Fri 6 Jan 2006
Roastin’ Vegetables with the Junior League
Posted by Christine under Pasta , By Type , By Ingredient (That You Don't Want To Waste) , Thyme , By Cookbook or Magazine , Other Important Categories , Vegetarian , (Relatively) Easy , Eggplant , Open House: A Culinary TourSay what you want about the Junior League, but don’t knock their recipe books. The Junior League of Murfreesboro, Tennessee fame has put together a fine book that I cook from regularly, Open House: A Culinary Tour. My latest cooking endeavor at their recommendation: Roasted Vegetables and Pasta, which suited me since I’m always looking for something new to do with eggplant. And all the vegetables (zucchini, mushrooms, carrots) made me feel healthy. I thought their marinade was ingenious, just onion soup mix, fresh thyme leaves and olive oil. It created some pretty flavorful veggies.
Adjustments: My only adjustment I wouldn’t recommend; I write it up as a warning of what not to do. To save time, I bought pre-sliced mushrooms instead of whole ones as suggested, which you’re instructed to cut in half. The sliced ones shriveled up to almost nothing during the roasting process, so don’t be lured by the ease of pre-sliced mushrooms. In the case, follow the directions.
Assessment: Pretty easy to execute, but chopping the veggies takes a while, and you have to time the various components well (toasting pine nuts, roasting vegetables, boiling pasta.) I like their suggestion to try it with chicken, though I didn’t. All in all, it wasn’t the most amazing dish I’ve ever had–I won’t dream about it or anything–but I could end up making it again. A friend who got a tupperware full of it and ate it the next day called it “delicious.”
October 29th, 2006 at 5:09 am
I just read your review of this recipe. If you are anywhere near Murfreesboro, on November 11, I’d like to invite you to sample many more dishes from Open House, A Culinary Tour!
The 4th Annual Flash and Sizzle Cooks’ Tour is
hosted by the Discovery Center at Murfree Spring. Tour four gorgeous kitchens with The Junior League of Murfreesboro as chefs present a progressive meal from The Open House cookbook. 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m., $20 per person. Contact: Discovery Center at Murfree Spring, (615) 890-2300
www.discoverycenteronline.org
October 29th, 2006 at 10:33 am
Thanks for the invite, but sadly I won’t be in town that weekend. But I’ll be sure to let other Murfreesboroans (sp?) know.