Winter Vegetable Crumble

This recipe was really a three part process: crumble, sauce, & vegetables.

To make the crumble combine two cups rolled oats, two tablespoons wheat flour (I used rye), one tablespoon fresh rosemary, and one half cup finely chopped cashews. Mix together with two tablespoons oil. Set aside.

To make the sauce saute one finely chopped medium onion for 4-5 minutes, add two tablespoons of cashews & brown for 4 minutes, add a little over one cup of broth (I used homemade chicken broth), and two thirds cup milk. Stir together. Add a little bit of milk to two tablespoons flour, stir to make a thick paste. Add to the rest & incorporate. Then bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens. Then let slightly cool & send through a spin in the food processor.

To make the vegetables, choose two pounds of root vegetables ( I chose turnips & parsnips), chop to bite size pieces, steam for 10-12 minutes, then strain. (The book recommends you reserve the water for stock).

To complete the dish, put the vegetables into an oiled two quart baking pan, pour the sauce over the vegetables, & sprinkle the crumble over the top. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

(Last night I discovered I will be making no money from this blog. The google-folks decided the clicks on my ads seemed suspicious to them. But I don't think we will miss them too much, no?)

This dish was hearty & the rosemary was a delight. I just love the golden brown hues, to me so reminiscent of the comfort of harvest-time.

This batch of turnips was much better than our previous attempt, & I read in the front of Simply in Season that the other batch were probably too ripe.

The splashes of color from last month's ads brightened our night. And we sat absently doing the word searches while chatting.

I served this dish with some blueberry tea. My husband said it tasted like "blueberry pie". What is it about tea that leads us to sit at the table for hours discussing our deepest wishes?

The world was dark & cold, even our cozy apartment was a bit drafty. Our two cats, usually at odds, were snuggled together for warmth. And we bunkered down on the couch under several blankets and watched an episode of Fraggle Rock.

Favorite Song (on my favorite radio stationduring prep time): Boo Hewerdine-Harvest Gypsies

Togetherness: Veggies & Hummus

You can roast just about any winter vegetables & all together, provided you chop them uniformly & toss them with oil/seasonings.

I'm still working on uniformity in my chopping, & find it particularly hard with the multi-shaped root vegetables of various sizes.

In this case I roasted turnips, parsnips, rutabagas, carrots, & potatoes. I mixed them with two tablespoons of olive oil, basil, & marjoram. (I used marjoram only because we are currently & woefully out of oregano.) I added some onion about ten minutes in, following the recipe.

I received the idea of serving these vegetables with hummus, from my good friend in Buffalo. She roasted me up some carrots and beets while I was up there this winter, & served them with hummus & pitas. I especially like beets with hummus.

Turnips & rutabagas are new to us. We enjoyed the turnips in the mix, they were strong & complex. I felt they would be a bit too bitter for me to like on their own. The rutabaga was a nice treat. I enjoyed its creamy-peach color firstly. I also enjoyed its subtle spiciness, an almost radish-like flavor.

My husband drove home in the snow, & came in cold as a snowflake. This dish really warmed him up. The comfort, aroma & warmth of the roasted vegetables being pulled out of the oven as he sat down to dinner went a long way toward that. As did the interactive nature of hummus & pita, & the warm colors they provided.

For dessert we sipped Chai tea, & we spent the evening lazy in love.

Favorite Song (on my favorite radio station during prep time): Sailing over the Dogger Bank