic can be considered but also some halved Shallots or some quartered White Onions, all peeled. This entire Veg Tray makes a decent Side for any classic Roasted Meat like Beef, Lamb or Chicken.

To go back to our Parsnips, probably because they are in season in Winter, I am used to see them upon Christmas tables therefore I do find them rather festive. Roasting them to almost a touch of caramelisation with Honey or to give them the high treatment of Goose Fat or Duck Fat is very common here at home. Parsnips roasted with Garlic and Herbs Home Made Butter is also a delicious Side to be had which goes really well with Game and Venison.

   Parsnips are often being seen as an under rated Veg however I do like their sweet and mild taste. They also do pair well with Carrots for a Roast Veg Tray.

Of course the Elephant in the room in terms of Root Veg, the most popular one is the Potato. Who doesn't like Potato Roasties? It goes hand to hand with a good Sunday Roast. There Part-Boiling is a definite necessity to get a better result in the end: a fluffy tender inside and a crispy golden roast potatoes outside. There peeling the Potatoes before cooking them is essential.

Potatoes from our Garden. We grow different varieties every year. Mainly we are going for King Edwards, Maris Pipper, Charlotte, Vivaldi, Baby New Potatoes, Anya, and Royal Jersey Potatoes.

Now I don't always peel my Potatoes. Because the skin has beneficial nutrients within it which includes Potassium, Antioxidants and Vitamin C. Hence to leave it on, can be a plus. Then Roasting or Baking as we want to see it, has its advantage for the Potato Skin to be on. Think of Hassleback Potatoes, it has to have the skin on and the same goes for the Jacket Potatoes otherwise they would be simply without jacket, point blank. Similarly it is essential for the traditional Potato Skins stuffed of comforting goodness.

Roasted Hassleback Potatoes do make a nice side on a Summer Dinner plate.

There is a point when we can really argue if Roasting is Baking and vice-versa. Are they the same thing at the end of the day? I will not dare to enter such a debate because I will become so bamboozled at the end of the day. Therefore I will go with the flow, it is cooking, just Cooking...

 Stuffed Tomatoes with a Rice and Rosemary filling. While you prepare your Rice, roast your Tomatoes for about ten to fifteen minutes. Of course you will have prepare them first before roasting in the Oven. Just scoop the flesh out which you can keep to reuse later for the filling. Pass it through a seeve to remove any seeds. So you only get the Tomato Juice in a bowl. Reserve it for the Rice. Chopped some Rosemary meanwhile. Once your Rice is done in the Pan, your Tomato cases should be ready in the Oven but still hard enough to bestow a content within them. You must use Beefheart Tomatoes for a better result, which means the larger ones.  Then mix your Rice with your Herbs, Seasoning (Salt and Pepper) and add the juice reserved from the Tomatoes. Pour this into your Roasted Tomatoes. A nice addition is Cheese like Mozzarella or Parmesan. Before putting everything back in the Oven for five to ten minutes. A tip is to keep the lid of the Tomatoes just for presentation. There you will have a lovely Vegetarian Meal to enjoy.

Mediterraean Vegetables are suited to be eaten either Roasted or Raw, most of the time. Other methods are also very much so enjoyable to do. At the end of the day it is up to you decide. I will say flexibility is the key. But I will keep with my Tomatoes subject for just a little bit, after all I grow them year after year. Different varieties as well just like we do with the Potatoes. For a good harvest, I  will say that the Moneymaker one never failed to be bountiful. For the stuffed tomatoes choose a large size variety like the Marmande. Large Tomatoes can also be called Beefsteak Tomatoes or Beefheart Tomatoes. They are many sub-varieties of them to take your fancy. This year I am trying to grow the BuffaloSun type ones which are large and yellow with a flush of orange to them.

 This is how the BuffaloSun Tomatoes should look like at the end, during the Harvest time 2023. To talk about varieties of Tomatoes I will encourage many to try to grow some which are different every year, of course if you have the space and time, because then you will learn which varieties you enjoy the most. This can be a 'Tata' moment: a 'I really like that one taste and all, texture and colour.' It did so for me for the Bumblebee Tomatoes (small, sweet and with stripes, they usually come as a colourful mix) which you can grow in a hanging basket. But it did also work for the Indigo Rose Tomatoes which had a RHS prize therefore I had to try to grow them. They were very nice: medium to small size with a black purplish skin and a pink flesh. Most importantly, apart from their good looks they did have a delicious taste and were not hard to grow.

The Black Tomatoes known as the Indigo Rose variety. Those ones we grown after seeing them on the Chelsea Flower Show. They gave us a good crop, are a lovely talking point but essentially taste great. This year 2023, we are trying to grow the 'Black Prince' variety another new Black Tomato.

To go back to Roasting, another classic to try in the Kitchen or to do more often in your own style are 'Tomatoes à La Provençale'. It is simple to do but ever so nice as a Starter or a Side Dish, especially in the Summer. Full of fragrance with the Mediterranean Herbs you lay on the top of the halves of the Tomatoes, with the texture of Breadcrumbs above it and with a dash of gratted Parmesan, it is a joy to eat.

 Roasted Tomatoes are ever so simple to do and to make them special with fresh Herbs like Thyme, Rosemary, Oregano, Basil. You can add Breadcrumbs and hard gratted Cheese on top for the extra oomph. Depending on the size of the Tomatoes, medium size are best, fifteen to twenty minutes will do the trick at gas mark 5. Don't forget the dash of Olive Oil upon the Baking tray so the Tomatoes will not stick to it and on the Tomatoes especially if you do use Crumbs. 

Another Med Veg which is simple and very suitable for Roasting is the Courgette also known as Zucchini. You can simply slice them then cut the slices into quarters, or you can let them stay in entire slices.They are nice on their own as an easy Side to do, just add a little lemon juice to them, and put the squashed Lemon in the Tray for more flavour, put Seasoning like Salt and Pepper in but also some little Herbs of your choice. A chopped Garlic give a little bit more of a boost so does a chopped Shallot. A drizzle of Olive Oil, Oven time and then you have a Roasted Side which goes very well with Fish but also with Lamb and Grilled Halloumi.

 Turmeric Roasted sliced Courgettes as a Side surrounding a thick fillet of Haddock topped with Coriander.

Keeping with the Courgettes, like the Tomatoes they can be Roasted being stuffed. As for the Courgettes, then they could be called Courgettes boats. The Stuffing is up to imagination. It could be fully Vegetarian with very finely diced and deseeded Tomatoes, chopped Basil, topped with Breadcrumbs and Feta Cheese. This is ever so simple to do. You can also add chopped and stoned Olives either green or black to add more flavours.

Courgette Boats, stuffed with chopped Cherry Tomatoes, Capers, gratted Mozzarella and chopped Chives. Shrimps could be added but Dill also then.

Of the same family, there is the Marrow or an overgrown Courgette can be considered as a Marrow. For the Marrow, stuffing again springs into mind. It makes a very comforting Autumn to Winter Dish as it is very filling. The Marrow is a larger container as per say because of its size. It can also be presented cut in two ways. Upright cut in the middle or cut lengthwise in a horizontal way. The flesh of the Marrow can always be kept to help with the filling once it is devoid of seeds. I tend to like to mix it with minced Meat like Lamb or Beef. Season well and use some gratted Cheddar for the topping. It is fulfilling when it is cold out there.

 Marrows are sometimes underlooked as a pauper's Veg. But they are delicious. They do make a Winter day warmer. Above the Marrows were filled with Beef minced, chopped Onions and Garlic seared with Lardons then Roasted with a good topping of Cheddar Cheese. It was LUSH.  

Then there is the Aubergine or Eggplant, hate it, love it or just eat it. For myself I do like it more in Aubergine Parmigiana also called Parmigiana di Melanzane. Again it is comfort food at its best. I do remember tasting the Dish for the first time in a little Italian Restaurant in Fulham, London. It was delish! There again the question is: Is it Roasting or Baking when we produce that Dish? My answer would be it is just cooking comforting food. I tend to griddle all my Aubergine slices before putting them into my Dish to build everything up and then to put it in the Oven to do the Aubergine Parmigiana..

Aubergines need to be treated with care before being used into a Melanzana and griddled first. Hence they are part cooked which means that once in the Oven into the Dish they will be onctious. This process is similar to part boiling Potatoes before cooking them in the Oven. It is just about softening the Veg before using them for a Roast or a Bake.

Aubergines also can be stuffed to be roasted. Of two things when you do this, you must take the inside flesh out but there again like the Marrow it can be reused for the Stuffing. You can part cook the shell skin of the Aubergine for about ten minutes at gas mark five. Leave at least one centimetre of flesh inside it all around to withhold any Filling. Then again the Filling depends to your own taste. If you are Vegetarian, Veggan, Pescetarian, you can fill your boots on that number. 

Stuffed Aubergines with Romesco Sauce on the side. Breadcrumbs and Parmesan Cheese do make a very nice crusty top to dig into. If you do use Harissa to spice the filling, Couscous is a classical one 

To keep on going with the Med Veg, there is of course from the Capsicum family, the Sweet Bell Peppers and the Chillies. After being deseeded (Tip: keep the seeds for planting later), they can be cut into square-ish pieces for the Sweet Pepper and rings for the Chillies. Put the entire lot in a deep tray which has been prepared with a little Olive Oil first and chopped Garlic. The addition of quartered Tomatoes doesn't go amiss there as well. Add seasoning and Herbes de Provence then roast the tray of Med Veg for roughly half an hour up until tender or less if you prefer them Al Dente. This Dish is simple to execute, it also can be served as a Starter, a Side or a Main.

Mini Sweet Peppers from the Garden along with our crop of Cayenne Peppers and Lemon Drop Chillies. On thing as to be said for the Capsicum Family is that it comes in different colours. This particularity renders Dishes colourful. As the old saying tells us we eat with our eyes first. This year 2023, we are trying our hands on growing Black Sweet Bell Peppers.

Now Sweet Bell Peppers are great for stuffing because their cavities when cut in half can be the recipient of so much content. One fairly simple filling is done with Rice cooked in Chicken stock, add peas at the last minutes with cubetti di Pancetta. Meanwhile part roast the halves of Sweet Bell Pepper with a little bit of Olive Oil on the inside, a drop. The Oil could be flavoured. For this recipe I tend to use Garlic flavoured Oil. Seasoning the bottom of the Sweet Pepper, a little grinded Black Pepper and Sea Salt doesn't hurt. When the Rice is done it is time to assemble. Pour your filling into your partly roasted Sweet Bell Pepper then put everything back in the the Oven for roughly ten minutes. The addition of a grated Cheese on top and Crumbs can elevate this simple Mid-Week Dish (prior to be roasted).

Roasted and Stuffed with the Rice filling Sweet Red Bell Pepper. It is an easy Dish to do. You can make it upon a bed of Roasted Romanesco Peppers, Tomatoes, Courgettes and Shallots. Tiny bit of chopped Garlic all around as well as Seasoning and Herbes de Provence and then you have almost your five a day.

Thinking of Roasting Capsicum Veg, the Chilli is right out there for the picking. First of all, it can be sliced deseeded then put upon a Dish that need to be Roasted to give it more Va Va Voom to other Vegetables. It is the little bit of a kick which could be very much needed, just like a corner kick that end up into a goal à la Thierry Henry style. Therefore it can become a WOW factor. Every year we do grow our own Chillies to give oomph to our Meals.

Growing Padron Chilli Peppers in our garden. Those are ripe. The green ones are young then tend to be sweeter or mild. However there is the stage prior to being ripe when the green ones can pack up a punch on the palate. It is a case that rougthly one in six Padron being picked will have the kick.

Roasting Chillies has been done for a long time. Stuffing them as well much more so as an Appetizer. In a Spanish way they can be used in a display of Tapas. Same as a Bell Pepper you can half it lengthway to deal with it or cut it open from the top to insert the filling. The stuffing does not need to be complicated, however it is nice to have Tetilla Cheese to do that treat to give it the Galician flavour. A creamy Cheese will work: Philadelphia which is easy to find in supermarkets. Goat Cheese gives the Appetizer another dimension. ( like the line in the song Star Trekking across the Universe: It is life Jim but not as we know it, not as we know it.) Anyhow for twicks and turns on roasting a Padron Pepper, the addition of chopped Chives is always welcomed within the Cheese filling. But so is Chorizo Piquante either within the stuffing or as a side, served with a good old Aioli Sauce. 

Goat Cheese and Chives Roasted Green Chillies. They are excellent Appetizers and/or Snacks. They are rather summery however, they can also be done for Halloween parties as a trick or treat banquet when everyone can help themselves.

Speaking of Halloween, Thanksgiving and the Autumn season, we do have to speak of the Winter Squashes which are almost made for Roasting as well as Carving. Of course the Pumpkin comes into mind first then the almost always available Butternut Squash follows suit. But there are a great selection of Squashes during the cold days which last very long. We ate a White Baby Ghost Munchkin Pumpkin we bought back in October 2022, in June this year, 2023. Squashes have got longevity for most of them depending on the storage condition which needs to be cool and dry.

 The White Munchkin Pumkin. With its small size it makes it perfect to be used as a bowl for a Soup. The varieties of Squashes out there are many and plentiful. 

The sweetness of Squashes do render them quite perfect to balance a Dish with a bit of a bite like one with Spices. For exemple Chillies, or Chillies Flakes do pair well with Squashes. Squashes can be cut in wedges or half-moons prior to being Roasted. A drizzle of flavoured Oil (Garlic, Chilli or Walnut), and the one of Honey (Heather or Pine) above the wedges add a little Va Va Voom, 'le petit je ne sais quoi' which make the Squashes sing on their own or as a part of a full Roasting Tray for the day.

I do not have the luxury of staying up on my legs for a long time. It just hurts. So when it comes to cooking it can be a challenge. Therefore the concept of the all in one Roasting tray does help. Above is a Pyrex glass Tray ready to go in the Oven with all the Tutti Quanti, chopped, while seating by my desk. In there, you have Pork Belly Slices, White Onions, Baby New Potatoes, our dried Chillies which were Home grown from seeds, the White Munchkin Pumpkin and Seasoning. It is an easy way yet lush way to feed yourself: the Roasting Tray Way.

The matter of fact is that Roasting as a method of Cooking, depending on the time and the heat can leave you with minutes to prepare a lots of other things like the rest of the Dinner. Hence you have minutes ahead before you serve maybe a three or four courses Meal. To remain in the realm of Squashes, they are also perfect to be recipients for Stuffing or for Soups.

Stuffed Butternut Squash (With wild Rice and white Rice, Beef Mince, chopped Hazelnuts, and flat leaf Parsley Stuffing). One tip is to part roast your Squash beforehand without the seeds and fibres. Meanwhile cook the filling if needs be. Or shall we say do the preparation for the complete final Dish. Once your hollowed Squash is part roasted, mix the cooked Stuffing with the non seeded roasted flesh then, put it back within the Squash. Then you can complete the Roast for another ten to fifteen minutes. The Rice can be cooked in Beef Stock for more flavour. The Minced Beef can be rendered with Garlic infused Olived Oil. Chopped Shallots and Chesnut Mushrooms can be added for an Automnal feel. When everything is assembled together, and after the last Roasting, you will have a very fulfilling Dinner. 

Roasting Vegetables gives on general a softer texture but also a certain sweetness to taste afterward. It is true for the case of the Allium family. Roasted Leeks are a delight to have as a Side to a Dish or as a Starter. You can slice them either lengthway for the momentum factor or in neat little round slices for ease to eat. An accompaniement would be needed such as a flavoured Butter or a Sauce: Lemon and Parsley Butter Sauce for exemple. For texture, a hard boiled Egg can be a blessing, but also the crunchiness of either flaked Almonds or chopped Hazelnuts.

Trimming the bottom bits/roots of the Leeks give you more rewards as you can plant them back to have another Leek. Especially since the roots are not so nice to eat as much as the top of the Leek... Food for thought. 

In the same token, within the Allium family you do have the Onion. Sliced or chopped, Onions can be a nice bedding for a piece of Meat to Roast. With Pork for exemple, the associassion with the Meat gives some added flavours to the Onions. Then when it is time to do an Onion Gravy, you will have for your Roast the perfect Onion base to make it. It is decadently rich.

Preparing an Onion Gravy over the Stove after the chopped Onions were Roasted. The process is very rustic as per say, however the result speak for itself. Why Sausages, Mash and Onion Gravy is such a classic? Because the combination simply works together. 

Onions especially the large ones can become perfect Veg Vessels for stuffing. Here again the question can be asked: Is it roasting or baking? Or is it a bit of both at the same time therefore the lines are blurred. Anyhow a big Onion like the Spanish ones or also Roscoff Onions can do the trick to conjure up a Main Meal. While the subtle and smaller Shallots could then become if stuffed an Appetizer or a Starter. It is more of a Winter Dish with them.

Onions, stuffed, are little or big parcels of tasty goodness. The Stuffing as I said is always up to you. But I will recommend a very rustic one of Lardons, Breadcrumbs, chopped Onions (Hence no waste), and Cheese.

Roasting does improve the flavour of a Vegetable as well as its tenderness and sweetness. But it also does improve the taste of Soups by the added richness of the Roasted Vegetables used. It does take more time to do, however it is worth the effort on delivery. The result is usually delish. I do rely on Soups therefore Home Made Soups are little blessings when I can do them, when I can walk without hurting or falling. 

Roasted Tomato and Sweet Red Pepper Soup with shredded Basil and a drizzle of Garlic Olive Oil. Simple yet it is ever so very nice.