Roasting Vegetables

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Roasting Vegetables

There is more to preparing vegetables than applying heat. Your goal should be to preserve and enhance their flavor, texture, color, and nutritional content. To do this you must keep several factors in mind.

            Vegetable fiber gives vegetables shape and firmness. Fiber is affected by many things in the cooking process. Fibers are toughened by acids such as lemon juice, vinegar, and tomato products. Alkali and heat soften fibers. If you want to serve crisp, fresh-tasting vegetables, you must control these factors.

The degree of doneness for vegetables varies from vegetable to vegetable, but also from one region of the country and world to another. As a rule of thumb, keep vegetables slightly firm to the bite, al dente. Cook mild flavored vegetables in the least amount of water possible, just enough to cover the vegetables. Some feel that steaming vegetables is preferred. To cook vegetables quickly and reduce flavor loss, start them in boiling water. Salt added to the cooking liquid also helps reduce flavor loss.

            Strong flavored vegetables, such as onions, cabbage, garlic, leeks, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, turnips, and rutabagas, may need some reduction in their strong flavors. They should be cooked uncovered in a larger quantity of water to allow some of the harsh flavor to dissipate.

Vegetables that are grown below the ground, as in root vegetables should be started to cook in cold water because of their high starch content. Vegetables that are grown above ground should be started in boiling water to decrease cooking time