I learned to butter -roast root vegetables while practing for the CMC exam. Sweet, caramelized root vegetables folded into mashed yukon gold potatoes is amazing!
The key is to cover a heavy, roasting pan with foil to achieve a delicious, golden caramelization of the roasted parsnips... and a lot of butter!
Root Vegetables; Turnips & Rutabegas
Turnips, parsnips, carrots, rutabagas, and onions were my dad’s favorite Thanksgiving sides. He loved mashed rutabagas with sweet butter, roasted, caramelized turnips and small onions finished in a simple cream sauce.
While the rest of us thought root vegetables had a “funny smell,” he appreciated the rustic flavor, reminding him of the depression meals he grew up with as a boy.
Root vegetables—such as turnips, parsnips, rutabagas, carrots, and beets—are nutrient-dense ingredients that deliver fiber, complex carbohydrates, and steady, sustained energy.
Today, with so many beautiful, traditional sides to choose from at a holiday feast, I always make turnips as a quiet tribute to him—a reminder of where my cooking began and the flavors that shaped our table.
Prep Time: 30 min
Cooking Time: 60 min
Ingredients
Yield: 4 portions
6 ea. Turnips, Rutabagas, Parsnips, etc... peeled
4 oz Butter, diced
t.t. Salt & Pepper
How to prepare Roasted Root Vegetables
Turnip
Rutabaga
Step 1
Peel the root vegetable, using a vegetable peeler or chef's knife for the rutabega (tougher skin).
Depending on the size, it may be easier to peel first and then cut with a large knife or quarter the turnip and peel with a paring knife.
Be careful...
Step 2
Cut into wedges or dice-as long as you make all of the cuts the same and approximately 1 inch so the vegetables cook quickly and evenly.
Step 3
Place the cut root vegetables into a heavy, roasting pan and season with salt & pepper, add butter, cover with foil and roast in the oven until tender and golden brown. (about 30 minutes)
To Mash a Root Vegetable
Simply simmer peeled and diced turnips, rutabagas, carrots etc...
in salted water until tender. (about 20 minutes)
Strain the vegetables and mash, adding butter, salt and pepper.
If you add cream, be sure to heat it up first.
Try adding a little honey or maple syrup for a nice Autumn flavor.
I like to add a pinch of nutmeg, cinnamon or Chinese Five Spice for flavor.
I recently volunteered to prepare vegetable paella for a church Bible group potluck. I was very excited to develop a delicious, new paella recipe and spent time preparing fresh vegetable stock with flavors of the Mediterranean. I always prepare vegetable and fish stocks fresh, as I intend to use them. I’m not a fan of bases or frozen stocks but I sometimes add a small amount of quality base to my stocks. A vegetable stock with mirepoix, cabbage, mushrooms makes sense in certain applications, for certain recipes—but why would we use a mushroom or cabbage-forward stock in a paella? It doesn’t make culinary sense. Paella is a Mediterranean dish originating in the Valencia region of Spain as a humble meal cooked on an open fire. I’ve enjoyed wonderful paella meals in Valencia prepared with water-not stock, prepared with rabbit, snails and local beans. While traveling through Spain this spring I researched and sampled many styles of paella… no mushrooms, no carrots, no celery and no cabbage.
I still remember cooking breakfast burritos with my son Daniel, for volunteer workers at church events—simple, hearty, and made to fuel a long day of service. The workers were always so appreciative. Years later, I served a crowd favorite, nicknamed “The Bacon-ator,” a breakfast superstar inspired by the over-the-top spirit of fast-food indulgence. We had a popular food booth at the local country fair, where we cooked hundreds of breakfast burritos each day-stuffed with Mexican cheeses, extra bacon, fluffy scrambled eggs, and fresh salsa—nothing pre-made, nothing rushed. Every burrito was warm, fresh, and full of flavor. When food is made with love, even the most straightforward breakfast is memorable.
Chefs often share a bond that transcends politics, religion, and borders. While working in Saudi Arabia with a diverse group of chefs, I experienced this firsthand on my final day. To mark the occasion, they prepared special dishes representing their home countries—a generous feast rooted in tradition and pride. At the center of the table was a beautiful tray of stuffed peppers, zucchini, cabbages, squash, and other vegetables, each prepared with care and respect. As we shared the meal, the chefs beamed with pride, and the room filled with a sense of genuine camaraderie. It was a powerful reminder that food remains one of the most universal languages we have.
I remember a chef teaching me to carefully slice the center seeds from a zucchini and then prepare beautiful dices for a ratatouilli. The seeds and center area get soft and mushy before the outer 'meaty' section of the squash cooks.
Lobster macaroni and cheese is my all time favorite version of Mac and Cheese... I make it by preparing a classic lobster sauce, (flambé and all) and blending it with Béchamel sauce, macaroni and sweet, tender chunks of freshly poached lobster. Macaroni and cheese with pancetta
Culinary Basics: The Art of preparing Stocks
Paella is a Mediterranean dish originating in the Valencia region of Spain. It is a humble meal, originally cooked on an open fire. I’ve enjoyed many wonderful paella meals in Spain. In Valencia I had a local paella with rabbit, snails and local beans. Short-grained rice is always used to prepare Paella, there are several great Spanish varieties like Bomba and Calasparra , prized for absorbing the delicious, flavorful stock and flavors of the ingredients without getting mushy. This is important for creating the dish's signature, crusty bottom layer called the socarrat. Paella is all about the rice!
I still remember cooking breakfast burritos with my son Daniel, for volunteer workers at church events—simple, hearty, and made to fuel a long day of service. The workers were always so appreciative. Years later, I served a crowd favorite, nicknamed “The Bacon-ator,” a breakfast superstar inspired by the over-the-top spirit of fast-food indulgence. We had a popular food booth at the local country fair, where we cooked hundreds of breakfast burritos each day-stuffed with Mexican cheeses, extra bacon, fluffy scrambled eggs, and fresh salsa—nothing pre-made, nothing rushed. Every burrito was warm, fresh, and full of flavor. When food is made with love, even the most straightforward breakfast is memorable.
Beef Wellington is a restaurant classic! Chefs prepare whole tenderloins, wrapped in pastry as well as individually portioned Wellingtons. Culinary historians widely agree that Beef Wellington evolved from French preparations such as filet de bœuf en croûte, which paired beef tenderloin with mushrooms and pastry—techniques well established in French haute cuisine.
Oranges are fantastic in Baking & Pastry. I developed a delicious dessert for the CMC exam (Healthy Cooking) challenge featuring Orange Creamsicle Sorbet with Roasted, Candied Pineapple and Fruit Strudel... with plenty of guidance from the amazing CIA Pastry Instructors! Types of Oranges: There are several distinct varieties of oranges, each with unique characteristics and flavors. The most common type is the Navel orange , recognized for its seedless, sweet flesh and thick, easy-to-peel skin. Valencia oranges are another popular variety, primarily known for their juiciness and are often used for making orange juice. Other notable types include Blood oranges , which have a deep red interior and a distinct berry-like flavor, and Cara Cara oranges , characterized by their pinkish-red flesh and sweet taste. Additionally, Seville oranges , known for their bitterness, are mainly used in making marmalade and flavoring liqueurs.