Sunday, February 22, 2009

Roasty Toasty

You may have heard that here in northern California we are short on water. There have been dire warnings of water rationing each evening on the news and we fear the fires that come in the summer after too-dry years. We watch anxiously the measuring of the Sierra snowpack and wonder if we'll be collecting shower water again for our gardens this summer. Conversations with neighbors tend to drift to the amount of water each flush or car wash uses and how to reduce it.

Well, you could have fooled me!

After weeks of unrelenting heavy rain when nary a shadow could be seen on the ground through the heavy cloud cover, and the dog and I both have muddy paws when we come in, it would seem that our water situation must have at least been slightly improved. The Powers That Be have not relented in their harangue about water levels, however, so I decided it was time to declare officially in my kitchen that water rationing is in effect.

This batch of roasted vegetables is my first offering to the rain gods. It's all warming and tasty and toasty, good for what ails you, especially on a rainy day. All you do is cut up winter-type veggies in roughly same-size pieces, toss them in some good olive oil, drizzle them to taste with balsamic vinegar and sprinkle them with Garam masala before roasting them in a 350-400 degree oven until they are tender, roughly 40 minutes. I used unpeeled kabocha squash, red yam and russet potato, all cut in slivers. To those, I added a white onion, sliced lengthwise through the root end to keep the spears together and a full head of garlic, sliced across the top to expose the cloves. The roasting softens the skins to delicious edibility and the flavors mingle nicely in the oven.

Best of all, it uses not a drop of precious water to deliver its roasty toasty flavors.

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5 Comments:

Blogger Kay said...

one of our favorite meals too, only with carrots, peppers, tomatoes (for me) added later in the roasting time. This dish helped me convince my carnavore-only dh that meatless didn't mean "boring". Mof, I think we need to have it again tonight!

Sunday, February 22, 2009  
Blogger Deetsa said...

Mmmm... I love roasted veggies. Makes my mouth drool to see the picture.
Sorry about the dire warnings despite the rainfall you got. I guess you guys got all our rain because we haven't seen a lot in weeks. Normally we're drowning and depressed at this time of year. Probably jinxed it now. ;-)

Sunday, February 22, 2009  
Blogger Kailyn said...

The rain of the last couple of weeks can indeed be misleading. While it has been rather constant, many days really weren't that heavy -- not like some of the storms of last winter. Last I heard we were only at something like 10% of the annual average. The water rationing has just started.

The veggies look and sound delish though.

Sunday, February 22, 2009  
Blogger Ms Brown Mouse said...

We get rain aplenty really, where I live, but unfortunately the rain steadfastly refuses to fall in the catchment area. Sooo, we can't use water from the taps. I'm guessing you've got the same problem.
One day, soon we're putting in a nice big water tank, then I'll be able to fling water about the garden with wild abandon!

Monday, February 23, 2009  
Blogger Zoomie said...

Kay, yes, there is something "meaty" about veggies done this way. Welcome!

Nerissa, we have mixed emotions about all this rain - but what can one do?

Kailyn, into every life, a little rain, huh?

Morgan, I think the water tank is a good idea for here, too, but how to keep it fresh during the long dry seaon?

Tuesday, February 24, 2009  

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