PARVE • PREP: 15 minutes• COOKING TIME: 75-85 minutes•  SERVES: 6-8

I had some wonderful guests this Shabbos, and was inspired to try some new flavors and ideas. My efforts yielded not one, but TWO blog-ready recipes…the only problem is, I didn’t write down or photograph one of the two, which means I have to re-make it for you guys so that I can share it with more detail than “um, put some meat in, sprinkle some spices, and bake.”

Speaking of detailed cooking instructions, My grandmother is one of the best cooks I know, and if you ask her for a recipe, you will only get vague,confusing measurements and other admonishments like, “Use a bunch of sugar, but not too much!” and “Put some vinegar in. A nice amount”.  A bunch not being a scientific unit of measure for sugar, and a nice amount not being a scientific unit of measure for, well, anything, we all scratch our heads and proceed to not make the recipe under discussion.  It has occurred to me once or twice that this is a premeditated strategy on the part of my grandmother – and while I have to applaud her delivery, I’m kind of APPALLED. BUBBY!!!! REALLY????

In any event, this is an easy, beautiful, and almost astonishingly tasty way to roast some mixed root vegetables. I used Yukon Gold, butternut squash, and blue potatoes, but I’m pretty sure any mixture of vegetables would work well. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut in 1” dice
• 4 medium blue potatoes, peeled and cut in 1” dice
• 2/3 of a medium sized butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut in 1” dice
• ¼ c. olive oil
• ½ tsp. black pepper
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• ½ c. honey
• ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
• 4-6 stems fresh sage, washed, dried, and chopped fine

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper
3. Dry the vegetables and lay them in one layer on the cookie sheet
4. Drizzle the olive oil, salt, and pepper over the vegetables. Toss with your hands to coat evenly
5. Roast for 40 minutes
6. While the vegetables are roasting, prepare the glaze:
7. In a small bowl, combine the honey and cayenne
8. Wash and chop the sage
9. After 40 minutes, open the oven and drizzle the honey mixture and sage evenly over the vegetables
10. Return to the oven to bake for an additional 35-45 minutes (depending on how dark you like your roasted veg)
11. Remove from oven and serve warm or room temperature

NOTES:

• The amount of cayenne in this recipe gives a modest kick to the vegetables – safe for kids and people who don’t like spicy food. Feel free to adjust the amount of cayenne up or down to your preference.
• I love the depth of flavor you get from fresh sage. If you can’t find it, you can mix ½ tsp ground dried sage into the honey mixture, or substitute 6-9 dried sage leaves, crumbled.
• Like all roasted vegetables, I don’t find that these re-warm well in the oven for a Shabbos meal. As an alternative, I warm them on a blech or on top of the cholent pot.
• Feel free to play around with the vegetables in this recipe; the honey, cayenne, and sage is a great combination that is pretty versatile. Enjoy!