Rutabaga Revelation

I roasted a plate of carrots, leeks, and rutabaga for dinner tonight. It was delicious. I love vegetables that are burnt around the edges and lightly salt and peppered. I know roast vegetables can get a little greasy at restaurants, but I never use more than a tablespoon of oil and it works very well.

I did, however, decide tonight that I'm probaby never going to eat rutabaga again. I got three of them with my produce box last week. After eating two, I can assuredly say that they are not for me. I'll be giving the third one away.

Don't get me wrong. They're delicious. I enjoy the way they taste: sort of soft and sandy like potato, with the slight flavor and texture of daikon. They smell incredible in the oven, and don't taste as heavy as potatoes. What's the problem, you ask? They make my throat itch! I don't have any food allergies of which I'm aware, but after eating rutabaga I feel like someone put dry brush down my throat. This happened both when I put raw slices of it in a salad and when I ate it cooked. It's not worth it. If rutabaga were incredibly delicious, I might be willing to put up with the itchiness. As it is, I think I can give it up for good. Too bad; it's really not a bad little root.

Here are some unroasted vegetables:

For those who've never done this, you pre-heat your oven to 400 or 450 degrees (hotter=more caramelization). Then, cut up as many vegetables as you want. Anything goes, so just use what you like to eat. You can cut them into big pieces, but I like smaller because they cook more quickly. Toss the vegetables in a bowl with some oil, salt, pepper, and herbs if you have them. Spread the vegetables out on a baking sheet and bake for at least thirty minutes. At the thirty minute mark, stir the vegetables around a little and bake for 10 more minutes or until they're as soft as you'd like.