Roasting Anything

The Gourmandise School   of Sweets and Savories     Roasting turns me on, said the oven to the potato. The weather has cooled off just a bit, and our attention has turned to writing our menus for this winters' classes.  We're making pumpkin bread, dreaming of butternut squash and loving our new ravioli fillings.  It's meant to rain tomorrow, and after a long few weeks on unseasonably warm weather, the idea of curling up and waiting for the wafting scents from our savory ovens is a welcome thought. See those smart-looking peppers on the right?  Well, my friends, those are as sweet as they are handsome, and after their sejour in the oven, they were tossed with a touch of olive oil, a sprinkle of cotija cheese and went straight. into. my. mouth.  Thanks goes to Alex Weiser, whose potato-mulberry-carrot-eggplant-pepper stand at the farmers market (lest we forget the random apparition of late-season peaches) features a variety of peppers, from sweet to hhhhhhhot.  These were roasted at 400 degrees on a half-sheet pan with little else but sea salt and a touch of oil for 25 minutes. Roasted Anything Here's the deal; roasting is awesome.  It's hands-off and requires only an occasional just-checking-that-it's-not-burning look-see.  We've asked around and compiled a list of tips that you may find handy when deciding to thrown in the towel (not into the oven, please) and let the oven do the cookin'. 1.  They all like it hot.  Roast between 400 and 475 degrees for best results and color.   2.  Be consistent.  When cutting your vegetables, try to keep your cuts even so that everything cooks fairly evenly.                        3. Put down the wine.  Roasting is dry heat- no need to baste or bathe; save the sauce for a finish once out of the oven.   4.  Don't be a prick.  If you're roasting meats, leave them be.  Pricking them incessantly will release their succulent juices.     5. Save it.  Don't toss the bits of gristle and pan juices that have escaped your bird.  Pour them into a saucepan, add stock or roux and set aside to serve with your dinner. 6. Keep a lip on it.  For the love of God and release from those oven cleaners, don't use a flat cookie sheet to roast anything.  I use my trusty half-sheet pans with a 1" lip for roasting vegetables and deeper roasting pans or dutch ovens for meats. 7. Wax off.  A gentle reminder that wax paper is coated with paraffin wax and should never be heated.  If you want to line your pans, I suggest parchment paper or foil. 8. Leave them high and dry.  I find it helpful to roast chicken a few inches from the bottom of the pan.  If you don't have a rack, you can improvise with an inverted bowl. 9.  Finishing touches.  Roasting takes place at high heat, so be sure to save your extra virgin olive oil for a finishing touch and toss your veggies in just olive oil (or any other vegetable oil) instead. Wishing you a delicious day, Clémence and Hadley