There’s not a whole lot to choose from at the farmer’s market these days, but root vegetables (potatoes, turnips, beets, carrots, rutabagas, etc.) are always available, easy to prepare, and generally excellent.
If you have never roasted root vegetables before, try it. It couldn’t be simpler, it’s near foolproof, and the results tend to impress. Just cut whatever root vegetables you have on hand into evenly-sized cubes, toss them with olive oil, salt, garlic, and maybe some herbs. Throw them into a roasting pan and then put them in a 400 degree oven for about an hour or until they’re brown. That’s it.
There are some ways, though, to get a little trickier. One is to make sweet potato fries:
Instead of cutting the sweet potatoes into cubes, slice them into sticks like you would do for french fries. Toss them in oil and salt just like you would normally, but then put them in a roasting pan with a lot of space in between so the outside can get crunchy.
Roast for 15 minutes or so, then flip and roast for another 10-15. Serve with a little bit of mayo for dipping. These fries will not get as crunchy as they would if you deep fried them, but they still end up with a nice crispy exterior and a creamy inside.
