Virtues of root vegetables

Root vegetables store well and are usually inexpensive. So, readers unearthed some favorite recipes to prepare these earthly delights.

From Mary Evers:

CURRIED ROAST VEGETABLES

Serves 6

1 large sweet potato, cut into chunks

1 large white potato, cut into chunks

3 carrots, cut into bite-size pieces

3 onions, cut into bite-size pieces

2 tablespoons salad oil

1 red pepper, cut into chunks

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 (16-ounce) can diced tomatoes

2 1/2 cups broccoli flowerets

2 teaspoons kosher salt

4 grinds of black pepper

Juice 1 lime or lemon

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place potatoes, carrots and onions into a 9- by 12-inch roasting pan. Drizzle with oil, swishing around until pan is well oiled. Bake 35 minutes. Add red pepper and broccoli and bake 15 additional minutes. Mix curry powder with tomatoes and pour over vegetables. Bake an additional 15 minutes. Add salt, pepper and lime (or lemon) juice and serve. Very good served with brown rice.

ROSEMARY ROASTED ONIONS

Serves 4

3 large yellow onions, cut into quarters

3 garlic cloves, mashed

2 tablespoons salad oil

1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in roasting pan. Bake at 400 degress for 1 1/4 hours, stirring occasionally. Serve.

From Evelyn McCauley of Brookfield, this week's cookbook winner:

Roasted Root Vegetables

Makes 4-6 servings

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

1 container fresh Brussels sprouts, peeled and cut in half

1 small bunch cauliflower, cut into chunks

1 pound carrots and parsnips, peeled and cut into 2-inch strips

2 large onions, peeled and quartered

8-10 large cloves garlic, cut into chunks

Drizzle olive oil on one large baking sheet (or 2 small) and spread vegetables evenly by groups. Place the Brussels sprouts cut side down. Carrots and parsnips can be mixed together. Sprinkle the chopped garlic evenly over the vegetables. Drizzle some more olive oil over top. Bake at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes or until nicely browned. Serve on oval platter arranging vegetables in groups. Can be a main meal or side dish.

From Mark Christian of Shelton:

Roasted Potato Leek Soup

Serves 6-8

2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch chunks

4 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts, cleaned of all sand (4 leeks)

1/4 cup good olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 cups baby arugula, lightly packed

1/2 cup dry white wine, plus extra for serving

6 to 7 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade

3/4 cup heavy cream

8 ounces creme fraiche

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for garnish

Crispy Shallots, recipe follows, optional

Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Combine the potatoes and leeks on a sheet pan in a single layer. Add the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss to coat the vegetables evenly. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes, turning them with a spatula a few times during cooking, until very tender. Add the arugula and toss to combine. Roast for 4 to 5 more minutes, until the arugula is wilted. Remove the pan from the oven and place over two burners. Stir in the wine and 1 cup of the chicken stock and cook over low heat, scraping up any crispy roasted bits sticking to the pan.

In batches, transfer the roasted vegetables to a food processor fitted with the steel blade, adding the pan liquid and about 5 cups of the chicken stock to make a puree. Pour the puree into a large pot or Dutch oven. Continue to puree the vegetables in batches until they're all done and combined in the large pot. Add enough of the remaining 1 to 2 cups of stock to make a thick soup. Add the cream, creme fraiche, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and check the seasonings.

When ready to serve, reheat the soup gently and whisk in 2 tablespoons white wine and 1/4 cup of Parmesan. Serve hot with an extra grating of Parmesan and crispy shallots, if using.

Crispy Shallots

Makes about 1/2 cup

1 1/2 cups olive oil or vegetable oil

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

5 to 6 shallots, peeled and sliced into thin rings

Heat the oil and butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat until it reaches 220 degrees on a candy thermometer.

Reduce the heat to low, add the shallots, and cook for 30 to 40 minutes, until they are a rich golden brown. The temperature should stay below 260 degrees. Stir the shallots occasionally to make sure they brown evenly. Remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon, drain well, and spread out to cool on paper towels. Once they have dried and crisped, they can be stored at room temperature, covered, for several days.

Crispy shallots can be replaced with croutons or store purchased dried onion rings.

From Mary Ann Arlio of Trumbull:

Harvest Casserole

Serves 10-12

5 cups sweet potatoes, diced 1/4-inch (about 2 large potatoes)

5 cups chopped Granny Smith apples (about 3 medium)

1 cup sweetened dried cranberries

1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar, divided

2 teaspoons cinnamon, divided

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 stick butter, cut into teaspoon-size pieces

1 cup quick cooking oatmeal

1/4 cup flour

1/2 stick butter, melted

In a large bowl, combine potatoes, apples and cranberries. In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and salt. Add to potato mixture. Toss well. Spoon into a 13- by 9-inch pan. Dot with butter pats. In a small bowl combine oatmeal, 1 cup brown sugar, flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Stir in melted butter. Spoon over casserole. Bake covered in a 400-degree oven for 45 minutes. Remove cover and bake 30 minutes.