Roasting the Roots

We have two doctors in our clinic on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Too long ago for me to remember when, we started sharing lunch and meeting with Fred Page (our friend and financial guru from next door). As type A personalities will do, we have made an effort to have healthy, delicious, and lovely lunches. Of course, we consider every dish to be gourmet. There was some discussion today about whether or not the meals were really gourmet. Dr. Lambert settled the question. "Of course these dishes are gourmet," he said. "Gourmet just means it is carefully and lovingly prepared."  Fred was skeptical, so we checked with the internet. We found that the term is used (according to Wikipedia) "to describe a person with refined or discriminating taste who is knowledgeable in the craft and art of food and food preparation."  After reading that, Dr. Lambert and I are sure we are gourmets.  Fred tells us, however, we are just run-of-the-mill gourmets, as we know some things, but not necessarily a lot.  We are not calling ourselves gourmet chefs, but we may be. Just so you know. 

With all that said, our lunch was so yummy and beautiful that we decided to share it with you. Here's the menu:

Roasted duck nestled on a bed of chanterelle mushrooms, roasted root vegetables, and sautéed organic collards and onions kissed with red peppers. 

(The sweet potatoes and collards were from Native Son Farm and were terrific. If you haven't visited their stand, make time to do so.) 

Isn't that a lovely lunch plate?  Every dish was delicious, and we might end up sharing all the recipes with you, but for today, we are sharing the Roasted Root recipe. 

One onion, sliced

Three whole carrots, two or three parsnips, two or three sweet potatoes, two large radishes all peeled and sliced in large chunks

Olive oil

Salt, pepper, garlic powder, parsley

Combine all vegetables in a bowl. Drizzle the olive oil over the vegetables, add seasonings, and combine. Transfer to cooking dish. 

Place in 450 degree preheated oven. Cook for 45-60 minutes or until tender. 

Dot with butter and toss gently before serving. Serves four to six

The first picture is how it looked in the pan last night. It marinated overnight in the olive oil and seasonings. Today, it was simply delicious! 

There's an amazing thing about food and shared recipes. When I use Fred's recipe at my home, it's like sharing a part of his life. When they use my recipes, they have shared a part of my life. It's what we do in the South. We don't just cook. We cook Leanna's roots, Lewayne's duck, Fred's gumbo, Pam's curry, Elaine's collards. It's a kind of cooking that makes the meal both delicious and personal, shared with those we love because of the associations of the flavors with those from whom the recipe came. 

The Tuesday-Thursday Gourmet Lunch Club decided to invite you to share a taste of delicious with us by roasting up some roots of your own. We hope you enjoy them as much as we did. 

Speaking of roots... These root vegetables anchor the plant to the source of nutrition and life. Roots to eat are just wonderful, but more important is your Life-Root that anchors you to your source of spiritual nutrition and life. To whom or what are you rooted ?  Much like the plants that provided our lunch, whose roots were anchored in nourishing soil, be sure you are rooted in the One who can sustain you in good times and bad, give you life, and nourish your soul. 

Happy rooting, dear ones!