Serves 4
You need to have a go-to dish when a group you're cooking for has many dietary restrictions. This big platter of long-grain brown rice topped with roasted vegetables will suit your vegan and vegetarian guests, along with anyone who is gluten-free or dairy-free. Toast the rice in a little oil before you add water to the pan, which brings out its flavor and aroma. The vegetables here include winter squash, red onion, carrots, and Brussels sprouts, all cut into fairly large pieces, so when they emerge from the oven later, they still look appealing. You need two rimmed baking sheets to roast them so they're not crowded and they'll caramelize at the end of cooking. Allow over an hour to roast the vegetables, first covered with foil, then uncovered so they char at the edges. Before serving, sprinkle with honey, olive oil, and parsley. You can make the whole dish early in the day, cool it, cover with foil, and refrigerate. Reheat in a 300-degree oven for 30 minutes, or until the center of the dish reaches 165 on a thermometer.
1
teaspoon olive oil
1½
cups long-grain brown rice
2½
cups water
Salt, to taste
1. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the rice and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes, or until some of the grains turn white and the rice is aromatic.
2. Add the the water and salt. Stand back; it will splutter. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and cover the pan. Cook for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the rice is tender when tasted. If there is still water in the pan, continue cooking for 5 minutes more, or until the water is absorbed.
3. Turn off the heat. Cover the top of the pan with a double thickness of paper towel. Set on the lid. Let the rice sit for 10 minutes.
1
winter squash (delicata, acorn, butternut, buttercup, kabocha, carnival)
1
red onion, halved, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick wedges
3
cloves garlic, halved
4
large carrots, thickly sliced on a diagonal 1/2-inch-thick
1½
pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
Olive oil (for sprinkling)
Salt and black pepper, to taste
1
teaspoon Aleppo or Maras pepper, or crushed red pepper, or more to taste
3
tablespoons honey, or more to taste
Flaky sea salt (for sprinkling)
2
tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)
1. Set the oven at 400 degrees. Have on hand 2 large rimmed baking sheets.
2. Cut the winter squash in half and use a soup spoon to remove the seeds. Cut the squash into 1/2-inch-thick half moons, wedges, rounds, or any other shape.
3. Divide the winter squash between the baking sheets. Add red onion, garlic, carrots, and Brussels sprouts to each sheet. Sprinkle all the vegetables generously with olive oil, salt, black pepper, and Aleppo, Maras, or red pepper. Toss well so the vegetables are coated all over. Spread out in a single layer. It's OK if they're tightly packed.
4. Cover the baking sheets with foil and transfer to the oven. Cook for 30 minutes. Remove the foil. Turn all the vegetables in the pan. Continue cooking, uncovered, for 40 to 45 minutes, turning once or twice, or until the vegetables are starting to caramelize at the edges and they are all tender when pierced with a skewer. If the vegetables seem dry at any point, sprinkle with olive oil. (Total roasting time is 70 to 75 minutes.)
5. Sprinkle the vegetables with honey and stir gently. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper, if you like. On a large, deep baking dish or platter, spread the brown rice. Add the roasted vegetables. Sprinkle with olive oil, sea salt, and parsley.
PILAF
VEGETABLES
Sheryl Julian
Serves 4
You need to have a go-to dish when a group you're cooking for has many dietary restrictions. This big platter of long-grain brown rice topped with roasted vegetables will suit your vegan and vegetarian guests, along with anyone who is gluten-free or dairy-free. Toast the rice in a little oil before you add water to the pan, which brings out its flavor and aroma. The vegetables here include winter squash, red onion, carrots, and Brussels sprouts, all cut into fairly large pieces, so when they emerge from the oven later, they still look appealing. You need two rimmed baking sheets to roast them so they're not crowded and they'll caramelize at the end of cooking. Allow over an hour to roast the vegetables, first covered with foil, then uncovered so they char at the edges. Before serving, sprinkle with honey, olive oil, and parsley. You can make the whole dish early in the day, cool it, cover with foil, and refrigerate. Reheat in a 300-degree oven for 30 minutes, or until the center of the dish reaches 165 on a thermometer.
PILAF
| 1 | teaspoon olive oil |
| 1½ | cups long-grain brown rice |
| 2½ | cups water |
| Salt, to taste |
1. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the rice and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes, or until some of the grains turn white and the rice is aromatic.
2. Add the the water and salt. Stand back; it will splutter. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and cover the pan. Cook for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the rice is tender when tasted. If there is still water in the pan, continue cooking for 5 minutes more, or until the water is absorbed.
3. Turn off the heat. Cover the top of the pan with a double thickness of paper towel. Set on the lid. Let the rice sit for 10 minutes.
VEGETABLES
| 1 | winter squash (delicata, acorn, butternut, buttercup, kabocha, carnival) |
| 1 | red onion, halved, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick wedges |
| 3 | cloves garlic, halved |
| 4 | large carrots, thickly sliced on a diagonal 1/2-inch-thick |
| 1½ | pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved |
| Olive oil (for sprinkling) | |
| Salt and black pepper, to taste | |
| 1 | teaspoon Aleppo or Maras pepper, or crushed red pepper, or more to taste |
| 3 | tablespoons honey, or more to taste |
| Flaky sea salt (for sprinkling) | |
| 2 | tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (for garnish) |
1. Set the oven at 400 degrees. Have on hand 2 large rimmed baking sheets.
2. Cut the winter squash in half and use a soup spoon to remove the seeds. Cut the squash into 1/2-inch-thick half moons, wedges, rounds, or any other shape.
3. Divide the winter squash between the baking sheets. Add red onion, garlic, carrots, and Brussels sprouts to each sheet. Sprinkle all the vegetables generously with olive oil, salt, black pepper, and Aleppo, Maras, or red pepper. Toss well so the vegetables are coated all over. Spread out in a single layer. It's OK if they're tightly packed.
4. Cover the baking sheets with foil and transfer to the oven. Cook for 30 minutes. Remove the foil. Turn all the vegetables in the pan. Continue cooking, uncovered, for 40 to 45 minutes, turning once or twice, or until the vegetables are starting to caramelize at the edges and they are all tender when pierced with a skewer. If the vegetables seem dry at any point, sprinkle with olive oil. (Total roasting time is 70 to 75 minutes.)
5. Sprinkle the vegetables with honey and stir gently. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper, if you like. On a large, deep baking dish or platter, spread the brown rice. Add the roasted vegetables. Sprinkle with olive oil, sea salt, and parsley.
Sheryl Julian can be reached at sheryl.julian@globe.com.